Underground: A História de Julian Assange (2012)

A look at the early career of Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange.

Director:

Robert Connolly

Writers:

Suelette Dreyfus (book), Robert Connolly (adaptation)

Stars:

Rachel Griffiths, Anthony LaPaglia, Alex Williams

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rachel Griffiths	...	Christine Assange
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Detective Ken Roberts
Alex Williams	...	Julian Assange
Laura Wheelwright	...	Electra
Callan McAuliffe	...	Prime Suspect
Jordan Raskopoulos	...	Trax
Benedict Samuel	...	Jonah
Ben Crundwell	...	Adam
Doug Bowles	...	Fred
Daniel Frederiksen	...	Wayne
Ben Keller	...	Young Julian Assange
Simon Maiden	...	Journalist
Ian Bliss	...	Vince
Dean Cartmel	...	Technician
Nick Mitchell	...	Matthew Stewart

Storyline

Julian Assange is one of the most significant figures of the twenty first century. But before he was famous, before WikiLeaks, before the internet even existed, he was a teenage computer hacker in Melbourne. This is his story. In 1989, known as 'Mendax', Assange and two friends formed a group called the 'International Subversives'. Using early home computers and defining themselves as 'white hat hackers' - those who look but don't steal - they broke into some of the world's most powerful and secretive organisations. They were young, brilliant, and in the eyes of the US Government, a major threat to national security. At the urging of the FBI, the Australian Federal Police set up a special taskforce to catch them. But at a time when most Australian police had never seen a computer, let alone used one, they had to figure out just where to begin. Police ingenuity and old-fashioned detective work are pitted against nimble, highly skilled young men in this new crime frontier. What follows,...

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Plot Keywords:

reference to julian assange | computer | hacker | internet | australian federal police | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

A drama quasi-biopic movie about a later part of Julian Assange's life is O Quinto Poder (2013); covering Wikileaks, the events of the early 2010s, twenty years later.

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Goofs

The railway station where Julian Assange first meets Electra in 1989 is shown with 21st century signs and tactile paving.

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Connections

References O Estrangeiro (1967)

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Soundtracks

Bye Bye Girl
Written by Ray Ahn
Performed by The Hard-Ons
Courtesy of Cithadel Records

User Reviews

We look, but don't touch

Underground has great actors and an even better story line. This movie should be more popular than it is. I'm not sure how much of the movie is real because I'm not Julian Assange, but I can say you can tell they tried to make it as accurate as possible. Considering I grew up using computers in the late 80's and onward I can easily understand this movie. For someone that has only been around computers for the past 5-10 years might have complications trying to understand the movie. I haven't been able to get the complete story on how computers were adapted in other countries in the late 80's so that was interesting for me to see represented in the movie.

I feel the pieces left out in the movie are left out for a reason. This is a movie that was made to entertain and inform. We all know if you want the full story you must read the book or do research. You have to expect some parts left out in the film.

I like Underground because it is not biased. The movie gave me a story of a hacker and it let me formulate my own opinion of him. My opinion is that I cannot give this movie a bad review considering what is being played in theaters and popular today.

You cannot help noticing the people that actually watched the movie gave it rave reviews.

I can quote Marianno Gorgeski "He is our Che Guevara of the modern internet era." Couldn't say it better myself. Also like he said he is trying to do more for the world than Facebook and the like are trying to do. That is why he is seen as a threat.

The only summary that I came up with after watching this film is Julian Assange is seen as a genius because the world has become lazy and incompetent. If the people demanded the truth like they should I think we would all praise Julian for what he stands for.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 2012 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Underground: A História de Julian Assange

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Matchbox Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Color:

Color