On some level FIREWALL works like all “family in jeopardy” thrillers work. However, if you’ve seen a few of them then you know what is going to happen.
Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford, PATRIOT GAMES) is the chief security tech at a big bank that is in the process of merging with another big bank. Of course this merger is creating tension between Jack and his right hand man Harry (Robert Forster, JACKIE BROWN) and Gary Mitchell (Robert Patrick, TERMINATOR 2), the man in charge of making the transition from one owner to the other. Jack’s wife Beth (Virginia Madsen, SIDEWAYS) is an architect and that’s about all we know about her. Jack’s kids are Sarah (Carly Schroeder, MEAN CREEK) and Andy (Jimmy Bennett, HOSTAGE), who has a convenient deadly allergy to nuts.
Henry introduces Jack to Bill Cox (Paul Bettany, THE DA VINCI CODE), who they believe wants to set up a new tech firm with them. However, Cox is really interested in kidnapping Jack’s family and blackmailing him into stealing millions from the bank. Of course problems arise and Jack has to think on his feet, which leads to some questionable technology.
Yeah technology, the film makes it out like it knows something, but it really doesn’t. But that’s a minor quibble that pops into one’s mind when they are not being challenged. Jimmy Bennett’s presence in the film was a distraction, because it kept reminding me of how much better HOSTAGE was. That film dealt with “family in jeopardy” clichés, but at least took the time to develop its characters more fully and supplied some nice twists, which came from the characters and their responses. HOSTAGE also had contrived moments, but because I was engaged by the characters and plot I was bothered less by them. Like in FIREWALL, the family dog plays a key role in the plot, but it makes no sense logically and never leads to anything.
This film sets up firewalls for its characters to overcome, but lets them off the hook too easily. A good thriller puts obstacles in its characters’ way where the audience thinks “how the heck are they going to get out of this predicament” and then allows the character to use their skills to save the day. The studio even cheats us of Jack’s big tech one-up on the enemy by slapping it in the trailer. After that the film turns into a rote action flick, where a 60-year-old man has to slug it out with a man half his age.
FIREWALL with its topical theme of identity theft and technology savvy crooks had potential, but the screenplay gets too bogged down in plot to really develop its characters more than “how am I going to get away from the bad guys.” It’s not an awful film, but it’s just another thriller that lacks any thrills.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
