Old Skool Movie Review: Sneakers

by Crom

Old Skool Movie Review
This months classic: Sneakers

For the most part, movies involving computer hacking or the use of computers, grossly over visualize the hacking process. Such debacles as “hackers” and “swordfish” have given plenty of examples thereof. However, true to its origins, while not being overly nerdy, Sneakers was a movie that could deliver the complexity and intelligence of computer hacking, and not be too far gone for the average person to follow.

“Sneakers” is the story following Martin Bishop, an aging front man for a group of computer hackers, who investigate and attack businesses, to evaluate their security weaknesses and recommend upgrades. Bishop is a man with a past though, and his past comes back to catch him when 2 agents from the NSA visit his offices to solicit his services. The task: to retrieve a device from a well-known cryptographer. No mention of what it does, or why they want it. They drop a few hints about his past, and of his involvement in a federal crime that was still unsolved. Bishop is forced to do the job. His cast of freaks is more then ready to tackle the task. Unfortunately during their celebration after its retrieval, Whisper, their resident blind man, discovers the box’s true nature. A device capable of breaking encryption considered impossible to defeat. The realization of this spirals the group into a world of treachery and intrigue, as they battle to keep the box out of evils hands.

The cast was perfection. Dan Akroyd, Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, and David Strathairn (Whisper), made up Robert Redford’s platoon of buddies. With bizarre strengths and amazing talents they pulled him out of the fire while staying frosty. Ben Kingsley (Oz), Bishops old friend and current nemesis, was a likeable yet sinister character, with an interesting twist near the end, when Kingsley confronts Redford and tells him of the new world

“We were going to change the world old friend. You and me. You don’t understand Martin, there’s a war going on now. And, it’s not about who has the most bullets, but WHO CONTROLS THE INFORMATION. We can do it together old pal, we can change the world.”

Kingsleys plead for him to return, to be friends again, was the note of finality. That there could never be a closure of the gap. James Earl Jones makes a cameo as the real NSA agent looking for the box (no movie would be complete without his voice).

This movie made my already unquenchable desire to work with computers, even more insane. I wanted to start a company like his, hell I had the friends to do it. While most people dreamed of the big win, my friends and I dreamed of the perfect computer dodge. We watched this movie like an instructional video. I’ll always enjoy watching this movie. The suspenseful scenes where Redford penetrates the security of the “bad guys” fortress, and the perfect James Bond style timing of the getaways, were truly awesome. The movie always had you gripping the arm of your chair, with well timed comic relief (like when Whisper tries to drive the van to the rescue) and intelligent dialogue it makes up part of my top ten favorite movies. Just remember… Too Many Secrets.

Crom