This attempt at cyberpunk suspense never gets any traction. Leaden scriptwriting, expressionless acting, and a startling lack of suspense leave HACKERS less than thrilling. The plot trickles along at a snail's pace, and the actors seem to be competing to see who can speak in the slowest monotone. Plague may well be the most whiny supervillain in the history of film; neither he nor a hapless FBI agent (obviously a bad guy since he can't speak computer lingo fluently) provide any real sense of menace.

The romantic subplot is equally flat, with lots of long, supposed-to-be smoldering looks between Dade and Kate to make up for the lack of either chemistry or interesting dialogue. Attempts at coolness only look contrived, and the high-tech edge is considerably blunted by the passage of time. (What, no wireless?) Posturing, silly, and above all, dull.