Casey Phillips: To begin with, I had high hopes for “Eagle Eye.” Unlike most summer blockbusters — which this film is, despite the late release — the trailer tantalized without showing too much of its hand. The story of a mysterious force aiding the escape of an innocent man framed for a crime he didn’t commit seemed solid, if a bit overplayed, and the presentation seemed to embody the tone of “The Fugitive,” a film I really enjoyed.

For the first hour, it seemed to deliver. Shia LaBeouf (most recently of the latest “Indiana Jones” film) manages to inject some emotion into his lead role as Jerry Shaw, a twin whose brother dies while in the military. Cliche? Yeah, but eventually, the plot picks up steam with frenetic escape sequences that left me drooling to discover the identity of the puppet master aiding Shaw and “the female” (Michelle Monaghan).

Then came the inevitable plot twist, after which the whole movie basically apes “The Terminator,” “Enemy of the State” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” First-time film writer Dan McDermott must have had 45-60 minutes of good material and then scrambled to fill 60 more, which isn’t surprising, considering his only other credit is writing for the TV show “Angela’s Eyes.”

Holly Leber: Keeping with the trend of picking a word to define each movie, I’m going to label this one as “preposterous.” “Unoriginal” would also work. There has to be another way to do the “man is inferior to machine” plot.

That being said, however, the action kept me watching, even if the plot was predictable. The film is well shot, with eye-catching camera work. The explosions and car chase scenes kept my adrenaline level high, despite the fact that my mental energies were not being exercised.

Casey: Director D.J. Caruso’s approach to shot sequences, particularly the chases, reminded me of the kinetic style of Paul Greengrass (of the latter two “Bourne” movies). The high-action moments are so well shot and choreographed, however, that the lulls between feel lifeless and suffocating.

LaBeouf and Monaghan spend most of the time screaming hysterically or standing in slack-jawed disbelief at the events swirling around them, but Thomas Morgan (Billy Bob Thorton), the FBI agent tracking Shaw, delivers lines with a swaggering style and quick wit that inject a bit of life into otherwise dull scenes. Morgan is accompanied by fellow agent Zoe Perez (Rosario Dawson), who can’t match him and seems bland and unengaging as a result.

Holly: There’s enough of an age difference between LaBeouf and Monaghan to make her a more mature, emotionally-centered character, but not so much as to give off a “here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson” vibe. The two had a middling chemistry that didn’t really come to fruition until the very end of the movie. The movie wasn’t missing anything else by not emphasizing a romance, however. Heated, mid-chase amorous play in a cargo container would have been too put upon.

Casey: Essentially, “Eagle Eye” is the last chance to enjoy a summer blockbuster, albeit without as many whiz-bang special effects to distract you from the sub-par acting. If you decide to go, stay for the first half, take a bathroom break and forget to come back. You’ll leave with a better impression.

Holly: On a last note, freckle-faced, button-nosed Cameron Boyce as Monaghan’s son, Sam, may be the one of the cutest little kids on screen today.

And yes, the predictability of the plot took away enough of my need to follow the story that I found myself resorting to “look at the sweet little face” inner exclamation in the moments that didn’t involve chasing, shooting or exploding. This is definitely not a movie to watch for subtle artistic merits.

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