Swordfish (2001)
		Genre: Crime/Drama/Action Director: Dominic Sena Rating: R Running Time: 98 Minutes Release Date: June 8, 2001 Official Website: http://operationswordfish.warnerbros.com/ Movie Trailer: View it now! Discuss and vote: Go to Forums	Cast: John Travolta Hugh Jackman Halle Berry Don Cheadle Vinnie Jones Camryn Grimes Sam Shepard Zach Grenier

Pickup Line: Nice Catch! --Guru Dudu

Pickup Line: Something Smells Fishy! --Guru Mumu

Quickie: A filthy rich man plans an electronic robbery worth $9.5 billion and seeks...er...demands the help of a famous ex-con ex-hacker.

The Long Review:

"Swordfish": Just think of it as "Mission: Impossible" and "The Matrix" in one. It tells the complex tale of Gabriel Shear (John Travolta), a filthy, filthy rich man who masterminds a $9.5 billion electronic bank robbery so he can fund his terrorist attacks against terrorists. As if being offensively wealthy weren't enough, he also has a sexy vixen on his side named Ginger (Halle Berry) helping him pull off the heist. But they still need more help. So Shear sends scantily clad Ginger to recruit Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman), a notorious ex-con, ex-hacker, ex-Man of the Year, gives Jobson an offer he can't refuse, and assigns him the task of hacking into the necessary systems to complete the huge robbery.

Is this movie entertaining? Well, the first half is, at least. It loses momentum during the second half, much to the dismay of those expecting a Matrix-esque climax. But the Matrix-esque effects and antics are definitely there. That's a definite plus. As for the plot, it sure is creative. And for some people (such as Guru Mumu...not to name names or anything), it may be confusing. It really makes you wonder how people come up with screenplays such as this one...unless there's some truth to everything we see onscreen. Hmmm...Now THAT is interesting. If that IS the case, then it's not just porn that tells us the Gospel truth! What a revelation! Okay. We digress. But seriously, "Swordfish" has quite a sophisticated story that you really have to pay attention to so you don't miss the integral albeit subtle points (as Guru Mumu did...not to point fingers or anthing). So keep your eyes and ears open (especially your eyes since Halle Berry bears her berries at some point)! It's also beneficial to the movie to have a decent cast. John Travolta of "Battlefield Earth" and "Lucky Numbers" shame actually pulls through, playing the perfect double-chinned villain. Halle Berry turns in a credible performance, playing the savvy, saucy double-breasted right-hand woman to the double-chinned villain. And Hugh Jackman of "X-Men" fame is the ultimate super-hacker/loving Daddy with an accent that seems to shift from American to Australian within seconds. A witty dialogue also helps this film along. And help along the way it needs as it plods towards the second half; like we said, it loses its grunt and glitter once it passes the 45th minute or so. And that really is too bad because it has such an intriguing plot.

"Swordfish" is one of the better movies of the summer. It's bold, it's different, it's provocative. Roger Ebert doesn't think so, however: "'Swordfish' looks like the result of a nasty explosion down at the Plot Works. It's skillfully mounted and fitfully intriguing, but weaves such a tangled web that at the end I defy anyone in the audience to explain the exact loyalties and motives of the leading characters." Gee. 'Looks like Roger Ebert and Guru Mumu have lots to talk about!

In Two Minutes:

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Did you know?

• Dominic Sena, director of this film, also directed "Gone In Sixty Seconds." That explains the sweet car chases in this movie.
• Halle Berry looked ill at ease bearing her breasts. What's wrong, Halle? Half a million dollars isn't enough to make you feel comfortable?
• Although John Travolta is the lead character in this film and was paid more than Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry combined to star in it, his presence in the movie was hardly advertised so as not to turn off people from watching it. See what happens when you make bad movie after bad movie?
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