Michael Mann’s hacker heist, Blackhat, already looks set to be a serious Oscar contender. In its very essence, it’s true Academy bait. From its casting choices, to the edgy plot, right down to Mann himself leading the charge on this globe-trotting techno-thriller – it could definitely be a contender.
If you’re wondering precisely what a Blackhat is, this ain’t no haberdashery lesson. Blackhat is a catchy phrase used to identify hackers who choose to write what Mann terms “malicious code,” in order to isolate vulnerabilities in stable systems. Think of them as reverse engineers, one of which will be played by Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, who leads the movie as MIT student and convicted hacker Nicholas Hathaway.
In an international heist premise, Hathaway cavorts from Chicago to Kuala Lumpur, as he winds up employed by American and Chinese federal agents. Tasked with utilising his considerable hacking skill set, he’s in the big leagues when he becomes involved with tracking down and capturing global criminals.
The movie marks Mann’s return to the big screen after a five-year absence following his 2009 crime ensemble, Public Enemies. Judging by the first trailer, the Heat director has not lost his touch for spectacle. The visuals are stunning, in a monochrome palette that harks back to the helmer’s earlier work. Hemsworth is on top form as well for what might be his very first Oscar nod.
Blackhat lands in theatres January 16th, 2015. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think.
Set within the world of global cybercrime, Legendary’s Blackhat follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta. Directed and produced by Michael Mann, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom, and it is written by Morgan Davis Foehl and Mann. Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni produce alongside Mann, while Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod serve as the executive producers.
