Hugh Jackman Movie:

		List Price: $19.98		Label: Warner Bros. Pictures Salesrank: 125154 Released: February 14, 2006
		Our Price: $14.91
		Used Price: $6.65
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: UMD for PSP

Editorial Review:
When the DEA shut down its dummy corporation operation codenamed SWORDFISH in 1986, they had generated $400 million which they let sit around; fifteen years of compound interest has swelled it to $9.5 billion. A covert counter-terrorist unit called Black Cell, headed by the duplicitious and suave Gabriel Shear, wants the money to help finance their raise-the-stakes vengeance war against international terrorism, but it's all locked away behind super-encryption. He brings in convicted hacker Stanley Jobson, who only wants to see his daughter Holly again but can't afford the legal fees, to slice into the government mainframes and get the money.

Description of Swordfish [UMD for PSP]:
Swordfish is a superficial movie, so let's address the superficial facts: Halle Berry was well paid to bare her breasts in this gratuitous cyber-action thriller, and while Berry's many fans will enjoy a cheap drool at the actress's expense, her brief topless scene doesn't justify this insipid parade of glossy violence from the director of 2000's Gone in 60 Seconds. Add yet another notch in John Travolta's bad-movie belt, and you've got Hollywood bankruptcy in full blossom. Go ahead, marvel at director Dominic Sena's biggest money shot--a 360-degree pan as a robbery hostage is blown to bits by a bomb that pelts a surrounding SWAT squad with deadly ball bearings.

The plot, as if it matters: Travolta's a slick, self-appointed antiterrorist who recruits a top-flight computer hacker (Hugh Jackman) to transfer a $9.5 billion government slush fund into a cluster of secret accounts. Berry's the curvaceous bait who lures Jackman into the scheme; Don Cheadle's an FBI agent hot on their tails; and an obligatory subplot turns Jackman's daughter (Camryn Grimes) into an innocent bargaining chip. By the time a hostage transport bus is airlifted in the film's not-so-thrilling climax, Swordfish will hold your passive attention or put you to sleep--it all depends on your tolerance for Sena's brand of derivative bloodlust. It's pornography of a sort, and efficiently mechanical, but you can bet good money that Berry and her costars didn't cash their paychecks proudly. --Jeff Shannon

Swordfish [UMD for PSP] Reviews:
Swordfish
2009-10-17 - Great movie everyone does an excellent job u feel tension almost right away and will find yourself glued to this movie to see what happens.

Wow! What a great first 5 minutes!
2009-10-08 - 5 of 5 stars for this exciting suspense movie. The first 5 minutes of the movie is an amazing set of scenes acting as a kick-start for this high-tension, suspenseful action movie. Right down to the little ball-bearing rolling towards to camera covered in blood--amazing effects!

Travolta's character is truly evil--calm, cool, collected but evil. Frankly, he is really a terrorist trying to sway events using violence. Ruthlessly cold, he doesn't mind killing people to get his way. For his purposes, he needs a top-class computer hacker (Jackman) who he recruits via Halle Berry's character.

Thru the whole movie, there are twists and turns. Travolta even makes a speech to Jackman about how Harry Hudini did his tricks "mis-direction"! Several times, you learn things are not as they appeared to mis-direct efforts. Travolta is in total control.

Lots of action scenes, chases, explosions, machine guns, RPGs, etc. The ending scenes have several surprise twists; remember, mis-direction!

First Viewing Was A 'Blast'
2009-05-02 - John Travolta as "Gabriel Shear" was riveting as an anti-terrorist terrorist. The early explosion scene where people are flying sideways is awesome, particularly in the sound department if you have surround system. Oh, and yes, Halle Berry and her figure was on display in this film and quite a sight. Wowzer!

Some of this script is a takeoff on Dog Day Afternoon, which Travolta's character re-enacts a role from that famous '70s film. "Shear" talks about that movie during the film.

A few warnings: there is so much computer terminology that I was lost. However, if you find yourself in a similar spot, take heart because that that ends after that first 30 minutes and is no longer a problem. The film also has a strong left-wing bias (wow, what a shock), but it's still fun for at least one viewing. After that, it loses its appeal.

A Great Mix
2009-04-17 - More action movies like this should be made. Outstanding cast. Travola at his best. It seems that he had a string of movies that established him as a super star. Too bad he is not making more.

"Log on. Hack in. Go anywhere. Steal everything"
2009-03-23 - It seems to me that after "The Matrix" hundreds of movies came out trying to mimic the success of it. Either simply by creating slow motion sequences, or by actually establishing a "wana be" plot. Here in this mess of a movie we get a semi-interesting plot that is converted into an over glossed picture. Every scene in this movie looks like it was taken from "the matrix" not in the action so much, but rather in the picture quality. The frames and angles look very similar to it. Interestingly they add credits that also resemble "the matrix".

In Swordfish we have Gabriel Shear (John Travolta) a terrorist/Bank Robber. Shear is interested in some weird way to help our nation maintain its cycle of war...to help somehow. I don't know it's weird. What I do know is that he needs a man named Stan (Hugh Jackman) to help him create a worm. This worm will be placed electronically inside a computer to steal 9,500 million dollars. Along with this we have undercover DEA agents, a custody battle and alot more filer to continue this mess.

The issue here is that the plot is silly, that they try to make it interesting. The only way they knew how was to create similar contrast in picture quality to "the Matrix" even adding lines that sound like it come from there. In a scene, a character says "He exists in a world beyond your world. What we only fantasize, he does. He lives a life where nothing is beyond him. Ok... is it just me or this kind of sounds like "Morpheus". No?

The plot could have been handled if they gave the audience some incentive on how exactly the hacking procedure works. Instead we see them clicking and clicking there keyboards over and over, accepting there cyber talk, which makes the viewer think the movie is somewhat smart...when in fact it isn't. The twist is so stupid...yeah sure, a little creative, but to far fetch. The twist was a manageable way to hide the irrelevant action scenes and stupid heist that barely makes any sence. Travolta however, as always, plays the baddie as we want him to. It's just feels as if they took a rotten apple and over shined it, so it could seem intelligent and creative...it's just a dumb tech action movie. Rent, not buy.

MY PERSONAL RATING: 3 OUT OF 5