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Cypher

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
31K
YOUR RATING
Cypher (2002)
An unsuspecting, disenchanted man finds himself working as a spy in the dangerous, high-stakes world of corporate espionage. Quickly getting way over-his-head, he teams up with a mysterious femme fatale.
Play trailer2:06
1 Video
14 Photos
MysterySci-FiThriller
An unsuspecting, disenchanted man finds himself working as a spy in the dangerous, high-stakes world of corporate espionage. Quickly getting way over-his-head, he teams up with a mysterious ... Read allAn unsuspecting, disenchanted man finds himself working as a spy in the dangerous, high-stakes world of corporate espionage. Quickly getting way over-his-head, he teams up with a mysterious femme fatale.An unsuspecting, disenchanted man finds himself working as a spy in the dangerous, high-stakes world of corporate espionage. Quickly getting way over-his-head, he teams up with a mysterious femme fatale.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
31K
YOUR RATING
    • Vincenzo Natali
    • Brian King
  • Stars
    • Jeremy Northam
    • Lucy Liu
    • Nigel Bennett
    • Vincenzo Natali
    • Brian King
  • Stars
    • Jeremy Northam
    • Lucy Liu
    • Nigel Bennett
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 140User reviews
    • 81Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:06
    Watch Trailer

    Photos14

    Lucy Liu in Cypher (2002)
    Cypher (2002)
    Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam and Lucy Liu in Cypher (2002)
    Lucy Liu in Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam in Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam in Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam in Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam in Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam and Lucy Liu in Cypher (2002)
    Jeremy Northam in Cypher (2002)
    Cypher (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jeremy Northam
    Jeremy Northam
    • Morgan Sullivan
    Lucy Liu
    Lucy Liu
    • Rita Foster
    Nigel Bennett
    Nigel Bennett
    • Finster
    Timothy Webber
    Timothy Webber
    • Callaway
    David Hewlett
    David Hewlett
    • Virgil C. Dunn
    Kari Matchett
    Kari Matchett
    • Diane
    Kristina Nicoll
    Kristina Nicoll
    • Amy
    Joseph Scoren
    Joseph Scoren
    • Digicorp Technician #1
    Stephen Brown
    • Digicorp Technician #2
    Arnold Pinnock
    Arnold Pinnock
    • Pilot In Mensroom
    Jocelyn Snowdon
    • Stewardess to Buffalo
    Boyd Banks
    Boyd Banks
    • Fred Garfield
    Steve Jackson
    • Waiter Buffalo
    Dan Duran
    • Buffalo Speaker #1
    Valerie Buhagiar
    Valerie Buhagiar
    • Buffalo Speaker #2
    Roberta Angelica
    Roberta Angelica
    • Stewardess to Omaha
    George Santino
    • Rita's Agent #1
    Nelson Tynes
    Nelson Tynes
    • Rita's Agent #2
      • Vincenzo Natali
      • Brian King
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Was shot in 35 days.
    • Goofs
      At the convention in Boise, Idaho, waiters with trays are stood on either side of the stage while two speakers address the audience. Usually, waiters would disappear after they had served the drinks.
    • Quotes

      Vergil Dunn: This place... is tighter than a nun's asshole.

    • Connections
      References Forbidden Planet (1956)
    • Soundtracks
      Never Been In Love
      Written by: Scott Nickoley, Stephen Lang, and Jamie Dunlap

    User reviews140

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    tantalizing brain teaser
    The second feature from Vincenzo Natali (director of the cult film Cube, if you haven't seen it, go check it out) comes this tantalizing sci-fi with hints of film noir blended together to create a smart and puzzling piece of espionage, double-cross with numerous twists and turns.

    Set in an alternative reality where a bored business man Morgan Sullivan (played with bookish awkwardness by Jermery Northam) decides to apply for a job at a global computer firm Digicorp. He successfully passes the rigorous test and learns he is to work as a spy to steal information from their rivals Sunways Systems. Morgan is given a new identity (Jack Thursby) where he attends these business conferences to retrieve and relay information back to Digicorp.

    Morgan starts off thinking that this would be an adventure where he can re-invent himself as the man he'd like to be. When he spots a mysterious woman (Rita played by Lucy Lui), he tries his luck, only to be blown off. As he sent on further conferences he starts to experience extreme headaches where masses of images explode in his mind which he doesn't comprehend. When he spots Rita again in his hotel again he follows her to the rooftop where she explains to him that all is not what it seems at the conferences he is going to.... and that's when the fun starts. Here is the beginning of the many twist and turns involved in the film.

    Set in monochromatic colours, where there is light there is shadow and the whole film seems to be set in a neo film noir colouring of greys and whites. There is a distinct style that the film tries to go for and mostly achieves. A world, which is not dissimilar to our own, is bought to life by the high contrast and sharp detail by cinematographer Derek Rogers giving the whole feel a cold, calculated and cool precision look.

    The performances by Jeremy Northam provides the main focus as we see his transformation from a bland everyday businessman into a paranoid agent who allegiances is divided and is unsure of who to trust and who to follow. By the end of the film he becomes a completely different person and is a measured piece of acting by Northam. Lucy Lui also plays the role of the femme fatale very well and isn't playing her usual spoilt brat routine (which is normally very unbearable for me). All other supporting cast do a decent enough job but it's not really a film to really rave on about the acting side of things.

    The most impressive thing about this, is learning that the film was initial financed by family and friends on their credit cards and was only pick up later on by a major distributor and with a larger budget (even then it's only $7.5 million) to work on, it looks amazing. Shot in very little time, it's a puzzler that isn't too hard to work out (though you will need a little concentration to follow it) but to fully appreciate it, I would suggest you don't view the trailer, otherwise a lot of the key plot points maybe ruined and the surprises and twists will be foreseen. All in all it's very stylist sci-fi thriller with plenty to give the brain a workout.
    helpful•19
    6
    • FSfilmblog
    • Mar 12, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 18, 2003 (Japan)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Pandora Cinema
      • Miramax
      • Gaylord Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 35 minutes
      • Color
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital

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