Underground: The Julian Assange Story
Underground: The Julian Assange Story
| 07 October 2012 (USA)
Underground: The Julian Assange Story Trailers

In 1989, known as Mendax, Julian Assange and two friends formed a group called the International Subversives. Using early home computers and defining themselves as white hat hackers - those who look but don’t steal – they broke into some of the world’s most powerful and secretive organisations. In the eyes of the US Government, they were a major threat to national security.

Reviews
Greenes

Please don't spend money on this.

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WillSushyMedia

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

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Melanie Bouvet

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

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Married Baby

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

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siderite

Whenever a movie has some political agenda or seems to, the reviewer votes divide into haters and lovers, ten stars vs one star and so on. I am an admirer of Wikileaks, but I can't view this movie so singlesidedly. Instead, I have to compare it to similar movies like Operation Takedown or even Hackers. Also, I have to take into account that this is not a big budget American movie, but an Australian TV drama.On that scale, Underground is surprisingly good. I wouldn't know how factual it is, but take into consideration that it is based on a book (that is freely available online) about the hacker culture, written when Julian Assange was a nobody. It has no connection to Wikileaks at all and none of the Assanges consulted on the movie (even though Julian himself said he liked it when he saw it).The actors were well chosen, the boy looks like Assange a bit, and they all acted pretty well. There are two known names in the cast: Rachel Griffiths as the mother and Anthony LaPaglia as the cop chasing him. As for the story, it was eerily similar to Operation Takedown: the morally driven hacker that raises a middle finger to authority in his quest for truth. Unlike Mitnick, though, he only paid a 2100$ fine allegedly because the judge sympathised with his family's "nomadic lifestyle".As for the main complaint, that the movie doesn't explain the motivations of Julian Assange, that is a good thing. Several pieces of the puzzle are presented: his obsessive personality, his cult leader step dad, his morally outspoken mother, his discovery of American misdoings in the first Gulf War. They all are just pieces. Many other exist and it is the role of the viewer to get or not interested in putting them together.My conclusion is that for people not interested in the hacker culture or specifically Assange, the movie will seem pointless. For the others, though, it is a good watch. There is, of course, some dramatization, changes of perspective and so on, but in the end it does well what it set to do and that is why I recommend it wholeheartedly.

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Polymath Poet

WATCH THIS MOVIE !!! Don't watch, "We Steal Secrets," cuz that one isn't factual at all.WikiLeaks ArmyCalling on high What are we to do Countrymen lied but we had no clue Too busy making money to keep up with the Jones The land of milk and honey turned into dry bonesYes, the land of the free and the home of the brave has spent all our money putting souls in the grave Our leaders have lied Stealth is their reason Their alibi we've all committed treasonThey caught them and killed them engaged in denial but say it's all legal no need for a trial Spy on you and make you swear to God it's true Then tell you forget you not your business you're throughAnd this one killed that one and that one killed this so forever they'll kill more to make it all bliss And powers belong to the ones who have guns or the ones who own the biggest mansionsNo more rights Some more laws Add some torture won't you No more truth Can't withdraw That's the best they can do And if you speak out for humanity's sake you ought fear for your life cuz that they can takeWho shall be bold to the world I do ask just me and my poems to fulfill this task Nay I say to you all there's an army out there so stand straight and stand tall for they are preparedThe invisible war being fought on mainframes is just a memoir of all their war games It's the truth of this matter that will set us all free and for that we can thank WikiLeaks army

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coreylisle20

After watching this film, I can safely say I am fully on Julian's side. However, this film is in no way biased, it simply presents the facts. The acting is brilliant, and Alex Williams performance is quite amazing to watch, as he portrays the socially unsure character of Julian Assange. I for one was quite rejecting of Assange's pleas for mercy during the Wikileaks scandal of 2010, but now, I can safely say I am open to all sides of the story. If I had one complaint, it would be that this film does not allow any time to tell the story of the 2010 Wikileaks scandal, in fact, all we as the viewers get to witness is a short summary of what happened before the ending credits. However, all is forgiven, as this is an "origin story", and not a biographical film. The Soundtrack is excellent, and it's beautifully filmed. This tele-movie is a real gem, and deserves to be played in Australian cinemas, especially when some of the other rubbish seems to gain access to our screens. See this movie, and decide for yourself, you won't regret it!

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Thomas Craft

To start with. This TV mini film was one of the greatest i have seen. It reminds me of films like money ball and social network, but on your TV for free and a lot more intense and amazing. The true story behind this is an amazing one and i would urge you all to donate to the real life cause which has recently been cut off by VISA, mastercard and other banks from their funds and need help NOW!http://shop.wikileaks.org/donate.The storys socking revelation keeps you constantly wanting more and is just an all around film rising to the comparitive greatness of Kerry Packer's war except better. If you are a Aussei or teen with interest in the www.'s then this is for you.

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