I'm not sure which is worse, hackers who create malware, like viruses and ransomware, or computer users who click on suspicious links they're not supposed to.
Hacker films became popular in the 1990s, but that's not to say computer hacking hasn't been seen in movies before. There was this hacking sequence with Natalie Wood and Christopher Walken in the 1983 movie I featured in Ted's MOVIE OF THE WEEK, Brainstorm. And, of course, there's TRON. Nowadays, like martial arts action, computer hackers have become prevalent in movies and television.
The Matrix is perhaps still the best-known hacker film. But there's another noteworthy movie from Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver that came out a few years later. In Swordfish, a top hacker gets caught up with terrorists, but he'll do anything to get back with his daughter, who is under the custody of her mother, who happens to be in a relationship with a pornographer. Stay with me here.
Swordfish was directed by Dominic Sena, who has had a long career in making music videos, including those for Janet Jackson, and he obviously got some inspiration visually from The Matrix. Dominic Sena is not the only film director who didn't get his start in movies. Michael Bay, who has his own signature visual style, also began his directing career with music videos and commercials.
The cast of Swordfish comprises John Travolta, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, and a then-newcomer Australian actor named Hugh Jackman. I saw Swordfish at the theater, and it was the first film I saw with Jackman, who played the protagonist. I remember thinking, "Man, this dude got talent and has a future." That was back in 2001.
Swordfish tosses out a lot of realistic technical jargon, but the movie is pure fiction. Although not all computer hackers are bad, like the so-called white hats, many have malicious intent causing financial losses in the billions of dollars every year. Swordfish is not based on actual events, but it's not far-fetched how much damage a single person with a computer and network connection can inflict. One can only hope there are more "good" hackers than evil ones.
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