Harrison Ford isn't exactly the kind of guy you might envision as a computer expert, but then again he did make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs
Firewall (2006)
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Reviews Counted:151
Fresh:29
Rotten:122
Average Rating:4.6/10
Consensus: Harrison Ford's rote performance brings little to this uninspired techno-heist film whose formulaic plot is befuddled with tedious and improbable twists.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for some intense sequences of violence
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:2005
Box Office: $48,699,400
Synopsis: Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford) is an average family man in Seattle who heads up the hi-tech security team at his local bank. But following a seemingly trivial case of identity theft, Jack's life is... Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford) is an average family man in Seattle who heads up the hi-tech security team at his local bank. But following a seemingly trivial case of identity theft, Jack's life is turned upside-down when he discovers that his wife (Virginia Madsen) and two kids have been kidnapped. The ransom? A mere $100 million, which the kidnappers, led by Bill Cox (Paul Bettany), want Jack to obtain for them via his expert computer skills. Initially compliant, Jack is soon irked by Cox and his cronies to the point where he decides to get his family back and bring the bad guys to justice. British Director Richard Loncraine (WIMBLEDON) uses this basic premise to orchestrate a number of frantic set-pieces, while Ford concocts a character similar to his take on Dr. Richard Kimble in THE FUGITIVE. With a mouthful of computer jargon and nimble fingers that tumble frantically over a keyboard whenever he's in front of a computer, Ford's character is an unlikely action hero. Meanwhile, Bettany's bad guy gives subtly sinister instructions in his clipped British accent, Robert Forster (JACKIE BROWN) provides a likeable if underused ally for Ford, and Madsen slots neatly into her wife-in-peril role. As the film builds to an explosive climax Loncraine dumps the gadgets and carves out a delirious romp through action-movie conventions, ultimately infusing an old-fashioned story with a twist of 21st-century techno-fear. [More]
Starring: Harrison Ford, Paul Bettany, Virginia Madsen, Alan Arkin
Starring: Harrison Ford, Paul Bettany, Virginia Madsen, Alan Arkin, Beverley Breuer, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Ken Tremblett, Robert Forster, Robert Patrick, Joe Forte
Director: Richard Loncraine
Director: Richard Loncraine
Screenwriter: Joe Forte
Producer: Armyan Bernstein, Graham Burke, Jeffrey Clifford, Jonathan Shestack
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Studio: Warner Bros.
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Release:
Sep 5, 2006
Reviews for Firewall
A generic, rudimentary thriller but shows there is still life left in the old Ford. Madsen, though, needs to beware the 'Curse of Harrison.'
The filmmakers seem too committed to a PG-13 rating, so they don’t take any real risks with the kids -- commendable on the one hand, but deadly to the thriller on the other.
What might’ve helped matters would have been a little touch of creativity on the script end, with most every turn seen coming a mile away, and maybe even more importantly, more interference from the secondary players who are completely wasted here.
Director Richard Loncraine appears to have taken all his cues from the dog.
Firewall offers nothing new nor original. It is a retread, formulaic to the nth degree, with every cliché telegraphed reels ahead of when they occur.
The film is pretty much what you would expect %u2013 a formulaic, predictable plot and Ford cast as everyman who does impossible things%u2026 Ford looks as though he is trying too hard %u2013 he is too wide-eyed and too fraught.
Indiana Jones 4 is a terrible idea, but might we suggest a remake of On Golden Pond as an alternate?
By the time this match of wits reaches the inevitable mano-a-mano final showdown, viewers will probably have become weary from all of the incoherent plot twists and ludicrous contrivances.
I really, REALLY like Harrison Ford. And that's why I really, REALLY wanted to like "Firewall."
If I hadn't seen Ford at his grimmest in Firewall, I would have never found out how you can steal $100 million from a bank simply by using an iPod and a little scotch tape.
If Ford’s character is too much like the ones he played in Patriot Games and The Fugitive, at least Firewall restores his status of everyday action hero.
The best that can be said about the predictable 'Firewall' is its showcasing of the patented action-Ford.
This one displays a fair amount of intelligence before the ludicrous third act sets in.
Latest News for Firewall
February 08, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Comedy vs. Cannibals at the Multiplexes
Moviegoers get to choose between a master comic taking on three roles or a diabolical screen villain in his early years when they walk into their local multiplex this weekend. More...
June 05, 2006:
Virginia Madsen Isn't Mrs. Indy ... But She'd Love to Be Asked
The lovely and talented Virginia Madsen has been dogged by the rumor since she co-starred with Harrison Ford in "Firewall" ... WILL she be starring as Mrs. Indiana... More...
May 11, 2006:
Bettany Not Too Likely to Play The Joker
To those of you who've chosen Paul Bettany (aka Mr. Jennifer Connelly) as the front-runner to play The Joker in "Batman Begins 2," well, you may be out of luck --... More...
February 13, 2006:
Clouseau Defeats Death to Claim the Weekend Box Office
Four brand-new flicks took most of the money home over this past weekend. First and second place were remarkably close, but early estimates indicate that Steve Martin and his... More...
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