Swordfish

Rating:
Summary: Don't bother. Rent it if you don't believe me.
Review: I bought the DVD after seeing Swordfish in the theater, mostly because I was impressed with the effects. While truly blockbuster in effects, even the talent (and body) of the fine Halle Berry can't support the lurching, smarmy dischord of the Point-Break-rehash script or Travolta's tired, played-out badguy act. It was terrible enough back in Broken Arrow.

Save a few bucks and get the only part of Swordfish worth repeating, Paul Oakenfold's wicked cool soundtrack.

Rating:
Summary: Hollywood cliches again
Review: This is simply another one of those Hollywood excuses to make another action film, featuring big time stars (Travolta and Jackman). This film is not very memorable, there are no orginal action scenes worth noting. In fact, the story appears a bit lame too.

Anyone who has seen any of the Lethal Weapon films will have seen this stuff before.

I have to wonder why Travolta, man of his ability and reputation, couldn't pick something more challenging for him. Oh well, the sweet smell of commercial success struck again.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing and Actually Pretty Dull
Review: I guess the worst thing a summer popcorn flick can be is slow, but Swordfish actually manages this trick. After a neat special effects shot at the beginning of the movie (in which Travolta gives a speech reminiscent of the beginning of Reservior Dogs), the story is told in flashback. Hugh Jackman (who really has tremendous charisma and is the glue of the movie) is a hacker who is out of jail and is not permitted to touch a computer. In Dominic Seda style, everything is told over the top and is gratuitous. For example, its not enough that Jackman has a gun to his head and is forced to hack into the defense department's computer system in 60 seconds (when the best hackers need 60 minutes, so says Travolta), but Seda has a woman perform, well, a sexual act on Jackman at the same time. And the famous Halle Berry nude shot is actually pretty lame and seems just placed in the movie without any sexual tension built up to it.

All of movie's tension seems contrived and silly. The scene with the bus (where it is carried off the ground by a helicopter) is cool visually but makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Let me get this straight, a Travolta highjacks hostages and puts then on a bus then has the bus carried to the top of a building so he can get to another helicopter and escape. Usually I can ignore story holes big enough to drive a bus or truck through, but in Swordfish, it becomes way too much to handle. Plus, am I the only person getting tired of Travolta's same old routine in every picture he makes?

As a DVD, this one is kind of a dud. The menus are bland (no animation at all) and the special features are only so so. There are two alternate endings (actually, only one of the two is a truly an alternate version of what occured at the end). The commentary is good, as Seda is entertaining even where the film is not.

Rating:
Summary: Solid thriller for what it's worth...
Review: Many people have viciously torn at Swordfish as if it was a poor flick, but if a person takes it as it was intended - a solid semi-psychological sexually-violent thriller, it works well. For those of us who are both bright and like cool equipment and an ensnaring plot, however superficial in some ways, this film is both entertaining and impressive.
Travolta is very believable as a man necessarily convincedthat he's bigger and better than anyone else simply because he believes. Jackman again unloads a credible performance, and Berry is lovely as ever.
Overall credible, perhaps the largest hole in it is in one car chase: racing like hell down a back alley they come out onto a busy street only seconds later at only 20 mph. No no, either show them slowing down or hammer it through the traffic...
So for the special effect thriller junkies out there, this one is both worth watching and owning, because in a few months you will want to see it again: if you are into quality period pieces (Elizabeth, Amadeus), solid war documentaries (Blunders of WW2) or movies (Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gate, Black Hawk Down), morality tales (Talented Mr. Ripley, Finding Forrester) or relationship stories (You Can Count on Me), for lighter fare that racks 'em up, check this one out...

Rating:
Summary: Party Entertainment
Review: You have to able to take a movie like this for what it's worth. Do not prepare to see this by shutting off the ringer, and closing the blinds, etc... DO however invite a bunch of friends over, get some popcorn, yell at each other to stop talking (but not actually do it), and just have a blast.
Swordfish has actors, scenes, effects, and situations that are simply "cool"! There are scenes that soley exist to have something blow up. There are scenes that were written just to see Halle Berry topless. There are no awards to give out. No pretentious artsy refrences. Just a kick-butt, popcorn, heart accelerating 'flick'! Take it for that and everyone will have a great time!~

Rating:
Summary: I had low expectations, but it's a fun movie.
Review: Some unrealistic scenes, for example, breaking into the government website in 60 seconds. The screen was just showing directory listings of the files on a unix system. This will get you nowhere. Also, some far fetched action scenes, but not as bad as Mission Impossible 2 where the road bikes magically turn into dirt bikes!

However, I gave it 4 stars for good action scenes, an inventive plot and a good twist to the ending. I will watch it again.

PS: What kind of car is Travolta driving? Beautiful! Halle Berry is impressive too!

Rating:
Summary: Propaganda
Review: This movie is an action packed load of garbage that tries to use the ruthlessness of American patriotism to give a cool and powerful image to the American government.
This idea that there are these people in America who eliminate any terrorist threat with more brutality than the terrorists themselves is nothing more than an insecure fairytale concocted by Hollywood to make everyone feel safer in a sort of "they don't wanna fu#@ with us" kind of way.
I don't think there will be a sequel to this movie now that sep 11 has happened.

Rating:
Summary: I was pleasantly surprised that I liked Swordfish!
Review: If I had gone to the video store with my boyfriend, I would have vetoed this movie.
As luck would have it, he had already rented it and thus he had to listen to me whine about how this movie got bombed by the critics. Right before we started watching the movie, he reminded me I've liked a lot of movies that the critics have hated in the past.

I hate it when he's right! You can add this movie to that list of movies that I ended up liking despite all the bad reviews. First of all, let's get the pooh-pooh stuff out of the way. Yes, the plot has holes in it. Yes, Halle Berry's nude scene was VERY gratuitous as even an average moviegoer like me could tell that it was nudity for the sake of nudity with no purpose in the movie's plot. But then again, one does not go to see action movies for plot, they go to see action and in that category, this movie delivers!

I loved that blow up scene! I've never seen anything like it before. That amazing bit of chaos is shown at the beginning of the movie and another view of it near the end of the movie. That is one of two reasons to go see Swordfish if nothing else.

Hugh Jackman is the other reason to go see this movie. After I saw this movie, I went to see Kate and Leopold ONLY because he was in that movie! I wasn't too crazy about his hair-do in Swordfish and that's the most negative thing I can say about Hugh and the character he played. ( LOL) He's a great actor and he played a very convincing hero. A hero who just got out of prison? Yup, he went to jail for stealing money so he could afford to get another trial to get custody of his daughter from his drugged out, child neglecting ex who is living with a porn filmmaker! (What kind of Judge would allow a child to reside with a Porn King?) Yes, he's the hero with the heart of gold and good intentions but less than virtuous people surround him and tempt him. And he worms himself into every woman's heart with his vigilance to make sure that his daughter gets the life that she deserves. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing a devoted father risking any and all for his child.

This movie got a hold of me from the very first scene and didn't let go until the end. John Travolta looked cool as a cucumber through out the movie and was convincing enough as a too suave villian. This movie is obviously no Oscar contender as most action films rarely ever are but if you're looking for a non-cerebral action movie to pump your blood, you'll be in good hands with Swordfish as it has plenty of action all around and Jack is easy on the eye for the women and Halle for the men. It's definitely worth the rental price.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This movie kicks in from the get go. To awesome explosions to technical computer stuff to fast paced action to twists, this movie has it all. There are so many suprises in this movie that you just keep shaking your head in disbelief.
Travolta is excellent as a the backguy as is Hugh Jackman (Wolverine in the X-Men movie) who plays a computer hacker who is not allowed to touch a computer per his parol. He wants to get custody of his kid but doesn't have the cash, and that's where Travolta and Halle Berry come in.
Non-stop action and enough twists to keep you off balance all the way to the end.

Rating:
Summary: Hack Into Swordfish
Review: Opening scenes are great. You have Travolta talking about Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon and pushing the envelope.

So, What if Pacino killed everyone? How would that affect everyone? Travolta sure showed you off to push that envelope in the opening scenes of Swordfish with an incredible action explosion scene.

You have a good cast with a script that could be better, but you do have a few nice action scenes that is unforgettable. Jackman has a good performance as a hacker for Travolta's evil mind.

You also can't forget about the beautiful Halle Berry in which she does get a bit nude in this film.

As for Mr. Travolta...it's another ridiculous haircut and another bad performance from him. Nicholas Cage should of played the role of Travolta's...that's my opinion.

If you want to see Halle naked, some good action scenes, and another ridiculous performance by John Travolta...I recommend this film to you.