Blackhat (Michael Mann)

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BearSkinBathRobe's Avatar
"That may be, but I've got the Falcon."
Eh, it was okay. I'm torn between giving it a 6/7 out of 10. Probably more like a 6. Just not that interesting, pretty farfetched and contrived at times, not strikingly good-looking or any wow performances. Just sort of meh.

I had wanted to see it since the trailer came out, but it was different than I thought it would be. Probably the worst Mann film I've seen.

In checking out the wikipedia, it was a box office bomb. However, I noticed the plot description was as long as Gosford Park. So, even though I didn't love the movie, I went in and edited the plot description. It reads a lot better now, as the previous person had written way too much and basically described the whole film, so much so that Wikipedia flagged it as being excessive.

It looks about as long now as other wikipedia plot descriptions.

Anyway, thoughts on the film? Apparently Mann butchered Gregson-Williams' score and has a knack for pissing off composers, telling them to go make albums if it bothers them that much, but he also worked with real life hackers and net security workers to make it authentic. It had a lot of jargon and Hemsworth was just typing a bunch of code that I didn't understand, but I guess that's how hackers do it, so at least it is realistic in that way.

The action was nice especially the shootouts, but it's a hard film to watch visually which is surprising for a Mann film. It had a cool chopper scene, but some weird "superhighway/circuit board" CGI sequences and "below the keyboard" shots that were just hard to watch and understand.

A lot of shaky cam, Nolan-esque fight camerawork too. I think the whole thing was just kind of forgettable and not very pleasant to watch. I saw the romance coming from a mile away. I know girls are sometimes into convicts, but it just felt so forced.

Mann also released his own cut of the movie, which puts the opening Nuclear Power Plant sequence in the middle of the scene, and I wonder how that one flows since several scenes were a response to that scene. It would be interesting to see that new cut.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackhat_(film)#Plot
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Never saw it.

My brother (who is Michael Mann's biggest fan) told me not to bother!



We've gone on holiday by mistake
Yeah I was very sad to watch my favourite director make such a piece of crap. 4/10

Amazing that someone who can make some of the best films I've ever seen, with massive re-watchability, Thief, The Insider, Heat, Manhunter, Ali, Last of the Mohicans. Sometime there has been a blip, Miami Vice say was only a 5-6/10 but Blackhat was just dire.
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Hellloooo Cindy - Scary Movie (2000)
Yeah I was very sad to watch my favourite director make such a piece of crap. 4/10

Amazing that someone who can make some of the best films I've ever seen, with massive re-watchability, Thief, The Insider, Heat, Manhunter, Ali, Last of the Mohicans. Sometime there has been a blip, Miami Vice say was only a 5-6/10 but Blackhat was just dire.
I don’t mind Miami vice haha. Thought it was pretty strong, didnt really get into Ali. Love all his other work, I thought public enemies had moments of brilliance, the last scenes where so and so (no spoilers) gets shot coupled with the music was very memorable. Havnt seen this though, definetly no desire now.



Never saw it.

My brother (who is Michael Mann's biggest fan) told me not to bother!
Your brother is 100% correct.

Only way I'd ever rewatch Blackhat is to cure my insomnia.

A shame too, because I had VERY high hopes for it.



Yeah I was very sad to watch my favourite director make such a piece of crap. 4/10

Amazing that someone who can make some of the best films I've ever seen, with massive re-watchability, Thief, The Insider, Heat, Manhunter, Ali, Last of the Mohicans. Sometime there has been a blip, Miami Vice say was only a 5-6/10 but Blackhat was just dire.
I didn't care for Ali at sll. But then again, maybe it's because I'm a huge Ali fan and boxing fan, and demanded a perfection that I don't think Mann and Will Smith achieved with that film.

Thief, and Heat are his two masterpieces.

The Insider, Manhunter, and Collateral are all excellent movies.

Public Enemies was decent. A pretty good movie, but nothing more.

I need to rewatch Last of the Mohicans, but I have positive memories of it.



As a pretty big Mann fan myself, I was very dissapointed in Black Hat. The Director's Cut played on TV a while back and I recorded it. Got to psyche myself up to watch it again.