So extremely 90s, it's practically 80s. All the aesthetics of the Foot Clan's hideout in the 1990 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' movie, expanded into their own feature film. Roller skates and skateboards everywhere. Please don't miss the spinning phone booth set pieces at the climax. Production design, art direction, costume design, hair and makeup work, dialogue, character writing, scene writing, music - has there ever existed another film that was so dated? There are important, meaningful themes in the narrative surrounding the collusion of authoritarian state agents and major corporate malfeasance, the troubling issues that follow from the digitalization of every aspect of our lives and world, and active resistance to such oppressive forces. The story itself is solid if familiar, a tale of fighting back against entrenched powers and rooting out corruption. It's hard not to feel like all the stylistic choices threaten to overwhelm the substance, though - 'Hackers' is enjoyable, but the reasons why are debatable.
Is this fun on its own merits, or as a major Blast From The Past? Is there enough storytelling value herein to earnestly counterbalance the wild visuals and otherwise embellishments? To what extent is the cast to be commended for their performances, or alternatively, how much were they plainly overacting? I'm not entirely sure what the answer is to any of these questions, and my uncertainty isn't helped by the recognition that every meme and comedy sketch of the past twenty years about hackers and cyberspace has taken its cues from this movie. I'll say this though: outlandish or even garish as all the unbridled flair may be, I highly appreciate the labor that went into it all. Everyone who worked on 'Hackers' behind the scenes had their work cut out for them, and no matter how far-fetched the concept or execution, one can only admire the effort poured into it. This certainly includes lighting, graphics, and special effects, including the realization of "cyberspace" that occasionally greets our eyes. Editors Chris Blunden and Martin Walsh arguably had the toughest job of all as they spliced together so many disparate pieces into a cohesive whole, but they nailed it. For that matter - it's a sometimes bewildering ride, but Rafael Moreu's screenplay and Iain Softley's direction are very capable in drawing every last bit together.
Especially in the twenty-first century, 'Hackers' very much seems like one of those films that almost everyone is familiar with on some level even if they haven't actually seen it. To one degree or another the ideas that define the look, sound, and feel of the movie are ingrained in pop culture at this point, and that's to say nothing of the fact that this is a well-known role early in the career of megastar Angelina Jolie. Almost thirty years later I don't know that I'd say this is an essential must-see, but it's rather become a cult classic at this point - and for what it's worth, by one means or another, it's entertaining. Unless you're specifically invested for the aesthetics, there's nothing about it that we can't get elsewhere and in a more refined form; on the other hand, anyone sitting to watch is probably already well aware of what to expect. When all is said and done I think it's better than I anticipated, however imperfect. And again, very importantly, I applaud all the work that went into it. In some measure 'Hackers' is a slightly idiosyncratic watch, all these years later, yet for whatever has drawn you in, it's still worth checking out.
Is this fun on its own merits, or as a major Blast From The Past? Is there enough storytelling value herein to earnestly counterbalance the wild visuals and otherwise embellishments? To what extent is the cast to be commended for their performances, or alternatively, how much were they plainly overacting? I'm not entirely sure what the answer is to any of these questions, and my uncertainty isn't helped by the recognition that every meme and comedy sketch of the past twenty years about hackers and cyberspace has taken its cues from this movie. I'll say this though: outlandish or even garish as all the unbridled flair may be, I highly appreciate the labor that went into it all. Everyone who worked on 'Hackers' behind the scenes had their work cut out for them, and no matter how far-fetched the concept or execution, one can only admire the effort poured into it. This certainly includes lighting, graphics, and special effects, including the realization of "cyberspace" that occasionally greets our eyes. Editors Chris Blunden and Martin Walsh arguably had the toughest job of all as they spliced together so many disparate pieces into a cohesive whole, but they nailed it. For that matter - it's a sometimes bewildering ride, but Rafael Moreu's screenplay and Iain Softley's direction are very capable in drawing every last bit together.
Especially in the twenty-first century, 'Hackers' very much seems like one of those films that almost everyone is familiar with on some level even if they haven't actually seen it. To one degree or another the ideas that define the look, sound, and feel of the movie are ingrained in pop culture at this point, and that's to say nothing of the fact that this is a well-known role early in the career of megastar Angelina Jolie. Almost thirty years later I don't know that I'd say this is an essential must-see, but it's rather become a cult classic at this point - and for what it's worth, by one means or another, it's entertaining. Unless you're specifically invested for the aesthetics, there's nothing about it that we can't get elsewhere and in a more refined form; on the other hand, anyone sitting to watch is probably already well aware of what to expect. When all is said and done I think it's better than I anticipated, however imperfect. And again, very importantly, I applaud all the work that went into it. In some measure 'Hackers' is a slightly idiosyncratic watch, all these years later, yet for whatever has drawn you in, it's still worth checking out.