Blackhat
First screened in January 2015 / Most recently screened in July 2015
Director: Michael Mann. Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tang Wei, Wang Leehom, Viola Davis, Holt McCallany, Ritchie Coster, Yorick van Wageningen, Andy On, John Ortiz, Danny Burstein, Christian Borle, Manny Montana, Abhi Sinha, Jason Butler Harner. Screenplay: Morgan Davis Foehl.

Twitter Capsule: Mann's tricks can still impress; his weak spots and cheats can feel quite conspicuous. Textured at times, rote at others.

Second Capsule: My 17 favorite scenes in Blackhat were the ones where Hemsworth tried to impersonate running fast while running slow to accommodate costars.

VOR:   I still find it hard to sympathize with Mann's dogged insistence on the "digitality" of digital photography or with his commitment to particular tropes and atmospherics. But at least he's up to something.



Photo © 2015 Universal Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: B–

(in January 2015: C+)


Permalink Home 2015 ABC Blog E-Mail