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Swordfish [2001]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

The sort of action thriller for which the phrase "high octane" could have been conceived, Swordfish stars John Travolta as Gabriel Shear, an enigmatic criminal operator who is as admired as he is feared. Using sexy sidekick Ginger (Halle Berry) as bait, he pressgangs Stanley Jobson, (Hugh Jackman) the world's greatest computer hacker, into helping him relieve the world banking system of a few billion dollars to finance his own enterprises. Jackman agrees, on the promise that Travolta will help him regain custody of his daughter.

The numerous explosions and set-piece exchanges of high calibre gunfire tend at times to blowholes in the narrative fabric and sense of Swordfish, a film that nonetheless engages through its extravagant silliness. Vinnie Jones is under-used as a fearsome minder, a close-up of Halle Berry's breasts isn't entirely integral to the plotline, while Travolta enjoys himself as the dapper ringmaster of this orgy of techno-chaos, especially in scenes in which he blasts away a brace of pursuing assassins with improbable aplomb and during his opening, Tarantino-esque monologue. By the end, he has shown himself in his apparently true colours in such a way that events of September 11, 2001--although made prior to them--lent the film an eerie sense of prescience. --David Stubbs


Not credible, nor convincing
Review date: 2008-11-09 Rating: 4 out of 10

This movie makes a lot of promises all along, but does not manage to materialize them.
Despite some special effects (not all so special in fact), stunting, violence, a bit of glamour, pseudo-cyber links, it does not manage to provide a convincing result.
Some of the characters are well played (namely Ginger (Halle Berry) and Stanley (Hugh Jackman)), John Travolta comfortably plays his proven and apparently preferred tough guy role. But that is not enough.
A movie where people are killed and then resurrected, that leaves the audience wondering who actually end up enjoying the big bucks (the real guy or someone else who had been impersonating him since a not well defined time of the movie), cannot be convincing.
Besides, the reference to terrorism seems out of place and without substance really.
In conclusion, this silly movie is hardly enjoyable even when not taken seriouly.

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Reviews


Trying to be cool
Review date: 2008-09-17 Rating: 6 out of 10

This is a seriously flawed movie. It so wants to be cool, but misses the target by a long way. Sure its fits the critera of a high octane movie, but it has no soul. That said, for its time (2001) its not without intelligence. The concept of external non-government privately run organisations in the U.S. being involved in taking out terrorists etc is now a virtual fact (Blackwater).

Furthermore Travolta IS cool, especially in the riveting opening sequence. Halle Berry looks great and overall Hugh Jackman probably gives the best acting performance. But these plus points are spoilt by an over-reliance on car-chases, explosions and gun fights. This has all been done before and so much better, and with a lot more style. See Michael Mann's Heat for one.

Overall then its an average, but hugely overblown blockbuster. If you like that sort of thing thats fine, and if its cheap you'll probably buy it. I would rent first...

Total pap - steer clear
Review date: 2008-02-07 Rating: 10 out of 10

I was thinking how I might best deliver the vitriol and contempt I hold for this film. Fortunately the previous reviewer has provided me with so many points which aren't true that I think I'll just address them one by one and save myself having to think about review structure or stylistics.

2) Travolta is neither good nor bad but shouldn't have been in this film at all - there's no particularly solid acting on his part and his lines contain nothing you'll remember after watching.

3) Halle Berry is nauseous and needless, there only as totty. The scene with her in her underwear where she grabs the gun is just painful. Is there any man on the planet who finds the combination of scantily-clad women with guns enticing? Berry can act but her tired femme-fatale role here smothers her and gives her no room to - the part is throw-away.

4) Cheadle - he's alright. Standard pissed-off-detective-in-a-brown-suit jobbie. Unfortunately he's asked to do one of the film's silliest scenes (and there's a few) where he and his colleagues decided to chase Jackman down a huge steep hill, a lengthy plunge which would either end in death or at least paralysis. All for the crime of... breaking parole terms. Realistic or what?

5) Hugh Jackman is probably the least likely programmer in the world. Does anyone know a programmer who looks like that? They could at least have got someone who could type fast - the frequent close-up shots of him hammering away on keyboards look like they didn't even bother to train him up - he just bashes away and you can tell he types one finger at a time really. Remember Boris from Golden Eye? THERE'S someone who can play a hacker. Jackman instead reminds me of Ted Striker from Airplane - mock serious, not actually serious.

8) Not formulaic? It couldn't be more so. The plot is dull and, but for a few exceptions, predictable. The action is both unlikely (Travolta single handedly taking out 6 FBI 4*4s with his gun; strange how the cops never think to stop following if he's that good a shot or perhaps get out and shoot) and for action's sake.

9) Vinnie. What WERE you thinking? You play the type of Brit that Americans think roams London. His lines, clearly written by an American who thinks he's well up on British gangster speak, are badly delivered and make you wonder where that suave, cool but frightening figure from Lock Stock and Snatch has gone.

And there's other niggly things, most of which relating to the fact that, it would seem, they didn't actually hire any people with knowledge of computers or hacking to advise on the film.

What is it with computers in Hollywood films using non-existent operating systems? All these bank authentication systems in films use wonderfully animated front-ends and flash "access denied!" in big red letters. Someone should point out to them that Linux is free license.

Travolta's line "the best hackers in the world can do this in 60 minutes - I need someone who can do it in 60 seconds", unwisely chosen for the trailer, is also naff. As a programmer myself I can say that if something takes 60 minutes to program then that's because there's a lot to set up. Scripts, modules, server config - etc. The idea you could do it in 60 seconds or even 10 minutes is therefore rubbish. Sorry if I'm being geeky but, hey, is it a serious film about hacking or not?

Jackman, after hacking something, is asked by starry-eyed onlookers "how DID you do that??", to which he painfully replies "I don't know - I just see the code in my head". This isn't music, guys, or impressionist painting - this is coding (the other half of your brain). You don't see code - it's a matter of logic, algebra and, often, trial and error.

All in all, give it a miss, unless you want a no-brainer with some explosions.

Tricksy wellmade thriller
Review date: 2008-01-25 Rating: 8 out of 10

Possibly the best first 8 minutes I've seen in a long while kick this off. The club scene, wrong but weirdly sexy.

Other reviews have told you the outline so as with many of my reviews I won't bother!

You will need to pay attention to the plot to or you will end up wondering what the hell is going on. Yes the hacking is very movie style but it keeps the action skipping along. The club scene, wrong but weirdly sexy.
Jackman, Berry and Cheadle handle themselves very well.
I was less convinced with Travolta. It's so hard to play bad guys with charm and not seem like you're overplaying it..so it loses a star.

You may like it if you enjoyed Hackers and felt it needed prettier people and more guns or enjoyed the look of Gone in 60 Seconds but felt it needed an actual story.

Brilliant Film
Review date: 2007-12-08 Rating: 10 out of 10

Hugh Jackman is just georgous in this film...this is definately one of his best films.
Travolta is a egomanic who wants to rid the world of terrorists, but doing things the hard way. He employs Jackman a reformed computer hacker to hack into the worlds wealth to finance his reign of terror.
Music throughout is by Paul Oakenfold and is great. Halle Berry is great in this film and it does have an interesting twist at the end..
Would really recommend this film to buy as you will watch it again.
Really good film to watch.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
John Travolta|Halle Berry|Hugh Jackman|Don Cheadle

Creators:
John Travolta|Halle Berry|Hugh Jackman|Don Cheadle (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900213226
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2002-01-28
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 99 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2001-06-08
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: German (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Romanian (Subtitled)
Language: Bulgarian (Subtitled)

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