* Terrible * * Below Par * * * Not Bad * * * * Good * * * * * Brilliant
WARNING *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
A counter terrorist orginisation called Black Cell which is headed by the charismatic,yet ruthless Gabriel Shear(John Travolta) plans to hack in to a dummy corporation which was shut down by the DEA in 1986.Over the years the corporation codenamed SWORDFISH has amassed a fortune worth $9.5 billion in interest.With the money Shear plans to fund his groups personal war against global terrorism.To help him achieve his goal he hires Stanley Jobson(Hugh Jackman),a convicted computer hacker who has just been released on parole.All Jobson wants is to see his estranged daughter who lives with his ex-wife.The only problem is Jobson cannot afford the legal fees so that he can see her, explaining his motivation behind doing the job for Shear.Jobson's task is made all the more difficult by CIA Agent Roberts(Don Cheadle)who is forever shadowing him.It's not long before Jobson's daughter's life comes in to the equation.Putting more pressure on our hero.
'Swordfish' had a short lived stay at the box office.Mainly due to the fact that it was pulled from cinemas as a result of the tragic terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York on September 11th.Understandable considering the delicate subject matter. I was one of those few punters who managed to see the movie before the events of that fateful day and to say that he movie being pulled was of no great loss is a bit of an understatement in my view.
Opening promisingly with a jaw dropping explosion which uses the astonishing bullet time effects that were used to such mesmerising effect in 'The Matrix',Director Dominic Sena's movie sadly falls apart after that.Sena who gave us the lack-lustre remake of 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' with Nicholas Cage makes another blunder with this turkey.Another flick where substance takes a back seat to the substance.What with it's retro/thrah metal soundtrack for starters and occasional action sequence how could this be anything but a victim of style taking over from a decent plot.Which Sena had attemped to produce at first.
The problem with the movie is that is just so uninspired and doesn't really offer anything new.(apart from the fact that the villains are this time a counter terrorist organisation).Cliche after cliche is hurled at the screen.The charismatic villain,the femme fatale who hangs on his arm but is supposedly attracted to the hero,the hero has a daughter who he wants to see and is eventually exploited so the villains get their own way.Even the movies jaw dropping yet stupid scene near the end involving a bus being hauled through the city streets can do little to rescue the film.Plus the movies supposed twist in it's denounment just had me leaving the theatre scratching my head in bewilderment.Needless to say I wouldn't give it to much thought.I didn't in the end.Why the cast agreed to star in this bunch of baloney is beyond me.
A mostly good cast which comprised of John Travolta putting in another villanous turn as the venomous Gabriel Shear was sadly wasted.Travolta although as good as he is doesn't seem to have muck luck when it comes to playing villains.Although fantastic in his earlier action flick 'Broken Arrow' that too was something of a dud.Perhaps he should stick to playing good guys or find a script with a villanous part for him that does justice to his talent as an actor.
Hugh Jackman, an actor of effortless charisma was also misued on a script that did him no favors.The austrailian star who was fantastic as the rugged Wolverine in 'X-men' could be a huge star but certainly needs a hit outside of the superhero franchise.His turn as Jobson was great and the actor did a good job of making Jobson a likable hero.
Don Cheadle as the CIA agent hot on Jobsons tail wass also wasted while Halle Berry as Ginger the femme fatale who approaches Jobson to do the job is an actress who deserved this kind of film foisted upon her.The less said about her gratuitous topless scene the better.God only knows how much she earned for that little scene alone.
Any one who payed the entrance fee to see Vinnie Jones(who was seen in 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' as one of the terrorists will sorely be disappointed as he has little to do or say through out the movie.He comes across as merely the token 'hard' henchman who simply needs to look scary.Not much of a stretch for our Vinnie I have to admit.
I won't waste any more of my time or yours going in to why this film was such a let down.Needless to say if you want to see a good thriller that involves terrorism in some way then I would reccommend the far superior 'Arlington Road'.A film with a twist in it's tail that would certainly blow you away.I suggest that Sena take heed as it's a lesson in how a tense,palm seating thriller should be made.
Robs Rating: *
WARNING *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
A counter terrorist orginisation called Black Cell which is headed by the charismatic,yet ruthless Gabriel Shear(John Travolta) plans to hack in to a dummy corporation which was shut down by the DEA in 1986.Over the years the corporation codenamed SWORDFISH has amassed a fortune worth $9.5 billion in interest.With the money Shear plans to fund his groups personal war against global terrorism.To help him achieve his goal he hires Stanley Jobson(Hugh Jackman),a convicted computer hacker who has just been released on parole.All Jobson wants is to see his estranged daughter who lives with his ex-wife.The only problem is Jobson cannot afford the legal fees so that he can see her, explaining his motivation behind doing the job for Shear.Jobson's task is made all the more difficult by CIA Agent Roberts(Don Cheadle)who is forever shadowing him.It's not long before Jobson's daughter's life comes in to the equation.Putting more pressure on our hero.
'Swordfish' had a short lived stay at the box office.Mainly due to the fact that it was pulled from cinemas as a result of the tragic terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York on September 11th.Understandable considering the delicate subject matter. I was one of those few punters who managed to see the movie before the events of that fateful day and to say that he movie being pulled was of no great loss is a bit of an understatement in my view.
Opening promisingly with a jaw dropping explosion which uses the astonishing bullet time effects that were used to such mesmerising effect in 'The Matrix',Director Dominic Sena's movie sadly falls apart after that.Sena who gave us the lack-lustre remake of 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' with Nicholas Cage makes another blunder with this turkey.Another flick where substance takes a back seat to the substance.What with it's retro/thrah metal soundtrack for starters and occasional action sequence how could this be anything but a victim of style taking over from a decent plot.Which Sena had attemped to produce at first.
The problem with the movie is that is just so uninspired and doesn't really offer anything new.(apart from the fact that the villains are this time a counter terrorist organisation).Cliche after cliche is hurled at the screen.The charismatic villain,the femme fatale who hangs on his arm but is supposedly attracted to the hero,the hero has a daughter who he wants to see and is eventually exploited so the villains get their own way.Even the movies jaw dropping yet stupid scene near the end involving a bus being hauled through the city streets can do little to rescue the film.Plus the movies supposed twist in it's denounment just had me leaving the theatre scratching my head in bewilderment.Needless to say I wouldn't give it to much thought.I didn't in the end.Why the cast agreed to star in this bunch of baloney is beyond me.
A mostly good cast which comprised of John Travolta putting in another villanous turn as the venomous Gabriel Shear was sadly wasted.Travolta although as good as he is doesn't seem to have muck luck when it comes to playing villains.Although fantastic in his earlier action flick 'Broken Arrow' that too was something of a dud.Perhaps he should stick to playing good guys or find a script with a villanous part for him that does justice to his talent as an actor.
Hugh Jackman, an actor of effortless charisma was also misued on a script that did him no favors.The austrailian star who was fantastic as the rugged Wolverine in 'X-men' could be a huge star but certainly needs a hit outside of the superhero franchise.His turn as Jobson was great and the actor did a good job of making Jobson a likable hero.
Don Cheadle as the CIA agent hot on Jobsons tail wass also wasted while Halle Berry as Ginger the femme fatale who approaches Jobson to do the job is an actress who deserved this kind of film foisted upon her.The less said about her gratuitous topless scene the better.God only knows how much she earned for that little scene alone.
Any one who payed the entrance fee to see Vinnie Jones(who was seen in 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' as one of the terrorists will sorely be disappointed as he has little to do or say through out the movie.He comes across as merely the token 'hard' henchman who simply needs to look scary.Not much of a stretch for our Vinnie I have to admit.
I won't waste any more of my time or yours going in to why this film was such a let down.Needless to say if you want to see a good thriller that involves terrorism in some way then I would reccommend the far superior 'Arlington Road'.A film with a twist in it's tail that would certainly blow you away.I suggest that Sena take heed as it's a lesson in how a tense,palm seating thriller should be made.
Robs Rating: *