SWORDFISH
US, 2001, 99 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Sam Shepard, Vinnie Jones, Drea de Matteo, Rudolf Martin, Zack Grenier, Camryn Grimes.
Directed by Dominic Sena.
No, this is not a fishing film - although one of the villains does get shot while fly-fishing in an environmentally protected river. Swordfish is a codename for access to a secret FBI division which built up a huge financial resource in the 80s to fight international terrorism with US terrorism. It is a conspiracy movie. And, because this is 2001, it is a computer conspiracy thriller. This is already becoming a trend. Earlier in the year we had Antitrust in which Tim Robbins as a rogue Bill Gates type hired young geniuses to program his plan for taking over world communications. Naturally, it was Ryan Philippe as the young nerd-hero who took him down. This is the formula although the hacker in this film is a bit older and the villains want world power to protect American freedoms and the American way of life at all costs.
The plot is far-fetched and is full of plot-holes. But, it keeps the interest while it is on screen. What makes it different is that the screenplay keeps referring to movies about bank hold-ups and hostages, about happy endings and heroism. It keeps drawing attention to itself so that we are watching the plot but all the time being reminded that it is only a movie, a spectacular special effects movie often enough and that it is being far more sensational than the movies of 25 years ago.
In fact, this is how the film starts, a long explanation by John Travolta of how the hold-up movie of 1976, Dog Day Afternoon, worked and how today it would be made more shockingly and brutally with the media hyping the events - which is what we are then shown because Swordfish is actually starting with a bank robbery and Travolta is the arch-villain. He is telling all this to Hugh Jackman who has hacked into the swordfish funds for him. Travolta is also fond of referring to Harry Houdini who could, he says, make an elephant disappear in front of a crowd (in the film a bus on a freeway 'disappears' in front of the pursuing police). It is done by 'misdirection'. The ultimate introverted organisation manages by unscrupulous misdirection.
Then it's back four days so that the film can show how this confrontation came about and build up to it again. The conspiracy plot takes us to Washington DC to the FBI to the world's top hackers. And it centres on John Travolta as a mysterious criminal mind with bizarre ethical standards. Travolta reminds us once again how he can command screen presence and audience attention. Hugh Jackman is ultimately sympathetic as the hacker. Don Cheadle is the serious FBI opponent.
The director is Dominic Sena, a commercials director with a fondness for car chases (Kalifornia, Gone in Sixty Seconds). Not only does the plot draw attention to itself but Sena uses a great number of very flashy photographic tricks to remind us that this is still a movie.
Swordfish, while it purports to show us corruption in high places and make serious comment on the US, it is really the visually stylish equivalent of an airport bestseller.
1. The beginning of the 21st century, and issues of terrorism, hacking computers and files, the conspiracies of the Right Wing? Released only months before 9/11?
2. The Los Angeles settings, police, the FBI, the airport, offices, clubs, computer rooms? Texas, the drab situation the trailer? The Senator and his fishing in the prohibited river? The musical score?
3. An action show? The introduction, Gabriel and John Travolta’s presence, sitting and his monologue about movies, Dog Day Afternoon, audience expectations, Al Pacino, the siege, the hostages, the desire for a happy ending? The difference between the movies of 1975 and 2000? Gabriel and his relishing this description of the movies?
4. Gabriel, the guns trained on him, his walking out, with Stan, the FBI, the commander, the decision about the hostages, their being wired with bombs, agent Roberts and his trying to stop the situation, failing, the vast explosion?
5. Los Angeles airport, the visitor, his two passports, his being interrogated, the FBI, his attempt to escape, telling the FBI about his boss, agent Roberts being called to the phone, Gabriel’s hit man and the killing of the hacker and his lawyer?
6. The transition to 4 days earlier? Stan, dishevelled, hitting the golf balls, the wreck of the trailer? In Leavenworth for two years, hacking? Ginger, her glamour, her approach, hitting the golf ball, her proposal, Stan ousting her? The issue of his daughter? The offer of $100,000?
7. Stan, flying into Los Angeles, with Ginger, their being photographed by the FBI? Meeting Gabriel, the proposal, the gun at his head, the demand for a test in hacking, counting down the seconds, his ultimate success? His reputation, Roberts arresting him? Prison? His motivations about programs that took away people’s rights? Phoning his wife, her drinking, married to the pornographer, wanting to talk to his daughter, going to visit, her happiness in seeing him, the pursuit, rolling down the hill, the agents rolling after him? Their proposal?
8. Gabriel’s plan, the military codes, the interest on the money from the 1980s, cumulative interest, the transfers? Gabriel’s explanation about financing a war, his theories about his protecting the American way of life? His armaments?
9. Ginger, as an ally, working for the DEA, persuading Stan to come, the sexy scenes, her encouraging Stan, Gabriel stringing her up, shooting her – and her getting the money at the end and being with him?
10. The Senator, his assistant, the phone call, the plans, his anger, his plan to kill Gabriel, Gabriel accosting him while he was finishing, his death? The assistant in the exploded car?
11. The importance of timing, Stan and his success, the resuming of the siege situation, the threats to Stand, his daughter, Ginger? Success, making the transfers, his change of the program and the continued transfers? Gabriel forcing him to make his final decision?
12. The plan for the plane, the FBI following, Gabriel and his theories of misdirection, getting the bus, the helicopters, the grappling irons, lifting the bus into the sky, one of the irons breaking, the dangers and crashing through the city, landing on the roof? Stan and his getting the missile, shooting of the helicopter? His going to identify Gabriel? The Israeli citizen?
13. The postscript, Monte Carlo, Gabriel on the yacht, Ginger and the money, the news of the explosion – when did this happen? Was Gabriel dead?
