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Filthy-rich from high-tech bank robbing, Gabriel Shear (John Travolta) a man who has plans to
lift a ton of left-over federal money through the help of Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman), a brilliant computer hacker on parole after two years in the pen for hacking a program
used by the FBI to snoop on everybody's e-mail. Gabriel sends off his assistant, Ginger (Halle Berry), to recruit Stan, using as incentive $10 million, and the promise of
helping Stan regain custody of his daughter Holly (Camryn Grimes) whose mother got a court order against him. Yearning so much for Holly, Stan—who could go to
prison for simply touching a computer again—bites the deal but must elude the agent who put him away in the first place, Agent Roberts (Don Cheadle) and try to figure out
how to survive the shrewd Gabriel.
Swordfish does have a story and tries to be cyber suspense—in fact the word Swordfish is uttered but once—but the whole thing won't take your breath away. It tries so hard to keep so many things secret that even the characterization suffers. You are kept guessing about the exact loyalties and motives of the leading characters, who the villain or the hero is, and that can be pretty tiring. Director Sena ("
Gone in 60 Seconds"), uses ultra-modern trappings in Swordfish
but fills them with classic cliches. Like a car chase in which only the right people are killed. A high-minded political philosophy as the reason for a supposed villain's deeds. A daughter held hostage while clutching a teddy bear. Seen that before? About the only thing in the movie that could keep you awake (due to the special effect's novelty) is when a chopper lifts an entire bus filled with people—then you're eager to see what billboard or skyscraper tip the bus is going to smash next.
One plus factor when the movie is so bad is you are forced to nit-pick it for its bad
elements—to discuss with your family. Well, there's greed here, to begin with. Another is work ethics—if you were a brilliant computer expert, would you commit
another crime and risk going back to jail if the price is right? Then there's the issue of taking that risk just to get back your daughter. And just in case
you miss this point—why did the court grant custody (of his daughter) to her mother, a porn-star, and her porn-director stepfather? Would they be better parents than
the reformed white-collar-criminal father? You want to see Swordfish for kicks? Better stay home and rent Cecil B. de Mille's The Ten Commandments
—at least they were able to part the Red Sea there even before computers were heard of.
(Date reviewed: July 6, 2001)
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