Back in the 90s, computers were this cool, edgy piece of equipment that you really had to know your shit to be able to do much with. So it's understandable that the concept of a hacker culture was at an all time high, where rebellious teens could sneak onto the websites of really important companies (or even the government) and mess with things just for the fun of it. There may not have been that many people actually doing it, but the idea was certainly big enough to warrant a feature film. And that's where Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie came in. Dating at the time, these two up-and-coming stars played a pair of rival hackers and eventual love interests. It's a fun ride, even if most of the actual computer stuff is laughably flawed. I get a kick out of seeing Jesse Bradford and Matthew Lillard as part of their merry band of hackers, and the entire cast does a good job of selling the concept. But to be totally fair, this movie is worth watching just to see how dated it is. They're losing their minds over a computer with a 28.8 bps modem, and a large part of the suspense involves them plugging into a telephone booth so that their online activities can't be traced. Come on, that's just adorable.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
