Lights, camera, hoodies!
Hacker movies have captivated audiences for decades. You certainly don’t need to be a cybersecurity professional to enjoy the eerie green glow of a binary-filled screen, or a frantic keyboard session bookended with those two scintillating words: “I’m in.”
These films offer a thrilling mix of suspense, drama, and, sometimes, delightfully cringe-worthy inaccuracies.
But what exactly makes a “good” hacker movie, and which titles top the list as the best—and worst—in the genre? We asked some of our pentesting team for their insights!
What Makes a Hacker Movie ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’?
Chris: A good hacker movie is realistic. I like it when real techniques are represented.
Tim: A good hacker flick treats hacking like a good heist movie treats thievery: plausible but absurd levels of skillful execution, multiple “almost-lost-it” twists, and suspiciously attractive, athletic, and charismatic protagonists.
Bronwen: A good hacker has Keanu Reeves in it. Bonus points if he’s there as himself.
The Best & Worst Hacker Movies (Yes, We Defend Ourselves)
1. The Matrix (1999)
Though not purely a hacker movie, “The Matrix” integrates hacking as a crucial element of its plot. The bullet-dodging scene and the concept of living in a simulated reality remain iconic.
Tim: The Matrix pushes the boundaries of what it means to blend man and machine, and in the process transforms hacking into reality-altering powers with world-changing impact. Plus, it’s one of the best cases of “main character syndrome” in mainstream pop culture.
Bronwen: I mean, Keanu Reeves. Enough said.
2. WarGames (1983)
In several ways, WarGames was ahead of its time. The protagonist accidentally almost starts World War III by hacking into a military supercomputer… which seems remarkably possible.
Tim: “Shall we play a game?” still gets me. I like that it shows some of the tedious aspects of hacking (war-dialing anyone?) and how the hacker must learn intricate details about the system to control it – and even then, he didn’t know what he was really doing. Of course, it also highlights that people make things network-accessible that have no business being connected…
Jim: I love the “OG” vibe of WarGames.
3. Sneakers (1992)
“Sneakers” combines humor, suspense, and an all-star cast to deliver a highly entertaining hacker movie. With lines like, “So, people hire you to break into their places to make sure no one can break into their places?” and “It’s not about who’s got the most bullets, it’s about who controls the information!” it captured a pentesting reality better than some.
Tim: I’m a fan of Sneakers because it’s an early showcase of the interplay between physical and cyber security. It’s also got a cold-war-esque “Spy vs. Spy” angle that in the end, like many of the “nation state” hackers we see now, really came down to stealing lots of money. I also appreciate the diversity angle in the film: you have race, gender, and disability all as significant plot points.
Bronwen: Despite this movie being made before I was born, it’s my go-to visual. The lines of white code on a black desktop always seemed more realistic than the green binary to me.
4. Blackhat (2015)
Starring Chris Hemsworth as a convicted-now-released hacker, “Blackhat” is an action movie masquerading as a hacker movie.
Chris: I couldn’t finish it. It makes me rage.
Bronwen: What Chris said.
5. Hackers (1995)
Of all our picks for this list, “Hackers” is the one to achieved real cult status. We love the ’90s counter-culture vibes, the over-the-top graphics, and even the cringe-worthy dialogue.
Griff: While wildly unrealistic, it’s my favorite!
Tim: Hack The Planet! Hackers is core to the zeitgeist of the hacker community. Completely unrealistic, but it creates a nostalgic feeling for that world that never was. Almost nothing in the movie is technically accurate (hackers betting on a date? Schyaaa…) but it’s entertaining.
Jim: Even if it’s not realistic in any way, shape, or form, I’m a fan.
Bronwen: Is that Angelina Jolie? I almost couldn’t tell in between the rollerblading, voice modulation, and the sprinkler system malfunctions. Hackers of the world, unite!
6. Swordfish (2001)
Despite its star-studded cast (Hugh Jackman! Halle Barre!), “Swordfish” falls flat with its implausible and convoluted plot.
Bronwen: Unfortunately this one really misses the mark for me—it’s like they tried to remake Hackers without consulting anyone in the 2001 tech workforce.
Jim: Swordfish was awful. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
7. The Net (1995)
Sandra Bullock nails the performance, and some scenarios are remarkably realistic. The film captures the terrifying experience of having your identity stolen, with the same rapidity of Speed, which came out the year before.
Chris: The Net is great, and realistic…ish.
Bronwen: -10 points for the severe lack of Keanu Reeves. Otherwise, a hit.
8. The Beekeeper
The most recent addition to this list is 2024 release The Beekeeper, starring Jason Statham. Nice to see terms ‘phishing’ being used in popular culture, but we had mixed feelings.
Aaron: Horrible movie where Jason kicks the asses of cyber criminals that prey on elderly people. It was a good concept but quite the whiff in execution.
Tim: I thought it was very therapeutic. It was a terrible movie and the plot leaked like a sieve, but it was entertaining to watch those greedy, elder-targeting techno-thugs get their comeuppance!
Honorable Mentions:
Tim: Johnny Mnemonic, and a shoutout to my man Boris from Goldeneye (he’s invincible). Oh, and Ghost in the Shell should be on the list, too.
Chris: Hmm, I would AntiTrust as well. It was very realistic… in a conspiracy theory kind of way.
Jim: It wasn’t really a “hacker movie” but kind of always felt like one to me: The Lawnmower Man (1992). I loved it even if it was a little cheesy (aren’t most movies adapted from Steven King stories?).
Conclusion
While you might be ready to jump in the ring with the Reveal Risk team regarding some of our hacker movie based opinions, there’s one thing we can agree on: Keanu Reeves can stay.
If you’ve got thoughts on the ‘realism’ of some of these movies, we’d be interested to hear your thoughts. Join us on LinkedIn for a few related polls over the next days!
At Reveal Risk, we evaluate, design, and deliver strong processes and results in cyber, privacy, and risk that work efficiently, are fit-for-purpose, and are sustained. If you want assistance building your company’s cyber security strategy, governance, and plan towards desired state maturity, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@revealrisk.com.
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