Released: September 15th, 1995
Starring: Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Matthew Lillard, Fisher Stevens, Jessie Bradford
Writer/Director: Rafael Moreu/Iain Softley
[Review may contain spoilers. Please watch movie before reading, unless you don't care. Most of these films have already been released for a while, so they should be readily available.]
***
Guilty pleasure movies are generally those that are watched multiple times despite the fact that they aren't very good films. A good movie can never be a guilty pleasure because the prerequisite is: so bad it's good.
"Hackers" is on the top of my list. From its campy take on hacking to the terrible acting of Jonny Lee Miller, this movie has all of the ingredients for a good time, and a possible drinking game. The plot of the film is ridiculous, but the short version is Fisher Stevens is trying to runaway with the shrink from the "Sopranos" and 25 million dollars in his pocket. He has infected the computer system of a corporation with a virus that tips over oil tankers and a worm that steals the money, and he will blame the former on hackers. That's where our heroes come in.
Zero Cool (Miller) and Acid Burn (Jolie) are the leaders of the crew who successfully thwart the plan and save the day. They do it by crashing a server in the most inaccurate battle of the hackers that I've ever seen. Almost everything that goes on during the climax of this movie is what we believe hacking to be like in our heads. A good comparison to this is porn. How we imagine the business is the complete opposite of the reality of the industry.
Jolie, as usual, in her early film choices, is strong and sexy, but not in the conventional way. But from the first moment she's on screen you can sense something special about her. I remember loving her performance before I knew who she was, and before she became an A-list actress. "Hackers" was her first film that got any notoriety, and probably not until "Girl, Interrupted" in 1999 was she known for anything else in the mainstream. Sure, she's probably not going to be a consistent Oscar nominee, but she never gives a bad performance. If I had to say one movie propelled her career, it would be "Gia", and if you haven't seen it, please rent it tomorrow.
The ensemble cast of hackers -- which includes infamous scene-stealer, Lillard, future chick-flick rebel (Bring it On), Bradford, and character actor, Laurence Mason -- give the movie a solid base and good comic relief. If it wasn't for Miller's terrible line delivery and stilted acting, this movie wouldn't feel so campy.
"Hackers" is a great movie if you have two hours to kill, and really don't want to think much. It's a fun ride, and perfect for those lazy Sunday afternoon. You shouldn't expect too much going in except for a sexy 20-year-old Jolie and crazy over the top dialogue. If you are a hacker, you will either hate this movie, or laugh at it like gamers do at "Gamer".
Rating: 5.5/10 -- One of the better guilty pleasure movies, and worth the time spent watching it. If you don't expect much, you will be entertained. Hack the planet.
"Hackers" is on the top of my list. From its campy take on hacking to the terrible acting of Jonny Lee Miller, this movie has all of the ingredients for a good time, and a possible drinking game. The plot of the film is ridiculous, but the short version is Fisher Stevens is trying to runaway with the shrink from the "Sopranos" and 25 million dollars in his pocket. He has infected the computer system of a corporation with a virus that tips over oil tankers and a worm that steals the money, and he will blame the former on hackers. That's where our heroes come in.
Zero Cool (Miller) and Acid Burn (Jolie) are the leaders of the crew who successfully thwart the plan and save the day. They do it by crashing a server in the most inaccurate battle of the hackers that I've ever seen. Almost everything that goes on during the climax of this movie is what we believe hacking to be like in our heads. A good comparison to this is porn. How we imagine the business is the complete opposite of the reality of the industry.
Jolie, as usual, in her early film choices, is strong and sexy, but not in the conventional way. But from the first moment she's on screen you can sense something special about her. I remember loving her performance before I knew who she was, and before she became an A-list actress. "Hackers" was her first film that got any notoriety, and probably not until "Girl, Interrupted" in 1999 was she known for anything else in the mainstream. Sure, she's probably not going to be a consistent Oscar nominee, but she never gives a bad performance. If I had to say one movie propelled her career, it would be "Gia", and if you haven't seen it, please rent it tomorrow.
The ensemble cast of hackers -- which includes infamous scene-stealer, Lillard, future chick-flick rebel (Bring it On), Bradford, and character actor, Laurence Mason -- give the movie a solid base and good comic relief. If it wasn't for Miller's terrible line delivery and stilted acting, this movie wouldn't feel so campy.
"Hackers" is a great movie if you have two hours to kill, and really don't want to think much. It's a fun ride, and perfect for those lazy Sunday afternoon. You shouldn't expect too much going in except for a sexy 20-year-old Jolie and crazy over the top dialogue. If you are a hacker, you will either hate this movie, or laugh at it like gamers do at "Gamer".
Rating: 5.5/10 -- One of the better guilty pleasure movies, and worth the time spent watching it. If you don't expect much, you will be entertained. Hack the planet.
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