The Net (1995)

The Net is the quintessentially clueless, impossibly premised computer-technology movie. It's worse than Sneakers, and would be worse than War Games if hadn't tried so hard. Sandra Bullock is attractive and can fake looking smart -- and even act on occasion -- but everything the script has her doing betrays any intelligence the premise claims her character would have. The fact is, Hollywood people just don't grasp technology; they don't have a clue. (And why should they? They have people for that.) And it wouldn't be so bad except that it seems like they are incapable of wanting to even try to understand technology -- but they insist on writing scripts about killer computers and killer viruses and whatever other trendy nouns gone amok they may run across. Computers in movies are like guitars in cartoons: Only once in my life have I ever seen either one portrayed accurately. In fact, as editor of a computer magazine at the time, I attended the Macworld convention where the closing scenes were filmed; I missed seeing Ms. Bullock, but I was told her words gave the impression that she had just seen her first computer. I think it's great that she got to play an Eraser-like role (minus Ahnuld's macho histrionics) and I wish her all success in her career but there's not much that can be done with this limp paper towel of a script. It's a fun popcorn movie if you have a wide capacity for the suspension of disbelief but I would watch Air Force One again -- or Firewall -- before this one. 2.5 stars.