Why is the cyber thriller film BlackHat causing such a stir?

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Movies rarely polarise audiences as dramatically as the new Michael Mann release, BlackHat. Reviewers - professional and amateur alike - seem to love or hate it. 
 
Normally, this would encourage viewers to see it and choose a camp, but its opening weekend in the US has been labelled an industry flop, having only brought in an “anemic” $4.4 million USD, according to Deadline.com
 
Now, I have not seen it as it only comes out on Friday this week in the UK. But a few trusted security-savvy friends in the US have watched it and provided me with some comments for this blog post. Here are the highlights: 
 
  • From a technical standpoint, the makers seem to have done their homework. There seems to be a solid premise: the movie reportedly shows malware causing physical damage, malware manipulating stock prices, the NSA being under threat, etc These are are legitimate scenarios we have seen in the industry over the last decade or so. 
  • Combining a hacker story with gunshots and a love interest is perhaps very hollywood, but only serves to diminish the plot’s realistic plot. Perhaps blockbusters require this recipe for success, but, as their box office takings are not sky-high, some of the film’s tangents might be over-egged.
  • Chris Hemsworth is not believable as a World’s best blackhat hacker. His striking  good looks and 6-foot-plus perfectly proportioned frame do not bring to mind any black- or white-hat hacker in existence. And let’s not mention the fact that few hackers run around in broad daylight sporting chinos, a blue shirt and a bullet proof vest.  
 
So there you go. We hope some of you go and see BlackHat and tell us what you think. We want to know what industry experts think of the whole story. See the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn2g9qGbH_k

With hacking being a main news item more often than ever before, it is fascinating to watch how artists and filmmakers take advantage of these real plots to create entertainment. 
 
Join us! 
If you are reading this blog, we have to assume you are interested in security - you might even be joining us for our upcoming event: the 13th e-crime & information security Congress on March 10-11 2015 in London. More than 700 senior security professionals will be there, keen to learn about the latest cutting edge security strategies and technologies. (On a serious note,  if you are keen to attend this event, I suggest you get your skates on. We are *very* close to capacity.) 
 

Tags: Blackhat movie film Chris Hemsworth Michael Manning e-crime congress
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