Review of Snowden (2016) by Ian G — 13 Dec 2016

Snowden is another politically charged, big brother film coming from the mind of Oliver Stone, following the former NSA agent Snowden who goes into the system looking for a way to serve his country after breaking both of his legs as a solider and becoming an analyst and hacker for the NSA, learning showing secrets about how the states gathers secrets and looks to blow the lid off of it to the masses for the betterment of the country.

Stone's decision to style the film similarly to the Fifth Estate, the other whistleblower film doesn't do the film any favours since it doesn't add any quality or sheen to the proceedings but rather a second hand film, and also the fact that the Snowden character himself isn't too showy or compelling outside of being a patriot makes it hard to become truly involved with his cause and conflicts before going on the lam.

Well intentioned and more put together than the Fifth Estate, but still behind the Social Network as the best hacker film out there. Middle of the road.