‘Firewall’ a solid techno thriller
Harrison Ford, the star of “Firewall,” hasn’t been this fun to watch in years. Ford resurrects his trademark combination of intelligence, vulnerability, and shaky strength in an equally excellent picture. This delicious film is “The Fugitive” mixed with “Sneakers” followed by “North by Northwest” for dessert.
Ford plays Jack Stanfield, a security specialist who is forced to rob the bank he protects in exchange for his ransomed family. The coercing villain is Bill Cox (played by a methodical Paul Bettany of “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”), who leads a gang of greedy techno-thugs (including that funny brother from “Rat Race”). Jack waffles between compliance and rebellion, and … I just don’t want to say any more. The film is too good to give away any more plot lines.
While Ford and Bettany are great fun to watch, just as impressive is how the film centers on building tension. “Firewall’s” originality comes from a delayed crisis (the point when all is lost for the protagonist). More than halfway into the film, I was wondering when the true crisis would begin. “Firewall” stubbornly lets the premise fester until the last possible moment – and the payoff is big. The last two acts are satisfying because of this long, long buildup.
Also satisfying is the film’s skillful manipulation (which is really what you want in a good thriller). Notice the point of view shots in the beginning and ending sequences. “Firewall” is also skillfully written, recoiling from heavy exposition common in plot-heavy stories.
The film also has a vintage charm about it that compensates for its few flaws (for instance, those more technically adept than I may notice plot holes). Yet some “errors” actually make the film more memorable. Seeing a frantic Ford in his car, driving in front of a blue screen in unexpected locales brought to mind classic thrillers like “Psycho” and “North by Northwest.”
In contrast to the old school core of “Firewall” is it’s packaging, which is sleek, modern technology. Technical innovations, such as computers, cell phone cameras and MP3 players are commonplace today, and that fact hits home while watching this movie. “Firewall” is also a kind of cultural document that will be interesting to dig up and watch in thirty years to see how things have changed.
Yet this film’s message isn’t one of technical paranoia (see “The Net”) or awe (see “Sneakers”), but one of bravery. Ford portrays a competent everyman who remains underwhelmed despite the world’s worst technical difficulty. While we’re facing new problems and solutions in this digital age, “Firewall” offers comfort (or a challenge?) to those struggling to keep up. Plus, it’s a very cool ride.
Chris Blakesley is a film critic for the Utah
Statesman. Comments can be sent to him at
cblakes@cc.usu.edu.