Review of Paranoia (2013) by Greatmartin — 29 Aug 2013

The main things missing from the thriller “Paranoia” are thrills. The leading man, Liam Hemsworth, is as good looking as they come and certainly Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman as former friends now out to destroy each other play their roles to the hilt. Richard Dreyfuss adds the sympathy, the only sympathy, to the success of Hemsworth who wants it all and Amber Heard supplies the love interest in a role that certainly doesn’t give off any thrills as to who will end up together.

There are a few mysteries in the film such as how does Hemsworth rise so fast showing so little talent in the IT field and just how does Embeth Davidtz fit in as Oldman’s right hand? The setup, and execution of the screenplay by Jason Hall and Berry L. Levy, is overshadowed by the sights and sounds of all the glass office buildings in Manhattan and the Brooklyn neighborhood.

Director Robert Luketic keeps the action going with car chases and all kinds of technical gadgets and throws in a red herring that should be easily seen through by even a casual moviegoer.

Harrison, Ford, Dreyfus and Davidtz offer whatever tension there is in the movie while Hemsworth, Heard, various sets and cars offer relaxation for the eyes but “Paranoia” should disappear quickly from the large screen and go to DVD and the small screen.