Rating: 
Summary: Comic thriller neither thrills nor amuses
Review: Robert Redford leads an all-star cast of hackers in a story that's parts thrilling and parts funny, but never as thrilling or funny as it thinks. Redford is Martin Bishop, or does he? Bishop runs a peculiar security consulting firm staffed with odd-balls that "breaks into peoples' places so other people can't break into those places" - methodically burglarizing banks and other "secure" buildings to reveal to their weak points to their owners. Bishop's partners in crime-prevention include David Strathairn as a blind computer hacker, River Phoenix as a reformed thief who can sneak into any building, Dan Akroyd as an electronics whiz and jovially rabid conspiracy theorist and Sydney Poitier as the team's straight-man, a former CIA case-worker who used to butt heads with superiors probably less uptight than he. Though expecting trust from others, Bishop hasn't been that honest himself ' none of his fellow hackers know that Martin Bishop is really Martin Brice who went underground in the late 1960's after he narrowly escaped arrest. In the flick's opening scene, set in those olden days, we meet young Brice and his friend Cosmo (David Paymer) as they're using their school's primitive computer to hack into the bank accounts of right-wing organizations and transfer their funds to liberal groups like the NAACP, People for the American Way and some groups committed to legalizing marihuana. Narrowly evading a dragnet that nets Cosmo, Brice goes on the run...and never looks back. Bishop's secret is actually no secret to either the Russians (who have spent years vainly trying to recruit him) or, it seems, the Americans. When two men claiming to work for the NSA show up at Bishop's office, they offer him a can't-refuse deal - they'll clear his record if he can burglarize the office of a theoretical mathematician and steal a mysterious black box he's working on. The NSA doesn't want to send Brice away, but they are law enforcement, and have responsibilities of their own. (The NSA can't legally get the box because national security laws bar NSA surveillance operations on US soil, and they can't work with the FBI without congressional authorization). Working with the team, Bishop finds and nabs the box and thinks he's home free - only to learn that neither the box nor those who are interested in it are what they seem. Instead, (and to keep from spoiling anything for anybody still up for this flick) Bishop finds himself trapped in a conspiracy, one that links the box - which proves to house a super-computing chip capable of breaking any code and accessing any computer - to Martin Brice's lost past. "Sneakers" has a fun plot, but it gets weighted down by a script that tries to be funnier, more thrilling and meaningful than it is. The jokes become juvenile at some points (like when the team coaches Redford during one of his break-ins) and the members of the team become one note sitcom style characters (Ackroyd bounces his cheerful conspiracy theories on Poitier's uptight skepticism; Strathairn repeatedly proves himself to have more sight than anybody he works with; and Phoenix picks his teammates pockets to purchase the stuff they all need for the job). Thinly veiled beneath, "Sneakers" has an important message about the information age - that the world is run by the ones and zeros of computer language, and that the power of information can be monopolized no less than any more tangible power. Even if this weren't a similar ' if softer - take on 'Three Days of the Condor', the message gets lost in numerous plot holes, not the least of which involves the bad guys themselves who appear and disappear throughout the movie. This would be the kind of flick you could enjoy without taking seriously if it didn't compulsive beg you to take it seriously - sort of like "The Brinks Job" for the information age. The flick ends on what's meant to be joke - after supposedly turning over the black box to the government, a newscast reveals that certain right-wing organizations are suddenly going bankrupt, while liberals are inexplicably flush with cash. We're supposed to be cheered that absolute power need not corrupt absolutely when it's put to use buying campaign ads for Al Gore or to legalize hemp. But what fun is there in a punchline that confirms what right-wingers have been saying for years - that leftists have no compunction against lying, stealing and breaking the law when it suits their agenda. Rent "The Sting" instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Serio-Comic High Tech Caper.....
Review: This review refers to the Widescreen Edition(1998 Universal)..... Martin Bishop's(Robert Redford) team of maverick techies make their living(not a great one)as "Sneakers". Breaking into the security systems of high powered companies. It is the high powered companies that actually sign their pay checks. They are hired to find the breakdowns in the systems.The team includes a blindman who is expert in sound(David Strathairn), and ex-CIA agent(Sydney Poitier), a young expert hacker(River Phoenix), and a magician at all sorts of gadgets who is probably the most paranoid person on the face of the earth(Dan Aykroyd).What a Cast! Martin Bishop though, has a secret he's been keeping from his team. One that has kept him on the run from the government for 25 years. When the government agents offer him a chance to clean up his record, simply by finding and retrieving a "Black Box" used by a mathematical genius for decoding, Martin jumps at the chance and so do the rest of the guys(It also pays really good too!). The job seems easy enough, but what they don't know may kill them. This "box" is so powerful in it's capabilities, that any any Government in the world would kill for it. The team, also with the help of Bishop's ex(Mary McDonnell) goes into a high-tech action caper,that is heartstopping,gripping, and often comical.It'll thrill and amaze you as they use their weapons of knowledge to complete their mission. The film is directed by Phil Alden Robinson, and also stars Ben Kingsley, Timothy Busfield, and James Earl Jones.You can't go wrong with all these great names. All the performances are terrific. I was not totally happy with this edition of the DVD though. Although the sound in Dolby Surround was quite good and the anamorphic widescreen(1.85:1)was well presented there seemed to be a reddish glow hovering on all the indoor scenes(almost like a new TV the needs the tint adjusted). It was a little hard on the eyes. Otherwise I probably would've gone 5 stars as this is one of the cleverist capers I have seen. Don't look for too much on the extras. There are a few, some production notes(no live commentary) filmographies, and a trailer. It is also captioned and has subtitles in English, Spanish and French.Maybe the newer edition has the color problem cleaned up. It would be worth renting it at least...
Rating: 
Summary: Very enjoyable, a must for your DVD collection
Review: This computer hacking movie is one of the best that have ever been made. Its one of those films that you can watch over and over. I saw it at the movies and bought it as soon as it came out on DVD. Robert Redford is a fine actor and the whole cast really make this film so enjoyable. I own the Region 4 version which also allows you to watch the film in Spanish or English audio (as does a lot of Region 4 DVD's), I'm not sure though if the Region 1 version offered here has Spanish audio. In Australia many people by multiple region DVD players so it really does not matter to us where we buy our DVD's but people in the United States might like to check it out first if Spanish audio is important to you.
Rating: 
Summary: FIlm Doesn't Cut It...
Review: Sneakers is a wanna-be thriller with a story line that is a mish-mash of government intelligence agencies, computers, encryption, spying, blackmail, and so on. Computers in large institutions give me headaches not entertainment. Robert Redford usually makes quality movies, but this one fell short. The components of the plot are cliches. Without any good roles in the script, even this all-star cast couldn't salvage it.
Maybe I should point out that most other people liked this one!
Rating:
Summary: TOO MANY SECRETS!
Review: Aint that the truth! With our government today becoming more and more secretive with us as well as with the rest of the world, it's good to know some filmakers out there are warning us of the dangers of "too many secrets." This is a great film.
Rating:
Summary: There's a Cocktail Party at the Reservoir
Review: The cast of this movie is what attracts people to it. I admit it is a little strange seeing all these serious actors be in a movie where they have to be computer nerds. The story is good though with some good plot twists and great acting from Redford and Poitier. On DVD, the movie doesn't get the best treatment. The DVD is bare bones, and for some reason, the video has a lot of fuzziness and orange-yellow hue balances. You get the feeling that the video could have been so much better. The sound is not that great either, but it's decent. The all-star cast and great story puts other computer crime stories like Hackers to shame. This movie has a sense of style to it, and you'll like it's clever delivery.
Rating:
Summary: In the mood for a good movie? Watch "Sneakers"!
Review: "Sneakers" is one of my favorite movies and I have seen it more times than I can count. The great thing about this movie is that it is timeless - advancements will be made in technology, but there will always be hackers, government cover-ups, and 'too many secrets.' If you're in the mood for a movie that has Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance (yes, romance!), and Thrills, then get "Sneakers"! I recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: I dont think so
Review: I took a look at how they "Profile" some of us. None of it is a true statement, except "Social Engineering" That was it. It is very funny to watch what they do, and how they portray H@ck3rZ. Not even close. People that believe that any of it is true or even close to being true, you better take a look at what H@ck3rZ really are in this day and age.
Rating:
Summary: Awful Picture Quality
Review: Though I enjoy this movie, I found the DVD version to be awful. It looks like they cranked up the compression, as there is a ton of compression artifacting. I could barely stand to watch the DVD in some places due to the little dancing color squares. If you are a fan of Sneakers, get the VHS version and avoid the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: This is a classic!
Review: For those who love spy/hacker movies, this is one to collect. I've watched this movie about 30 times and never got tired of it. It has intrigue, comedy, romance (well sort of anyways) and a great cast. Played this on my home theatre entertainment and it sound great! I also liked that the movie was situated in the beautiful Bay Area (which is where I live).
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