Minnesota State University Reporter

Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Movies

Media Credit: www Michael Ironside (centered, standing) also stars in the straight-to-DVD sci-fi film about the dangers of technology.

Is there anywhere left to go in the action film genre?

As played out by "Hardwired," apparently not.

Literally every storyline, every cliché piece of dialogue and all of its special effects feel as though this film was made within a recycling bin. Leading man Cuba Gooding Jr. (that's right, he's still making movies) stars as Jason Bourne, I mean, Luke Gibson, a former military man who has lost his wife along with all of his memory in a near fatal car accident.

His greedy foe, Hope industries, is a corporate monster that has taken over the future world with cutting edge technology. This technology includes all of the typical evil tools: global GPS tracking, holographic monitors, electronic brain implants and powerful surveillance cameras capable of exploding said implants at the operator's mercy.

Unfortunately for Luke Gibson, Hope has targeted him as a test subject for its evil implants that seek to create and sell advertisement space within his own mind. Gibson, with the help of a team of cyberpunk allies that could just as easily have been extras from a "Matrix" film, now squares off against Hope Industries to regain his memories and extract revenge. Does any of this sound familiar?

It's hard to be overly critical of a film such as "Hardwired" because that would give it too much credit. It certainly isn't the first action movie to steal its concepts and ideas from other films, though rarely has a movie been so blatant in its approach.

The problem is that it just isn't done nearly as well.

The special effects lack polish, the acting is mediocre at best and the plot is littered with holes. After watching this film, viewers have to question whether there is any ingenuity left in Hollywood. In an oversaturated genre where big budget special effects, breakneck car chases and explosive gun shootouts are to be expected, "Hardwired" doesn't hold its own among its peers. It's dated, not only with its visuals and overdone plot, but even with its cast.

Cuba Gooding Jr., 12 years since winning an Oscar for his role in "Jerry Maguire," no longer constitutes as leading man talent. Val Kilmer, whose character is nameless throughout the film, is underused among a cast of no-names that struggle to portray any realistic emotion.

This film fails to meet any of the genre standards at any level, which is why this film was subject to a straight to DVD release.

Without any sense of identity, "Hardwired" falls short in its emulation of previous action thrillers and gets no help from its cast. Recycled parts of such films as "The Matrix," "Minority Report," "Eagle Eye" and "Bourne Identity" stand in place of any original ideas or plot lines within the film. Dated visuals round out what is a sad excuse for a modern day thrill ride that only further diminishes the fledgling careers of its two male stars.


Dean Gorden is a Reporter staff writer

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