The second most-defining Film for '90s kids- just shy of The Matrix. In 2020, does it still hold up? It has been 25 years since Hackers came out and alot has changed. The technology they brag about on their PCs is pretty much dwarfed by a modern Smartphone. Trends from the Film have come and gone (and come again, as trends do). Yes, people really did wear as much neon and strange, print shirts as people do in this Film. If you don't know the Film, I'll go through it for you. If you do know the Film, you might have forgotten alot of this. I'm pretty sure I haven't watched this Film since 1995, unless it was randomly on like the USA Network or something. The Plot involves a group of young Hackers who get targeted by a Government Operative when he needs a patsy for his crimes. Can they use their skills to save themselves? Will they drop lots of dated lingo? The Film is notable for being one of Angelina Jolie's first big Films. The Lead- Johnny Lee Miller- would marry her after the Film was made...but it didn't last. Awkward. Is this a somewhat-forgotten Classic or a silly-ass time capsule Film? To find out, read on...
A SWAT Team shows up and takes out a Hacker at his House. He's young and white, so he lived.
In fact, he was 11 years old!
After being finally free from charges, he...uses his hacking skills to take over a local TV Station to make it play The Outer Limits.
Wait- was he behind the Max Headroom Incident?!?
At a new School, he's rejected by a woman- Jolie. After she pranks him too, he does the only logical thing- he hacks into the School's Network and transfer himself into all of her Classes.
Showing that he never learned, he does this DURING COMPUTER CLASS.
Also Computer Class.
A Tech Security Expert- Fisher Stevens- is called in when they connect the data breach to a Hacker who is threatening some Oil Tankers.
Their one friend- aka the only one who's actually a Teenager- hacks into a Government Server and accidentally downloads some 'dangerous' stuff.
Enjoy this '90s imagery!
Oh and Wendell Pierce is here too!
As it turns out, Stevens is behind it all. Gasp. Shocked expression.
He's doing the trick from Superman 3- skimming the change in Accounts- and made up a fake Hacker to blame for the Oil Tanker Hacking that he actually did, since it made a good cover.
Hmm...I think Shane Black saw Hackers...
In true movie fashion, the Server Room is a giant place full of glass panels that have 'data' running up and down them. Even in 2020, they are not nearly that cinematic.
Coming together, the titular Hackers first mess with Agent Wendell Pierce to show off and then work to expose the crimes Stevens' crimes and clear their names.
They get caught, but only after they take the information- on a FLOPPY DISK- and their cohort (a 25-year old Matthew Lillard) goes on a Hacker Talk Show to transmit the data across all media.
I wonder if that Fuji Film Store is still there.
This clears their names and leads to the bad guys being arrested. The End.
Dated, but silly fun. Not even counting the technological aspect of the Film, it sure is dated. The fashion. The locations. The style. That's not really a bad thing, per se, but it does affect the Film. If you want to see what 'cool' was in the '90s as far as the Counter Culture (or at least Hollywood's take on it) is concerned, it works well. If you just watch the Film, the dated aspects could be bad. It's up to you the viewer- you know, like every Film. There's no forgetting that this Film wasn't made in 1995- that's my point. I personally have a love for this kind of silly Film that takes everything so seriously. It is the best kind of cheesy when they don't seem to know it. Even the marketing is silly, as they 'fake-hacked' the Film's Website to say 'Go see The Net instead.' Classic! The Acting is good to decent here, with some people standing out in one way or another. Some- like Lillard- are just so over-the-top that you have to love them, while Jolie does her best to get smoldering down. She'll obviously have plenty of practice after this Film! Her and Miller have some real chemistry, which was obviously evident to them, as mentioned in the Intro. Stevens is just one top hat and monocle away from being a silly cartoon villain- I love it. There are also some random Cameos/small parts here, including Penn Gillette and Marc Anthony. Doubly-ironic is that the 2 Characters that our Leads aspire to be- famous Hackers Razor and Blade- are played by Actors that got nowhere near as famous as them! If you vaguely-remember the Film, give it a rewatch. If you've never seen it and didn't live through this period, it is a fun Film to see for just how weird we were in 1995. Just take one lesson from the Film- be smart. These guys, for instance, know that they are being watched. With that in mind, they talk about the hack- and bring the disc!- in the middle of Central Park!
Next time, I return to Horror when I finally cover the American Remake Series of a Film covered long ago. It's the one you all know and love- joy! Stay tuned...
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