TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Cypher [2003]
![Cypher [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DM5NA76ZL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £9.99
Our Price: £6.66 (subject to change)
Split Identities
Review date: 2008-10-31 Rating: 10 out of 10
When Morgan Sullivan(Jeremy Northam) is given a job with Digicorp, he is told that he is to be a corporate spy, recording sensitive information about rival companies at various conferences. He is also given a new identity, and is now called Jack Thursby. He meets a woman called Rita Foster(Lucy Liu) who initially says that she is a Hotel inspector, but when they meet up again, what she tells him is going to shatter Morgan's world, and make him question his own sanity.
This is a wonderful film, multi layered, complex but with a very rewarding pay off. Sometimes it can be a little too clever for its own good, but it is so visually dazzling and mind bending that a bit of indulgence can be forgiven. Northam is wonderful in dual roles, and Lucy Liu is given a chance to show she can act.
More of a work of art, than just a film. Astounding. 5 out of 5
Similar Products
Reviews
Chilly...
Review date: 2008-02-27 Rating: 4 out of 10
Sorry folks, this one sent me sleep. Some liked the movie, and I can appreciate that it all looks beautiful and it has a distinctive art design, but the the overall effect for me was to watch some thing with a little more soul. Like Showgirls, perhaps, or one of the Police Academy movies. In particular the one where they do the limbo dance on the beach. Part 5? Dunno. Whatever, the atmosphere in this one is so cold so calculatedly aloof and stylized that I found it hard to take a keen interest in anything that went on. Jeremy Northam is an okay actor but he's playing here with a fake accent and he's not exactly a thunderbolt of charisma. I like Lucy Liu and thought she was fairly alluring, and livened up the screen whenever she appeared. Double agents, industrial espionage, Hi-tech brainwashing. I didn't care. Sorry.
The first proper corporate cyberpunk thriller
Review date: 2007-09-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
There are two distinct cyberpunk universes. The first is the gritty, street-level, bolted-on technology of Blade Runner. The second is exemplified by Cypher.
We are in the cool arid seamless smooth corporate world. Everything is under control and is managed to a high degree. It is no less bloodthirsty than is street-level counterpart but the violence, when it comes is short and effective.
The hero, is a Cypher, a riddle or a nonentity - we are here to find out - a small cog in the corporate machine, to be used for a purpose. However this person has his own secrets and they slowly emerge over the film. The menace increases until at then end there is the violence and then the world rearranges itself into the new patterns.
I'm not going to give away the plot, but if you want to see the corporate future, then spend some time here.
This is a well-produced, quality film that will reward several viewings. It is also useful to be able to watch the film frame by frame during some of the sequences. Where these are in the film will be quite clear.
Sleeper spectacular
Review date: 2005-07-06 Rating: 8 out of 10
Wow what a joy to see a film that did not get hyped out of all proportion and yet is a real gem to watch. The film never pretends to be something that is going to be easy to watch from the word go but the amazing plot and the twists are incredible. The action is great and you never really know what is going to happen next. The film involves one average everyday software computer spy who gets heavier and heavier into stealing secrets from the opposing companies, Norton is perfect in the role as is Lucy Liu, just an all round marvellous film.
Interesting sci-fi spy thriller
Review date: 2005-06-25 Rating: 8 out of 10
Morgan Stanley has been trying to get himself hired as a spy for DigiCorp for quite a while. He succeeds and thinks he's onto a winner.
He gets sent to convention after convention to record speeches for the company. After that he starts having blackouts and strange dreams. He also starts changing.
He is approached by someone who tells him that things are not as they seem. When he follows up on it he finds a technology that is truly frightening. In the world of corporate espionage he is a minnow who has just realised he's swimming in the shark's mouth!
He then starts working on finding out who he can trust. What follows is bluff and counter bluff.
As with all spy thrillers the film is plot driven and I almost gave it 3*s as it is fairly typical of the genre. There are nice touches in the film (such as the fact that he wasn't given a cover story and that was then subsequently explained by what we find out) and I loved the ending. One word of warning: character development only really applies to Morgan and, to a lesser extent, Rita.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Timothy Webber
Jeremy Northam
Nigel Bennett
Lucy Liu
David Hewlett
Creators:
Jeremy Northam (Primary Contributor)
Lucy Liu (Primary Contributor)
Casey La Scala (Producer)
E.K. Gaylord II (Producer)
Hunt Lowry (Producer)
Paul Federbush (Producer)
Richard J. Anobile (Producer)
Shebnem Askin (Producer)
Brian King (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Cinema Club
Manufacturer: Cinema Club
EAN: 5014138301255
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-02-07
Number of discs: 2
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 93 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2003-03-26
Language: English (Original Language)