Let’s get this out of the way early: that mooted and potential Oscar-qualifying run for Michael Mann’s “Blackhat”? Yeah, as you probably suspected by now, it’s not happening (we checked with the studio). But that’s ok, it just appears that Mann’s movie is not that kind of picture, and is perhaps just more pure genre-thriller from Mann, maybe à la “Miami Vice.” Hey, we’ll take it and we’re ok with that.
In Mann’s latest picture, a cyber-hacking thriller, Chris Hemsworth stars as a convicted black-hat hacker serving federal time who gets a lay off to help a collation of American and Chinese officials track down a cyber criminal. Here’s the official synopsis:
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.
Aside from Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom, this isn’t the biggest name cast, but obviously stars aren’t really the concern of the obsessive Mann who just wants to get his story as accurate as possible. “I started researching this about two years ago in Washington with people who were heavily involved in countering cyber intrusions, from former members of the CIA and FBI to people in the private sector,” Mann told the L.A. Times earlier this year. “Everything that’s become front page [news] six or seven months ago was mostly apparent two years ago if you dug into the subject.”
Maybe he saw that Sony hack coming months ago. Whatever the case, a new trailer for “Blackhat” has hit and it features the trademark moody and pulsating energy that has made Mann such a distinct voice in the field of crime films and its various psychologies. “Blackhat” opens January 16, 2015. Watch the new trailer below.
I adore Michael Mann, but this looks really tired and silly. Very disappointing trailer.
Another Michael Mann stinker. When was the last time this guy made a great film? Oh yea way back in 1999 with The Insider.
I do feel like I\’ve seen better versions of this film already. And Hemsworth is just not a great actor. He was adequate in Rush, but nothing to get excited about, and this looks too similar. He doesn\’t bring anything special to the party. Thor is perfect for him, he needs to stick with that kind of thing and quit trying to be Benedict Cumberbatch. It ain\’t happening.
Bearing in mind this guy has been in prison, I find it believable that he\’s possibly just been keeping fit and defending himself. It\’s not uncommon for prisoners to bulk up, after all there\’s not that much to do inside.
@CHRISTIAN – He wouldn\’t need to live with his mom, but someone doesn\’t become a "genius coder" by doing two-a-days at LA Fitness to get that physique. It\’s just reality.
I guess all \’\’hackers\’\’ are fat and live with their mum too? Stereotyping is fun eh?
This is a Michael Mann film. I\’m seeing it.
If Mann did two whole years of research before making this to achieve total realism, why does this look like cheesy mid-90s hacker action movie bullsh-t? Chris Hemsworth is a genius coder who apparently knows martial arts and doesn\’t have an ounce of body fat on him? gtfo…