Why so much hype?

Excellent but underrated film

The first must-see film of the year.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Okay, so the once great Val Kilmer looks a little goofy and yeah, Cuba Gooding Jr. has won Oscars for MUCH better. But people, this is Science Fiction for God's sake! Just exactly WHEN was the last time you saw a decent Sci Fi film, hmmm...? How about the tons of drivel cranked out by the Sci Fi channel? I truly think that this movie has some very good ideas in it. The opening scenes showing all the corporate advertising ALONE give this film a strong '5' to start with. A VERY clever idea in my opinion. I absolutely frigg'n LOVED the soundtrack; now THAT is a bloody great soundtrack!!! And technically (which is usually FAR more important in Sci Fi films) I thought that they were pretty sharp with the visuals and the editing, which gave it a fairly glossy look. With probably about 1% of the budget, I actually got flashes that reminded me strongly of 'ENEMY OF THE STATE' Not a bad accomplishment, considering...Remember too, the BEST Science Fiction is based upon GOOD ideas; and the idea for this one is indeed quite intriguing. There have been several films made on this premise where in the near future corporations will own and control EVERYTHING (the introductory statement at the beginning of the movie is a nice touch) So yeah, the movie was somewhat constrained by it's budget. But, I honestly thought that they accomplished a lot with what they had and were able to create a pretty good looking film and, surprisingly, were able to keep the Cheeeeez factor fairly low. Let's not forget too that the movie DOES indeed have Val Kilmer and Cuba Gooding Jr., which is a HELL of a lot more than most low budget Science Fiction films have these days! Bottom line (and I really DO like saying 'Bottom'!) If you really appreciate a quality Science Fiction concept and you take the time to notice and enjoy all the nice visual and creative touches, you really should enjoy this film...

The premise of this film--almost certainly a failed pilot*--is very, very clever. Greedy industrialists devise the ultimate marketing device--no fast-forwarding, no trips to the kitchen--in our brains. It was the perfect place for a clever satire on the insanity of Madison Avenue. Unfortunately it promptly degenerates into a threadbare revenge saga with all the standard plot devices of such genres.A pity because it had the promise of something much, much better.Brad Kilmer looks deranged. What's with his hair? Has anyone made more bad films than Cuba Gooding? *No movie movie introduces a well-known character actor mug--Lance Henriksen--at the end of a movie unless it's the pilot of a TV series.

I'd like to justify myself first; I went to Blockbuster to get The Hurt Locker, but it was out, and I saw Hardwired sitting on a full shelf. I'd read the reviews here on IMDb and I thought I may as well rent a cheap flick. When it was over, I thought Hardwired was getting a bad rap.First, the story is pretty decent. It's not unheard of, but it kept me entertained. Second, the acting isn't as bad as others say it is. Third, it could have been a comedy.The Story- Joshua (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is subjected to a horrible experiment by an unsympathetic Government which is run by corporations. It's not foreign, but it's an interesting plot. The script isn't great, but it kept me interested.The Acting- Cuba Gooding, Jr. has been getting nasty reviews for his acting, which is without doubt a far cry from his performances in Jerry Macguire and Shadowboxer. But when compared to the mess that was Wrong Turn at Tahoe, it wasn't bad.The Comedy- The beginning credits had me almost rolling on the floor with laughter, at the futuristic product placement. Hilarious.So, Hardwired won't be winning any Oscars, and it sure won't be a highlight of Cuba or Val's careers. But was it worth a laugh, maybe at the expense of their dignity? Yes.

Bladerunner meets Matrix meets any film with a new surgical procedure meets...Highly unoriginal film thats a bit too in love with the world its created about a man who is given a new implant by one of the many corporations that now run the world. He soon finds himself on the run being helped by a group of hackers who are trying to free the world...or something.Well made but poorly written (and costumed, I mean pink hair?) film steals from a good number of other and better films and puts them all in a blender to make a tasteless puree. Its the sort of film that never seems like it self, rather you're constantly picking out where you've seen this bit before. It makes for tired viewing.I'm at a loss to understand why Cuba Gooding seems to be in a steady stream of low rent films. Certainly they are giving him a chance to be the star, and he's occasionally made a film that is much better than you think it is, but mostly one ends up wondering g if he has any sense in what he chooses. Certainly he's good in what ever he does, but the films often aren't.Count this as one of the Cuba Gooding films that makes you scratch your head.