Eye in the Sky

If you're into crime movies full of hand - held camera zoom - ins and outs at giddying speed, rapid - fire editing, seeing a Hong Kong shot through the old, tired, steel - grey filters (where weirdly everyone looks as if they're dressing for a trip to Alaska), characters almost always using hilarious pseudonyms to address one another, a plot line that involves stake - out after long drawn out stakeout, shallow characterisations and all baked in a muzak quality soundtrack, Eye in the Sky may just be the tonic for you.

But for this disappointed punter, I have to to label it a complete dud and agree with one of the other reviewers in this forum, who says that it's a 90 minute film that seems to run for 3 hours. Yep, it's that boring. Case in point. Take the occasional action scenario from the film, such as that set on the freeway. It should be regulation viewing for all aspiring directors to demonstrate on how not to stage action set pieces. Besides seemingly, just throwing the cameras hopefully in the air, whilst again zooming in and out at frightening speed, one then proceeds to completely break up this rare action, by cutting away to, yes, another stake - out. Mind - numbing stuff!

The storyline is supposed to be seen (spasmodically anyway) through the eyes of rookie female cop Piggy (yes Piggy, not Peggy as cited on IMDB and feel free to cringe like I did). But there is no growth or development of Piggy throughout the movie's running time. She's pretty much appears the same lame rookie at the conclusion, as she appeared at the start. And I won't even go into the dead end climax, where she alternates between following a "Mr Big" and rolling around a pavement in the rain crying. Seriously! It's that sort of film. Intermittantly funny, but not meant to be! Be warned.