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Parents' Guide to

The Crash

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Limp financial cyberthriller has lots of strong language.

Movie R 2017 84 minutes
The Crash Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In the near future, when a group of cyber-terrorists threatens to bring down global financial markets, the government turns to Guy Clifton (Frank Grillo), a hacker who's about to go to prison. In exchange for a pardon, Clifton agrees to head off THE CRASH, but he starts having second thoughts when he uncovers a clue about the identity of the people behind the scheme.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This movie looks and feels like so many other cyber-thrillers we've seen in recent years, with plenty of busy computer screens and people talking urgently about global financial meltdowns. But pulsing sound effects and colorful images flashing on monitors can't make up for a preposterous plot and flat pacing.

The Crash lurches from one not-at-all dramatic moment to another, and viewers are never given the chance to really get involved with the characters. The team of white-hat hackers is your standard-issue bunch of misfits, but we never learn anything anything about them, while the shadowy government officials pretty much stay shadowy. There really no one to root for, and even after the villains' identity is revealed, it's still hard to care how the movie ends. Not even a dying teen can make viewers root for the people here.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about cyber thrillers and hacking. Cyber attacks are becoming pretty common movie threats. What does The Crash add to the genre?

  • Parents, talk to your kids about smart, safe online behavior. What does it mean to be a good digital citizen?

  • Did you notice a lot of swearing in the movie? Do you think it was necessary to tell the story?

Movie Details

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