Common Sense Media Review
Jolie's high-tech thriller falls flat.
Parents Need to Know
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Hackers
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Parents say that many individuals have fallen victim to various online scams, particularly involving cryptocurrency and investment schemes, often characterized by convincing testimonials and promises of easy profits that vanish when it comes time to withdraw funds. Others have shared experiences of using hacking services to uncover infidelity or recover lost assets, highlighting both the desperation and the complex emotional turmoil involved in dealing with such situations.
- scam experiences
- investment frauds
- hacking services
- emotional turmoil
- recovery assistance
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 1 kid review
What's the Story?
Super-hacker Dade Murphy (Jonny Lee Miller), infamous for his creation of a destructive virus at age eleven, has just moved to New York City. A high school senior, Dade wins the respect of a group of teenage hackers and struggles to start a romance with sexy Kate (Angelina Jolie). When a member of the crowd hacks into a corporate computer system, Dade and his friends draw the attention of the FBI and of "Plague," a former hacker turned corporate security officer. Plague launches a virus designed to create oil spills and frame the kids while covering up his own multi-million dollar scam. The teens (with help from hackers everywhere) must dash to stop the virus, unmask Plague's villainy, and keep themselves out of jail.
Is It Any Good?
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.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about computer hacking and the ethics of the online world. Should information be shared freely or controlled? How would you feel if somebody hacked into your computer or if a virus damaged your files? This might be an opportunity to find out what your kid thinks about common activities like downloading music -- is it wrong to shoplift something from a store but okay to download music without permission?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 15, 1995
- On DVD or streaming : August 25, 1998
- Cast : Angelina Jolie , Jonny Lee Miller , Matthew Lillard
- Director : Iain Softley
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : MGM/UA
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some sexuality and brief strong language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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