Movie Review - Hackers

IMDb Page

Hackers is one of my favourite movies of all time. It is terrible unrealistic (technically exaggerated)and the script overall is pathetic. They make a poor attempt to recreate the l33t language of the time (the opening where 2 hackers are fighting over a system particularly annoys me) so then you ask, why is it one of my favourite movies of all time? Well the answer is a simple one, Hackers tells the story of the ideal world for the pop culture side of hacking in the 90s. Beautiful talented female hacker "Acid Burn" (Angelina Jolie)stepping up to the plate and taking most of the men down, with her slick, sophisticated style and talent. A man wrongly accused of a crime, Dade Murphy also known as Zero Cool, Crash Override and "that Murphy kid" (Jonny Lee Miller) in the the process of clearing his name proves himself as elite. The hacking crew at this school really is amazing though with the 2 aforementioned hackers, a conspiracy theorist/anarchist, a guy with photographic memory, the cool kid and the prerequisite n00b (all played quite convincingly) and with a quirky love story on the side that make this movie perfect to see with a date. Also The combination of psychedelic colour and electronica over the sound of typing will give any programmer or tech fan the itch to type.

I refuse to rate this film straight out because in my books it is 10 out of 10 for keeping my interest over the many many many times I have watched it. It manages to fit itself neatly inside tech flick and romantic comedy with neither aspect seeming like an add on. Although I do completely agree with the IMBd rating of 5.8. due to the issues I listed earlier I do think of it as worth slightly more, It is not a sterotypical classic and definitely not timeless, but I think if I become a parent or carer or a child then I would show them this film to explain to them what technology was like the year I was born. Like how my father got me to watch the original Tron. And funnily enough Tron Legacy seems like it is the summary of tech in the naughties with its slick black forms and bright LED like lighting, although still a young male protagonist (we can only hope for a sequel girl gamers :) )