Sneakers (1992)

reviewed by
Chad Polenz


Sneakers Chad'z rating: ***1/2 (out of 4 = very good) 1992, PG-13, 126 minutes [2 hours, 6 minutes] [thriller] starring: Robert Redford (Martin Bishop/Brice), Sidney Poitier (Donald Crease), Dan Aykroyd ("Mother"), Mary McDonnell (Liz), Ben Kingsley (Cosmo), produced by Walter F. Parkes, Lawrence Lasker, written by Phil Alden Robinson, Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes, directed by Phil Alden Robinson.

Most high-tech thrillers make the mistake of taking themselves too seriously, so when the movie machine kicks in and the cliches pile up, no one can enjoy the ride because the flaws are distracting. "Sneakers" is another one of those flicks in premise, with lots of cool gadgets, computer hacking, and amazing break-ins. However, it's lighthearted with a good distribution of comedy and important themes to make for the adventure the other films try for, but usually don't achieve.

Like most stories about government-level crime, this film uses some cliches to establish its complicated story, but it's interesting and suspenseful and you have to respect that. Two college buddies break into the government (both physically and via computer) to electronically transfer funds to "more worthy causes." When one (Martin) goes out for pizza, the other (Cosmo) is arrested. The story then jumps to the present day as an older Martin (Redford) leads a team of thieves who break into a bank. We later learn they are actually super security sneaks (if they can break into your place then it's definitely not safe).

Martin's team is made up of five guys including: himself; Donald Crease (Poitier), the stern ex-CIA guy; "Mother" (Aykroyd), a paranoid conspiracy theorist; "Whistler" (David Strathairn), a blind man in tune to the sound of electricity; and Carl (River Phoenix), a 19-year-old hacker who fits in somewhere. These guys make for the generic spy team, but they have great camaraderie, which is due to the clever, witty dialogue. Even when they argue it's funny, which shows the film's humbleness - it knows it's a typical thriller, but it doesn't knock you over the head trying to prove itself.

Although the mood is initially nice and light, the story becomes a bit more complex than it needs to. National Security agents show up and tell Martin they know about his past. They cut a deal, if he and his team perform a slightly illegal operation for them (stealing a microchip which is supposedly the ultimate code-breaker), his record will be erased and he can get his true name back.

The second act is full of detail and typical thriller stuff with many characters introduced and clues dropped about the story, as we eventually realize there's something much bigger going on. Suddenly, we are just as confused as the characters when everything we thought to be true turns out to be wrong.

You probably wouldn't expect a film like this to make such great use of mood, but it does through James Horner's cubist/jazz score, which makes the atmosphere so dark you can feel it. Not to mention many key scenes which become horrifically frightening because of their basis in reality.

Through a series of strange events Martin finds himself face to face with his old friend Cosmo (Kingsley). Cosmo had orchestrated a massive conspiracy in order to get the microchip (which explains the film's complexity), and when he tells Martin the power it contains it is another example of the film's ability to be moving even though it shouldn't be.

The final act involves a fantastic effort on behalf of the gang to pull off a conspiracy of their own and steal back the microchip from Cosmo's highly secured headquarters (a modern "fortress" if you will). Accomplishing their mission is a difficult and delicate task, and although few errors crop up, the suspense is so exciting, it more than makes up any distractions. The ending is pretty much what you'd except, but because of the charm the film had throughout, I didn't doubt it for a minute.

"Sneakers" is a great adventure that could have been even better. It incorporates computers in a realistic, believable manner and poses many relevant theories regarding their use and importance. It's not often we get commercial movies as well crafted and moving as this one.

Please visit Chad'z Movie Page @ http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz E-mail: ChadPolenz@aol.com (C)1997 Chad Polenz


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