Review of Blackhat (2015) by Drew M — 15 May 2015

A thoroughly uninspired take on what sounds like a slam dunk setup. A globetrotting espionage tale of a multinational team trying to take down a lethal computer hacker. Top it off with it being directed by the best in the business when it comes to crime films. Sounds good, right? But this is easily Mann's worst film to date. Every scene in the film is dull and lacking any trace of energy. It's by-the-numbers sequences being completely devoid of life signs.

Hemsworth is commendable in his performance. He hides his Aussie accent well, but isn't the least bit believeable as a genius computer hacker. Everyone else is just a place holder.

Mann has a nasty habit of forcing romances into the proceedings, and it's the same here. Like in Miami Vice, the unnecessary love story just further pumps the brakes on an already unexciting story.

Still though, no one can stage a shootout like Mann can. The audio mix especially is astounding. Every shot fired has weight to it. But the climax of the film features one of the most confusing and silly firefights in recent memory. Bullets are flying in a crowd of hundreds, yet no one seems very concerned. Just like we, the viewer, don't much care about what is going on in front of us.