Hackers (1995)

"Hack the planet!"  That's the credo of a gang of young cyberpunks who 
find themselves doing damage control after one of them steals-for-fun 
a sensitive corporate file with potentially ecologically disastrous 
results.  As one character in the movie notes, "there is no right and 
wrong, only fun and boring."  [The pocket-protected audience nods in 
silent approval.]

Director Ian Sofely (BACKBEAT) gives the film a grungy, lived-in look 
that's very inviting.  As are the fresh faces in the cast, including 
Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie.  (Look closely and you can see 
the resemblance between Jolie and her father, Jon Voight.  What a 
find!  And, yes, that's Alberta Watson of SPANKING THE MONKEY fame 
playing the mother!)  

The "hacking" sequences are unusual.  Sofely opts for imagery instead 
of explanation; dazzling VR instead of a line-by-line (or window-by-
window) demonstration of the craft.  Sure, there's not a byte of 
believable technology here-- the story is set some not-too-far-future 
where laptops can do *anything*-- but the characters are strong.  What 
a concept, a character-driven "computer movie." 

Grade: B-

Copyright 1995 Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros