Eyeborgs - Nichts ist, wie es scheint

Slick Looking Conspiratorial B-Movie with a Multitude of CGI Surveillance Robots that are the Government's New Tool in a "Big-Brother is Watching" Scenario that is Beginning to Find its Place in the Cinema of the New Millennium. Rightfully So and Not a Minute too Soon.

With Cameras Everywhere but in Your Corn Flakes (that's next) in the Real World it is a Ripe and Relevant Scenario Ready for Debate. Freedom vs Security. Cue Benjamin Franklin.

This is a Scary and Creepy Film that At Times can be too Good Looking for its Own Good. Some of the Ominous Observing Robots can Look Cute and Cuddly and Maybe that's the Point. We are Your Friend. Just Like the Government is Your Friend and Bill O'Reilly is "Definitely looking out for You".

The Excellent Plot and its Twists are Above Average for its Type. It Packs a Wallop and it Tries Really Hard to Make its Points when the Point is, this Should be an Obvious Outcome of what's Taking Place in the Real World of Today. NSA Data Collecting and Cameras Up the Yin-Yang Cannot Lead to Anything Great.

Of Course, the Images are Sent Back to a Centralized Network (Skynet?) and Manipulated to Make it look like anything They want and that's the Flaw in the Argument Against the Peeking Patrols of Not Only Eyes in the Sky but Eyes Everywhere.

This is a Fine B-Movie that Thinks and Entertains with Some Gusto from a Talented Director. The Only Gripe is that Some of its Sting is Stifled by the Tone that Sometimes Can Make it All Seem too Much Sci-Fi and Not Enough Paranoid Conspiracy Thriller.

EYEBORGS executes a simple B-movie premise with energy and efficiency: various characters encounter and are forced to battle against a new wave of 'eyeborgs', which are strange robotic critters that appear to be drones with legs. Said 'eyeborgs' have been taken over by a nefarious power, their forces growing while investigators attempt to uncover the conspiracy behind them.

What this all boils down to is an action-packed flick in which the protagonists are constantly fighting off attacks by the deadly machines. The hero duties are handled by Adrian Paul (TV's HIGHLANDER), playing his tough-guy routine with aplomb; also along for the ride is Danny Trejo, although he appears to be locked in a basement for his scant screen time.

What I noticed most about EYEBORGS is that the CGI effects are actually very well achieved. They're not 100% realistic, of course, but for what must have been a low budget they're excellent and the robots get plenty of screen time too. As usual, the script is what ends up lacking the most, but the plentiful action at least keeps this one entertaining throughout.

I saw Eyeborgs at its premier screening in St. Pete Beach, and it is a fun "killer robot" movie wrapped around a moral/political message. If you want to pay attention, you can catch the allegories to real-life situations equally involving privacy of citizens, and trusting the media and government. However, in essence it is a fun movie about robots being used to take over society. An independent film with a very high production value and excellent special effects. The robots, especially the "Reapers" are extremely well done. Very good performance by Adrian Paul as the Department of Homeland Defense Agent. I definitely recommend this movie for sci-fi fans.

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

When I saw this movie on the Syfy channel, I couldn't get into it and was surfing around to other channels, this movie was cheesy where there should had been a tension and suspense, but I came back toward the end to see what might happen, as this is so bad it was good and I wanted to see where this movie would end. And I was surprised, it was if there was another movie that had come on. The 3rd act of Eyeborgs presents a thought provoking concept and has good action. It could had been done better with better actors and sharper writing, yet so surprising that I give it a bit higher rating to recommend it. So remake this movie with a decent budget and script, it's a great story.