Swordfish

Swordfish
by Dominic Sena

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DVD details

Actor: Don Cheadle, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, John Travolta, Sam Shepard
Director: Dominic Sena
Brand: Warner Brothers
Producer: Anson Downes
Producer: Bruce Berman
Producer: Dan Cracchiolo
Producer: Jim Van Wyck
Producer: Joel Silver
Producer: Jonathan D. Krane
Writer: Skip Woods
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 99 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-06-01
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video

DVD Reviews of Swordfish

DVD Review: First Viewing Was A 'Blast'
Summary: 3 Stars

John Travolta as "Gabriel Shear" was riveting as an anti-terrorist terrorist. The early explosion scene where people are flying sideways is awesome, particularly in the sound department if you have surround system. Oh, and yes, Halle Berry and her figure was on display in this film and quite a sight. Wowzer!

Some of this script is a takeoff on Dog Day Afternoon, which Travolta's character re-enacts a role from that famous '70s film. "Shear" talks about that movie during the film.

A few warnings: there is so much computer terminology that I was lost. However, if you find yourself in a similar spot, take heart because that that ends after that first 30 minutes and is no longer a problem. The film also has a strong left-wing bias (wow, what a shock), but it's still fun for at least one viewing. After that, it loses its appeal.

DVD Review: A Great Mix
Summary: 5 Stars

More action movies like this should be made. Outstanding cast. Travola at his best. It seems that he had a string of movies that established him as a super star. Too bad he is not making more.

DVD Review: "Log on. Hack in. Go anywhere. Steal everything"
Summary: 3 Stars

It seems to me that after "The Matrix" hundreds of movies came out trying to mimic the success of it. Either simply by creating slow motion sequences, or by actually establishing a "wana be" plot. Here in this mess of a movie we get a semi-interesting plot that is converted into an over glossed picture. Every scene in this movie looks like it was taken from "the matrix" not in the action so much, but rather in the picture quality. The frames and angles look very similar to it. Interestingly they add credits that also resemble "the matrix".

In Swordfish we have Gabriel Shear (John Travolta) a terrorist/Bank Robber. Shear is interested in some weird way to help our nation maintain its cycle of war...to help somehow. I don't know it's weird. What I do know is that he needs a man named Stan (Hugh Jackman) to help him create a worm. This worm will be placed electronically inside a computer to steal 9,500 million dollars. Along with this we have undercover DEA agents, a custody battle and alot more filer to continue this mess.

The issue here is that the plot is silly, that they try to make it interesting. The only way they knew how was to create similar contrast in picture quality to "the Matrix" even adding lines that sound like it come from there. In a scene, a character says "He exists in a world beyond your world. What we only fantasize, he does. He lives a life where nothing is beyond him. Ok... is it just me or this kind of sounds like "Morpheus". No?

The plot could have been handled if they gave the audience some incentive on how exactly the hacking procedure works. Instead we see them clicking and clicking there keyboards over and over, accepting there cyber talk, which makes the viewer think the movie is somewhat smart...when in fact it isn't. The twist is so stupid...yeah sure, a little creative, but to far fetch. The twist was a manageable way to hide the irrelevant action scenes and stupid heist that barely makes any sence. Travolta however, as always, plays the baddie as we want him to. It's just feels as if they took a rotten apple and over shined it, so it could seem intelligent and creative...it's just a dumb tech action movie. Rent, not buy.

MY PERSONAL RATING: 3 OUT OF 5

DVD Review: Good Cliched Flick
Summary: 5 Stars

There has been many people that add the fact that there are parts that are completely unnecessarily (scene with Hally Barry anyone?) and some that are very cliche.

Personally, I believe this to be true. But that adds to the charm of this movie. It's always changing, and never the same. Without spoiling any of the plot (to do that would be a waste of a great movie) some parts could of been done better, with a bit more editting, but overall, I would recommend this to anyone that is open minded and wants a good deep movie and not just another action movie.

DVD Review: Trying to be cool
Summary: 3 Stars

This is a seriously flawed movie. It so wants to be cool, but misses the target by a long way. Sure its fits the critera of a high octane movie, but it has no soul. That said, for its time (2001) its not without intelligence. The concept of external non-government privately run organisations in the U.S. being involved in taking out terrorists etc is now a virtual fact (Blackwater).

Furthermore Travolta IS cool, especially in the riveting opening sequence. Halle Berry looks great and overall Hugh Jackman probably gives the best acting performance. But these plus points are spoilt by an over-reliance on car-chases, explosions and gun fights. This has all been done before and so much better, and with a lot more style. See Michael Mann's Heat for one.

Overall then its an average, but hugely overblown blockbuster. If you like that sort of thing thats fine, and if its cheap you'll probably buy it. I would rent first...

Description of Swordfish

When the DEA shut down its dummy corporation operation codenamed SWORDFISH in 1986 they had generated $400 million which they let sit around; fifteen years of compound interest has swelled it to $9.5 billion. A covert counter-terrorist unit called Black Cell headed by the duplicitious and suave Gabriel Shear wants the money to help finance their raise-the-stakes vengeance war against international terrorism but it's all locked away behind super-encryption. He brings in convicted hacker Stanley Jobson who only wants to see his daughter Holly again but can't afford the legal fees to slice into the government mainframes and get the money.Running Time: 99 min.System Requirements:Starring: John Travolta Hugh Jackman Halle Berry Don Cheadle Vinnie Jones and Sam Shepard. Directed By: Dominic Sena. Running Time: 99 Min. Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2001 Warner Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:?ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating:?R UPC:?085392132225 Manufacturer No:?21322DVD

Swordfish is a superficial movie, so let's address the superficial facts: Halle Berry was well paid to bare her breasts in this gratuitous cyber-action thriller, and while Berry's many fans will enjoy a cheap drool at the actress's expense, her brief topless scene doesn't justify this insipid parade of glossy violence from the director of 2000's Gone in 60 Seconds. Add yet another notch in John Travolta's bad-movie belt, and you've got Hollywood bankruptcy in full blossom. Go ahead, marvel at director Dominic Sena's biggest money shot--a 360-degree pan as a robbery hostage is blown to bits by a bomb that pelts a surrounding SWAT squad with deadly ball bearings.

The plot, as if it matters: Travolta's a slick, self-appointed antiterrorist who recruits a top-flight computer hacker (Hugh Jackman) to transfer a $9.5 billion government slush fund into a cluster of secret accounts. Berry's the curvaceous bait who lures Jackman into the scheme; Don Cheadle's an FBI agent hot on their tails; and an obligatory subplot turns Jackman's daughter (Camryn Grimes) into an innocent bargaining chip. By the time a hostage transport bus is airlifted in the film's not-so-thrilling climax, Swordfish will hold your passive attention or put you to sleep--it all depends on your tolerance for Sena's brand of derivative bloodlust. It's pornography of a sort, and efficiently mechanical, but you can bet good money that Berry and her costars didn't cash their paychecks proudly. --Jeff Shannon

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