HACKERS: You Thought Your Secrets Were Safe? You Were Wrong!

  When you look at Angelina Jolie in “Hackers”, it’s hard to imagine the whole “Brangelina” soap opera was still in front of her.  Heck, she hadn’t even married Jonny Lee Miller yet!!!  Jolie is only 19-years old in “Hackers”.  By day, she’s bright student Kate Libby.  By night, she’s computer whiz “Acid Burn”.   Miller plays Dade Murphy, an 18-year old already with a history of causing computer chaos.  As an 11-year old, Murphy infected a whole bunch of computers on the NYSE with a virus.  To celebrate his 18th birthday, he falls right into his old ways. 

  The plot isn’t as ‘computer geeky’ as you might imagine.  I was expecting all kinds of techno-jargon and whatever passes for strong-arm tactics by nerds….but this is a cool story.  Murphy’s revenge at his new school, when he schedules a test of the sprinkler system, is hilarious!  So is the scene where Ramon gets arrested and his Mom starts hitting him upside the head, to the point where he pleads with the authorities to “Arrest me, already!!” 
 
  This is a good, clever story.  Don’t forget it was released 14 years ago, long before  identity theft and computer crimes became commonplace.  The acting is good too, with the “Hackers” having heaps of personality and energy.  Who knew computer geeks could have a sense of humour??? 

7.5 out of 10