Blackhat

Manns realistische und verdammt ernste Form funktioniert wieder toll und eine Szene, leider nicht die letzte, ist auch im Hinblick auf ihre Folgen in der Gesichte hinreißend. Hemsworths kompromisslose Figur von einem Hacker-Sträfling verleiht dem Film Schwung. Das Problem besteht aber in der Drehbuchgeschichte, die einfach nicht schlau und im Hinblick auf Manns einzigartige Form nicht ausgearbeitet ist (sie wäre bei einem zweitklassigen Regisseur mit Wesley Snipes besser aufgehoben). Manns Filme brauchen keinen komplizierten Plot. Ihre Stärke besteht in dem psychologischen Porträt der Haupthelden und in ihrer schicksalhaften Teilname an banalen, aber scharfen Kriminalkomplotts. Der Film arbeitet mit einem Krimi-Plot, der zwar nicht banal ist, aber leider schildert das Werk sowohl ihn als auch die Psychologie der Figuren zu vereinfacht. (14.01.2015)

Thor may not have his hammer, but he does just fine with a keyboard and a screwdriver. And Michael Mann, due to various technical finesse, sometimes tries the viewers' attention too much and cannot shoot for a clean target, but his electrifying style is still equally captivating. Predecessors like Heat and Collateral are occasionally clearly visible, and that's a good thing. Digital, bullets, Chris Hemsworth, hands gripping the armrests, and a pulsating soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams and Atticus Ross. And a heart still beating to the rhythm even now. (14.01.2015)

Mann is undoubtedly capable of more than only making a "sophisticated B-movie". But it's still more entertaining and disproportionately better shot than most of the other movies in this genre. It is a slowly developing thriller in a trademark Mann's neon hypnosis style, where computers replace guns and command lines bullets. And to its detriment, the movie is largely ruined by the final scene with "two person on the run longing for revenge" that immediately turns it into overplayed mediocre genre movie that has nothing to offer and is completely predictable. (13.01.2015)

Mann has still got it six years later. To see how skillfully he wields the narrative language, taking shortcuts at important moments while taking the time to develop the personal levels of the characters, is simply a joy. It's too bad that the script is one of those where the filmmaker was either pushed to the wall or squandered his potential himself. The surprising civility and moderation, where hacking isn't done by hanging ten monitors around the protagonist (wave to Swordfish), is brought down by the totally watered-down second half where interest in anything (and yet the build-up to the hard-hitting finale is there) wanes. This isn’t even fixed by the uncompromising twist (Mann has always been able to be quite inhumane to his supporting characters), and despite the fact that even though we've seen this sort of "walking" finale from Mann before, he still manages to film it in such a way that it has the right kind of gradation. [Hemsworth is likable and he puts the effort in, but this typecasting is the major casting failure of the year and I didn't buy it for even a second.] (20.06.2015)

The overall concept is more than interesting, but the slow narrative style doesn't add much to the film. 132 minutes is too much for a film where not much happens. On the other hand, the uncompromising and intelligent main character, who has computers in his sights, is certainly cool, but I expected more IT gadgets, but that is made up for by the surprisingly very good action!! The film features only four action scenes, but they are very high quality. The very first action scene in the bar, is so uncompromising, hard, with perfect sound design, that you will want to watch it at least once again (the cadence of the punches is still ringing in my ears now, I thought, what, this is not a Korean film?!! ), but you will also enjoy the various shootouts, which are very realistically and authentically filmed, watching them you feel like you are watching news footage, and my jaw dropped at the end. Michael Mann really delivers and shows us a Chris Hemsworth more pissed off than ever, and that scene with the screwdriver and knife reminded me of the final fatality from The Raid 2, so in terms of action, I'm very satisfied, it's just a shame there wasn't more of it. 65%. (23.01.2015)