Swordfish (2001)
John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle; d. Dominic Siena; B+

There is a current trend going on in which if someone has enjoyed a film that is commonly perceived as being a piece of mindless drek, they defend it by saying "It's a harmless popcorn flick." Of course, popcorn flick can always be subsituted and often is substituted by harmless fun or mindless but entertaining action flick. People commonly use this excuse to save their heinies from being lambasted by those who "know better" and therefor question the taste of the person who enjoyed the harmless popcorn flick. So, in order to have my behind saved, I will say that Swordgish is harmless fun, a mindless but entertaining action flick, a "popcorn flick."

Hugh Jackman, current up-and-coming heartthrob of X-Men fame, stars as formidable American hacker Stanley Jobson. Living in a shack in Texas while on probation for his two-year sentence (he was arrested for hacking into a government system). Stanley can't see his daughter, Holly (Camryn Grimes), who is currently living with her mother and porn king stepfather in Los Angeles, much less touch a computer. Out of the blue, he's approached by an attractive woman named Ginger (Halle Berry) driving an expensive red car. Even more out of the blue, Ginger seems to know every last detail about Stanley's life. Just before Stanley, fustrated and confused, leaves for work, Ginger throws Stanley a packet full of money. Apparently, a man who "lives in a world beyond your world" wants Stanly's hacking skillz for some undisclosed heist. Of course, we all know this mystery man is Gabriel Shear (John Travolta), who lives in a world ten times more fabulous and surreal than Tony Montana himself would imagine (but at least Gabriel makes special care to mention his movie Scarface, as well as other Al Pacino classics, at the beginning of the film). He also commits acts of violence and terrorism that make Tony's shoot out in his house seem like a water balloon fight. When Stanley enters Gabriel's world, he discovers he's in over his head with a multi-billion dollar heist, as well as just being around Gabriel and co.

Swordfish delivers plenty of action as well as plenty of flat performances, which are overshadowed by the plentitude of action. Travolta is decent as Gabriel, who is your typical super-evil, super-rich heistman. The least actors in these roles in these kinds of movies can do is act cool and look even cooler holding a gun, which Travolta succeeds in doing. Hugh Jackman? Well, all he had to do was grunt and look constipated and look tender in scenes with his daughter. He succeeded. Halle Berry also succeeded. All she had to do was play the sassy black chic with one ounce of concern when a scene calls for it. Likewise with Don Cheadle, who plays the typical eterinally pissed black officer who loves to drink coffee and be pissed. The true star of this film is the action and suspense, which is some of the best on-screen action I've seen. An eye-opening (but obviously Matrix-inspired) explosion takes place after a hypocritical Hollywood-bashing monolouge delivered by Travolota (which is why it is hypocritical), and the action that takes place afterwards is beyond belief. A bus is lifted by a helecopter, Travlota and Hackman get involved in a high-paced car chase/shoot out, and Jackman has to hack into a system while being threated with a gun to his head and a woman at his head. The biggest problem with Swordfish, though, is the fact that the adverage movie going citizen has no freekin' clue exacly what these guys are after and exactly how they plan to get to it. The film is muddled with internet jargon that is so not undersdandible that one could easily assume that their game of Solitare isn't working and thus need Stanley to fix it. One of the keys to a good heist flick is that the audience understands exactly what the people are after and exactly how they plan to get to it. With Swordfish, that isn't so. Thankfully the film has enough action and suspense to cover for its confusing jargon.

I would definatley reccomend this. It's not a smart film, of course. It's a "popcorn flick." It's an entising summer action flick that succeeds in being a great summer action flick. Don't go in expecting Shakespeare, go in expecting expolosions.

© Vert A Go Go Reviews 2001