I've seen it 10 times now and still never get tired of the stunning imagery and haunting score. The acting is also flawless in my opinion. Blackhat transcends the genre of crime/techno thriller and filmmaking itself. It can be appreciated as pure artwork.
shareThat's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. You're joking, right?
shareIt's a very good film. I was suprised to find myself on the edge of my seat.
share"I was suprised to find myself on the edge of my seat."
The three action scenes in this film are so immersive, that's Michael Mann's genius!!
When you're watching this film you're dreading to be shot or being stabbed ha ha because of the "realism" of his action scenes...thrilling on the big screen (saw "Blackhat" three times when it was released in theaters)!
Totally agree with you Shiherlis. This was the best movie I saw in 2015. A great story with awesome music and flawless performances. The suspense and the action nicely complimented the emotional undercurrent of Hathaway's story. One day people will come to appreciate this film the same they did with Michael Mann's much earlier film "Manhunter." Today's movie directors's could learn a lot from this film and Michael Mann's film making style in general.
The watch dog of public safety. Is there any lower form of life?
Yes it gets better and better,
it's also nice to see HBO playing it frequently especially late at night.
What are you waiting for HBO and Michael Mann? Play the Directors Cut that screened in New York,
hell I'll even buy it if it's rereleased as a Directors Cut, maybe add a commentary track as well.
As much as I'd buy that the second it went on sale, realistically I just can't imagine the studio spending any more money on this movie -- it was the biggest flop of Mann's career. Whereas his other financial flops like Ali or The Keep still have potential to make money via home video releases because of, respectively, their big star power/famous subject or cult-movie status, Blackhat is just likely seen by the suits as disposable, appealing to barely anyone. And while it does have its staunch defenders (you can find a lot of them on Letterboxd), there's a good deal less of them than those of any previous Mann film. You even see a lot of Mann fans say, "hey, I liked Public Enemies and even Miami Vice, but Blackhat was just bad," etc. No surprise; it's probably his most abstracted and experimental picture.
Its reputation will almost certainly get better with time, and it's good that it's currently up on HBOGo and such, but at the moment I can only slightly envision Universal/Legendary releasing a streaming version of the Director's Cut online. I agree that I could maybe see HBO or someplace like that putting it out. But a physical copy, a second special-edition release of this flick? Doesn't seem likely.
I feel like I've wandered into the Twilight Zone...
shareMore like you've wandered into a Cheech & Chong movie. Or a Cheech & Chong Meet Harold & Kumar movie. The 5.4 IMDB is generous. There are more things wrong with this film then I can shake Thor's hammer at...
Ladies and gentlemen...Mr.Conway Twitty
The first time I watched it, I thought it was pretty terrible. "What happened, Michael Mann??" On the strong recommendations in this thread, I re-watched it on HBO. Obviously it was not as disappointing the second time around, but it was still a sloppy mess.
An example (spoiler)...
After Hemsworth kills the bad guys, he and the girlfriend are seen taking care of his wounds. In a regular Hollywood movie they'd limp away, he'd say something sarcastic, and either that would be the end, or we'd flash-forward to an aerial shot of them on a yacht (she's pregnant), and we pull back.
In one respect, Mann's realism is admirable: what he's showing is exactly what I would more or less expect to happen, but why do we need to see it? We're not hurling toward a purpose. Isn't the mantra, "into a scene as late as possible, out as soon as possible"? His injuries, while life-threatening if not treated, never left his fate in doubt. We knew he'd recover.
The follow-up, and final scene, does not show them on a yacht or remotely happy. Again, this is laudable, but how long do you need to hold the camera on them as they walk through the airport? I get it, they're on the run. They only have each other (and a lot of money). Her brother's dead. Terrance Malick gets away with this kind of *beep* all the time, and it's considered "profound."
Terrance Malick gets away with this kind of *beep* all the time, and it's considered "profound."
I might be wrong, but I think Michael Mann usually has a clause in his contract allowing him to recut his movies any time they are re-released. That's why he always tinkers with Heat and Last of the Mohicans whenever a new DVD or blu-ray is released. So, I wouldn't be surprised if Blackhat gets a new cut the first time they release it on next-generation disc technology (what's it called? UHV or something?). Mann wouldn't bother recutting the movie if he didn't want it released someday.
shareWTF? Gernerally, I can read sarcasm but not here. It's hard to believe though that you're serious.
share