SWORDFISH

Director: Dominic Sena

Cast: Hugh Jackman - Stan

John Travolta - Gabrielle

Halle Berry - Ginger

Following on from last summer’s Gone In 60 Seconds, director Dominic Sena returns to helm yet another slick action flick Swordfish.

Stan used to be one of the top two hackers in the world. However, following a two year spell in a Federal prison for placing a virus into an FBI database which would give it access to read all US residents emails he is now no longer allowed to touch a computer.

Gabrielle is an unknown super criminal who seeks Stan’s help following the arrest of the world’s top hacker who was working for him. In order to recruit Stan, Gabrielle sends Ginger to entice him with a $100,000.00 come and see offer.

As Stan is trying to win custody of his daughter from his ex-wife the offer is too hard to refuse and so he heads to LA to assist Gabrielle.

Stan takes the job on offer, which is to hack into super computer once run by the Drug Enforcement Agency which holds 9 ½ billion dollars and is asked to download a 512k encrypted multi headed virus (whatever, it sounds good) and for this he will be paid $10 million.

However, things don’t go too plan as soon the FBI is trailing Stan looking for his assistance.

Can Stan download the virus and get his daughter back?

Will Gabrielle get the money and escape to safety?

Swordfish is a slick action film with some very neat twists.

The visuals are astounding with a couple of explosions done in Matrix like bullet time which when you see them, your jaw will drop and likewise Halle Berry’s topless scene.

The story cracks along at a very good pace. There are a sufficient number of key action scenes, namely, the explosions as mentioned above, a foot chase which has a fantastic ending and a car chase in which John Travolta pulls out some impressive weaponry in order to combat his assailants.

The three main leads are very good with Jackman especially playing the reluctant hero role very well.

Travolta is very slick and his character has some great lines such as when he talks about how the hostage situation in Dog Day Afternoon could have been done differently.

Berry is good and she is given a lot more to work with here than she had in last summers X-Men.

Alongside the three main leads there is good support from Don Cheadle, Vinnie Jones and Sam Shephard.

Dominic Sena does a very good job and he never leaves the audience confused by all the techno babble.

The action is handled superbly and the interaction between the cast is good.

Swordfish is a class summer flick, with some enjoyable acting and top-notch visuals.

If you enjoyed the bullet time effects in the Matrix you should enjoy this.