MANILA, Philippines?The action-thriller, ?Eagle Eye,? moves at such a brisk pace that it?s not until the end credits roll in that you begin to realize that there was, in fact, nothing particularly brilliant or original about it. While it?s not likely to end up on any critic?s top 10 list this year, however, the film is so full of energy and mayhem that it?s hard not to just go along for the ride and enjoy it.

Directed by D.J. Caruso (?Disturbia?) and starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, and Michael Chiklis, the movie deals with the consequences of today?s world, where surveillance cameras abound and information is available in a network or online.

Dropout

LaBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, an underachieving Stanford dropout working at a copy shop. His life changes when his overachieving, military-hotshot twin brother dies: Crates of guns, ammo and ammonium nitrate get mysteriously delivered to his apartment, and a female disembodied voice (Julianne Moore) calls him up on his cell phone and tells him that the FBI is coming to arrest him?and he better skedaddle, pronto!

He doesn?t, so they arrest him?but the voice gets him out again before the agent-in-charge (Thornton) and his military counterpart (Dawson) can do anything about it. A chase ensues, and Jerry finds himself hooking up with Rachel (Michelle Monaghan), a single mom who also has to do what the voice says?or else, her son will die!

Omniscient voice

The clueless duo manages to stay ahead of the authorities, since the voice is apparently omniscient and all-powerful, and controls everything from cranes, trains and power lines to traffic lights, cell phones and electronic marquees.

?Eagle Eye? is not the first movie to explore the possible dangers that a surveillance society and unlimited government access to personal information can bring. Nor is it the first one to tackle the hazards of technology (?2001: A Space Odyssey,? anyone?). It?s far from being the best of its kind, either, but it?s the only one that has a scene featuring an unmanned military jet chasing an SUV inside a tunnel!

LaBeouf and Monaghan spend most of their screen time fleeing, getting shot at, and looking as if they still can?t believe what?s happening. Of course, the screenwriters still manage to get them to emote to each other, but the production is hardly as concerned with fleshing out its characters as it is with making things collide. Thornton as the sarcastic agent, Thomas Morgan, has a character that, while stereotypical, is at least not bland, but poor Dawson isn?t given much to do as Air Force investigator, Zoe.

?Eagle Eye? could have been a great film?its premise is certainly interesting and relevant enough?but it focuses too much on getting the effect right and not the story, so it misses its shot at greatness. Executively produced by Steven Spielberg, whose idea it all apparently was, its production values are topnotch, which explains why its many stunts and action sequences are enjoyable to watch.