DVD Review: Firewall

I saw Firewall back when it was in theaters and thought it was moderately enjoyable. There was nothing to really hang on to, and the plot moves along in a straightforward manner. Now that I have watched it on DVD, I think even less of the movie.

I am not saying that Firewall is a bad movie, it is just such a non-event that once it has finished, your involvement with it is over. This is not the kind of film that will linger in your brain. For Harrison Ford, it is a step up from Hollywood Homicide, but it's not a return to the heyday of Ford adventures that we would have liked.

Ford plays Jack Stanfield, the head of security at a small bank. He is a relatively ordinary man, he does his job well, is respected by his peers, and has a loving family providing support. He and his family are targeted by Bill Cox, played by Paul Bettany. Cox leads a home invasion of the Stanfield household, taking Jack's wife and two children hostage as a means of getting Jack to cooperate in an elaborate plot to electronically rob a bank.

There are some interesting concepts in the movie, but nothing really seemed to dig all that deep. I like the idea of identity theft, but it has yet to be done well, at least not that I have yet seen. (The other movie on the subject that springs to mind is The Net.)

Firewall scratches the surface of this, as it is used to initiate the contact with Ford's character and springboard into the bank robbery. Unfortunately, that is as far as the identity theft concept goes. There is also the home invasion angle, which plays out well as a plot device, but doesn't stand up to something like last year's Hostage, a wonderful surprise of a movie centering on a home invasion.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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