Hackers (1995)

Hackers are blamed for making a virus that will capsize five oil tankers.

Director:

Iain Softley

Writer:

Rafael Moreu

Stars:

Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Jesse Bradford

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Dade
Angelina Jolie	...	Kate
Jesse Bradford	...	Joey
Matthew Lillard	...	Cereal
Laurence Mason	...	Nikon
Renoly Santiago	...	Phreak
Fisher Stevens	...	The Plague
Alberta Watson	...	Lauren Murphy
Darren Lee	...	Razor
Peter Y. Kim	...	Blade
Ethan Browne	...	Curtis
Lorraine Bracco	...	Margo
Wendell Pierce	...	Agent Dick Gill
Michael Gaston	...	Agent Bob
Marc Anthony	...	Agent Ray

Storyline

Dade Murphy was a hacker even as a kid in Seattle. He got arrested for the computer virus that he planted and was banned from using any computer until the age of 18.Then he moves to New York to meet a group of hackers. He also falls in love with Kate Libby.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | computer virus | cyberpunk | hacker | fight the system | 

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Taglines:

There is no right or wrong, only fun and boring

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Japanese Russian

Release Date:

15 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hakeri

Filming Locations:

Battery Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$7,564,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists,Suftley

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the beginning of the movie when Dade phones the security desk of the television station he is hacking in to he gives the name of Eddie Vedder, the singer of the rock band Pearl Jam.

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Goofs

In Cyberdelia, as Dade's score is appearing on the high score list, we see his score "crush" the fourth and third place scores on the high score list. The camera then shows him looking at his score while two more sounds of "crushing" occur. This should put him in first place, however, the camera then goes back to the high score screen where his score "crushes" the second and first place positions. Thus, the error occurs in the existence of the sound of "crushing" while the camera is not on the high score list.

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Quotes

Kate Libby: Why'd he come to you?
Dade Murphy: I got a record! I was 'Zero Cool'!
Paul Cook: Zero Cool? Crashed fifteen hundred and seven computers in one day? Biggest crash in history, front page New York Times August 10th, 1988. I thought you was black man. YO THIS IS ZERO COOL!

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Connections

Referenced in Bones: The Past in the Present (2012)

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Soundtracks

Protection
Written by Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall (as Grantley Marshall), Andrew Vowles (as Andrew Vowles) and Tracey Thorn
Performed by Massive Attack
Courtesy of Circa Records Ltd/
Virgin Records America Inc.

User Reviews

Out-of-Date, Tech Mistakes, but WHAT A CAST!

The problem with any movie that focuses on technology, particularly computers, is that it will become dated nearly immediately. This isn't a new problem for filmmakers; great films of the past, from DESK SET to COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, from DEMON SEED to TRON and THE LAST STARFIGHTER have all featured 'cutting-edge' technology that seems quaint, by today's standards. Even 'Hal', from the timeless classic 2001:A SPACE ODYSSEY, is a huge monstrosity that could be miniaturized to a fraction of it's size, today. So when a film's whole theme involves computers, like THE NET, or HACKERS, you can't take the technology end too seriously, even if much of it is bogus, as is the case of Iain Softley's paean to teen-aged computer freaks. Hackers are, of course, not romantic, adventurous daredevils who are trying to right wrongs by attacking evil conglomerates via an expertise in computer programming; they are generally over-educated anarchists who create worms and viruses for the simple joy of seeing the disruption and destruction of EVERYONE'S computers, just to know that they can do it.

Having said this, let me say that the true joy of HACKERS is seeing a group of young 'Stars in the Making', early in their careers. Of course the most recognizable and famous of these is Angelina Jolie, who looks butch and adorable with short hair, and 'an attitude', but the film also offers a dazzling performance by Matthew Lillard (Shaggy in the live-action SCOOBY-DOO), who has become one of the finest young comic actors around; gifted British actor Jonny Lee Miller, playing an American, here, who would go on to TRAINSPOTTING, DRACULA 2000, and the title role in the TV production of BYRON; Jesse Bradford, star of last year's CLOCKSTOPPERS; Laurence Mason (BEHIND ENEMY LINES, A.I.); and Renoly Santiago (CON AIR). Quite an impressive resume for a cast of 'unknowns' in 1995!

Of course, the established actors of the film haven't done badly, either...While Fisher Stevens never became a 'major' star, after the build-up television and the SHORT CIRCUIT films gave him, he still remains active; and of course, Lorraine Bracco went on to THE SOPRANOS, as the Mafia's favorite 'shrink' (with the possible exception of Billy Crystal).

So, if you skip over the dated attempt to be 'cutting edge', and just sit back and enjoy the performances, HACKERS is a fun movie that can be appreciated as a 'Preview of Coming Attractions' from a remarkable cast...