Blackhat
Director: Michael Mann
Distributed by Legendary Pictures
Not even Thor could save this movie.
It’s no surprise Blackhat will be overlooked in favour of Oscar nominees this month. Its uneven plot, awkward camera angles, and lack of character development had me nodding off. Though promised an action-packed hacker film, director Michael Mann presents an anticlimactic story that has no twists or arches.
Chris Hemsworth puts down his hammer and plays a prestigious computer hacker who is offered an exemption from his prison sentence with a catch. He has to help decode computer viruses created by a team of cyber terrorists.
On top of that, there is a spur of the moment romantic subplot that causes the story to go further adrift.
While Hemsworth is well-known for his acting in The Avengers, his lack of facial expression and inconsistencies with toning down his Australian accent leaves much to be desired. His emotionless persona throughout the film makes it impossible to achieve any character development, leaving viewers feeling detached from the character.
The romance was boring and unrealistic—come on, who sleeps with someone once and suddenly decides to spend their life with that person? Love at first sight is a beautiful thing, but when you’re working with a criminal and chasing terrorists, maybe you should keep your priorities straight.
The camera angles and editing for the film were particularly awful. When scenes are shot without any cuts for a length of time, it can be considered artistic, but if nothing happens, the audience just starts feeling left out of the action.
Blackhat makes you want to check your own devices, rather than the ones apparently on the screen.
Chris Hemsworth, stick to your blond locks, and huge hammer.
