Excellent but underrated film

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

I find it hard to understand why this movie has received such a low overall rating. Granted that it's a little hard to follow in places, but whenever that's so it soon becomes clear. The underlying premise of a Federal government that seeks to keep detailed watch on its citizens whenever they use the internet was still sci-fi when this movie was released in 1997, but probably is sober reality now. The acting is fair-to-good, the characters' gradual realization that they are being mercilessly hunted is suspenseful and well done, the action sequences, which make up much of the film, are superb. I obtained this in an inexpensive 4-DVD pack called Thugs and Guns Collector's Set. Look for it!

From a women's point of view : this WAS a fascist kind of movie alright, but trying to be fair, putting the nerds on a paint ball-setting with real weapons is at least a little bit funny, there isn't too much blood involved and the horror is only mild. I never liked men's films, with all that blood spilling and the kids in the last row shouting and hooting in joy when violence and hatred is shown on the screen. There are film shown for younger audiences which indulge in this and (alas) get academy nominations... This one is definitely not in that league, SPOILER : it is watchable till the scenes (1.09 -1.24 min),where the girl is shot (strange for a main stream film and definitely not funny, guys !)and the bad guy gets shot by some kind of antitank defense weapon (jesus....). The last scene is funny again. Sorry to see Lowe in such a dumb film.

The story itself is simple enough - a hacker too smart for his own good gets into the corporate life and is in over his head before he knows it.That said, the story does a stunning job of portraying the morbid danger of an info-police state, and the viewer is drawn into the implications to such an extent they can almost see the movie characters as actually out there, fighting for them. There are a some rather unexpected plot twists that do throw the viewer off, but, fortunately they lead solidly back to the story-line & do a remarkable job of creating enriching characters the viewer can cheer on. Great movie. If this had the budget of Enemy of the State, it would probably already be in your collection as an untouchable classic.

Unrealistic weapons, physics, computers, electronics.If you are shot in the leg can you run? Clips are unlimmited.. don't think anyone reloaded once.I almost didn't make it through the end of this movie. IT was SO sad. Rob Lowe is a much better actor than this... he was wasted on this film... He needs to do more comedy in my opinion.