Eyeborgs (2009)

Pretty Good

Highly Overrated But Still Good

I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

In the near future, terrorist attacks on American soil have resulted in the United States taking significant steps to increase homeland security. Mainly, a couple of things have happened. First, all the surveillance cameras you see hanging around - everywhere from banks to the local convenience store - have been connected into one network - the Optical Defense Intelligence Network (ODIN). Second, a mobile robotic system of cameras have been introduced, called "Eyeborgs". Naturally these devices are there to protect our freedom, not take it away. However, it appears something has gone terribly wrong...In the opening, young purple-haired punk rocker Lucas "Luke" Eberl (as Jarett Hewes) performs with his "Painful Daze" band. There is an attempt to assassinate Mr. Eberl, but he survives when handsome ODIN agent Adrian Paul (as Robert "Gunner" Reynolds) and his Eyeborgs make the scene. Pushy blonde TV reporter Megan Blake (as Barbara Hawkins) smells a story...Curiously, Eberl is the nephew of the President of the United States. Even more curious, Mr. Paul's subsequent investigation of the killer reveals something disturbing about our protective Eyeborgs. Director Richard Clabaugh and his crew keep the action and intrigue levels high. Visual effects supervisor Christopher Howell Watson and his team received award notices for their animated creatures, which are designed and inserted well. Performances are fine, with Eberl taking the best role to the top. "Eyeborgs" would rank a couple notches higher if not for the shaky cameras. Some of the wobbling looks natural, but there are many times when the camera is shaking uncontrollably. It's not too bad during the erotic car wash, though...****** Eyeborgs (4/29/09) Richard Clabaugh ~ Adrian Paul, Luke Eberl, Megan Blake, Danny Trejo

I don't know where the barrage of negative reviews on this site comes from - given the plot of the movie, about out-of-control government surveillance, I'd almost believe they were part of a campaign to deter people from watching it.The film is suspenseful, thought-provoking and well-acted. No,it isn't a mega-budget blockbuster, but it didn't have to be. The script was tight and literate and the direction and camera work kept me glued to the screen.And given the premise, it raises a disturbing question of how much of what passes for news in the media is actually real - a photo-shopped picture of a monkey holding a semi-automatic handgun that was used by FOX News to illustrate a discredited story about monkeys being taught to kill U.S. soldiers - immediately comes to mind.So if you are looking for a fast-moving, well-done and entertaining way of passing some time, don't believe the bad reviews. It may not be an Academy Award contender, but it is WELL WORTH WATCHING!!!

As a Highlander Series fan I watched this film hoping for good things, but was disappointed.At a high-level the plot and premise have real potential, but this potential is never realized because the actual script and directing are mediocre at best. Further the story flow is disjointed and uneven. Character development is also weak and you really don't get to know the characters or care about them much.Adrian Paul's performance was competent, but uninspiring, probably due to mediocre dialog. Likewise, the other actors performances are hard to critique because they really did not have much with which to work.Somehow, in spite of the above, the ever present cameras and Eyeborgs do create a really creepy atmosphere and made me think I do not want anything even close to a society infested with Eyeborgs.So in spite of its many flaws, good special effects and just enough of everything else still allows Eyeborgs to achieve its objective of making us question an ends justifies the means approach to fighting terrorism.

With a name like "Eyeborgs", you know it has to either be really bad or really funny. And this movie isn't funny. There are some redeeming qualities here though. You'll see in the end that it's a pretty original idea; it just suffers from mediocre execution, likely due to its low budget, which is a real shame. With a larger budget it could've been something of a ground-breaker. As much as the title might otherwise imply, this is by all indications meant to be a serious, dramatic sci-fi thriller. Far from polished, the script was only "eh", and the fight choreography was worse, especially when the robots and humans fought hand-to-hand. The placement of CGI within real-world shots was generally not too believable, but that's somewhat understandable considering the budget. The 3D modeling and animation themselves, though, were probably the film's strongest elements. The little camera robots are cute, like tiny robotic gremlins going around killing people, with distinct and consistent personalities.Unfortunately, the first hour or so of this isn't that absorbing. The concept itself is good though, and you won't fully appreciate it unless you sit through the entire movie to find out the real deal. The last 20 minutes are when things pick up and I actually felt absorbed by the movie, and I dare say, it may actually end up leaving you with something to think about.