Hacker and cybersecurity movies have become hugely popular in recent years as hacking and technology continue to evolve rapidly. From sci-fi classics to action thrillers, these films show hacking in entertaining yet insightful ways.
The data provided by the sources reveals a total of around 80 movies that are centered on hacking or cybersecurity. The films include classics like The Matrix (1999) and The Great Hack (2019) which have modern-day narratives about digital espionage, cybercrime, and technology’s consequences to humanity.
This blog covers some of the most notable and pioneering hacker movies that feature stories centered around hacking and cybercrime. Whether dramatized or realistic, these films shed light on the complex world of hackers and their abilities to use technology to their advantage, for better or worse.
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15 Best Hacker Movies
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15 Best Hacker Movies
For those eager to explore the world of hacking in cinema, here are 15 must-watch hacker movies:
1. The Matrix (1999) by Wachowskis
The Matrix is a science fiction film from 1999, written and directed by the Wachowskis. It depicts a dystopian future in which intelligent machines based on AI have created a simulated reality called the Matrix, in which humanity is trapped without its knowledge and uses its bodies as a source of energy to distract people. Computer programmer Thomas Anderson, known as Neo, is contacted by hackers who show him the truth. Neo learns about the Matrix and the existence of Zion, the last human city. He begins training to free humanity from the Matrix using hacking and combat skills. The film combines Hong Kong action cinema with American filmmaking in an innovative way.
The Matrix has a special feature called “digital rain” which refers to a green code waterfall, representing the base structure of the virtual reality. To see this in any Unix-like operating system, just run the cmatrix command. Though film programming languages do not exist, science fiction stories often illustrate complex data structures and algorithms using visuals regularly.
Rating: IMDb 8.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime, JioCinema, YouTube and Google Play & Movies
2. Who Am I (1998) by Jackie Chan
Who Am I is a 1998 German action thriller film directed by Jackie Chan, who also stars in the lead role. It was released on January 17, 1998. The film follows Chan’s character, a computer hacker who loses his memory after a bike accident. As he tries to piece together his identity and past, he realizes he was once part of an elite hacking group that took on corrupt corporations. Chan uses his formidable fighting skills and hacking abilities to uncover the truth while evading danger. Hacking is a central theme in the movie, as Chan’s character uses his hacking skills to infiltrate secure computer systems, gather information, and take down villains. The film highlights hacking as a tool that can be used for either good or wicked purposes. IoT devices and smart technologies were integrated into this film so that safety measures and efficiency can be improved.
Rating: IMDb 7.5/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
Where to Watch: Netflix
3. Blackhat (2015) by Michael Mann
Blackhat is a 2015 American action thriller film directed by Michael Mann. It was released on January 16, 2015. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as Nicholas Hathaway, a convicted computer hacker who is offered freedom by the FBI if he helps them track down a mysterious cybercriminal who has been attacking nuclear power plants. Hathaway and an FBI agent, played by Viola Davis, pursue the hacker from Chicago to Hong Kong to Jakarta as Hathaway uses his skills to trace the hacks. The film depicts hacking as a powerful and dangerous tool, highlighting the threat of cybercrime to critical infrastructure. With intense action sequences and trips across the globe, Blackhat shows how hackers can use their skills to gain money and power or to serve justice. The line between black hat and white hat hackers is blurred as Hathaway straddles both sides.
Rating: IMDb 5.5/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 33%
Where to Watch: Netflix, JioCinema, and Amazon Prime
4. Live Free or Die Hard (2007) by Len Wiseman
Live Free or Die Hard is a 2007 American action thriller film directed by Len Wiseman. It was released on June 27, 2007. The film stars Bruce Willis as John McClane, reprising his role from the Die Hard franchise. McClane is tasked with bringing in a skilled hacker, played by Justin Long, who has unwittingly disrupted an elaborate cyber-terrorist plot masterminded by Timothy Olyphant’s character. This plot includes hacking critical infrastructure and holding the United States hostage. McClane and the hacker use their combined skills in analog police work and digital hacking to take down the terrorists in intense action sequences. The film depicts hacking as a powerful skill that allows access to any digital system, elevating hackers to the level of supercriminals. McClane’s old-school policing must adapt to new digital threats to ‘live free or die hard’ in the 21st century.
Rating: IMDb 7.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Google Play & Movies, and YouTube
5. The Great Hack (2019) by Karim Amer
The Great Hack is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim. It was released on July 24, 2019. The film explores the connections between the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal, the 2016 United States presidential election, and Brexit. It focuses on the roles of Cambridge Analytica data scientists and whistleblowers Brittany Kaiser and Christopher Wylie. The film depicts how Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed the data of millions of Facebook users and employed targeted political advertising to influence elections. It raises questions about ethics and privacy in the digital age, where data is power. While highlighting the disturbing misuse of users’ data, the documentary also implies that hacking and tech can be tools for political emancipation. The Great Hack provides a thought-provoking examination of social media manipulation and threats to democracy in the internet era.
Rating: IMDb 7/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Where to Watch: Netflix
6. Hackers (1995) by Iain Softley
Hackers is a 1995 American crime film directed by Iain Softley that focuses on a group of high school hackers in New York City. The film was released on September 15, 1995. It centers around a young hacker named Dade Murphy, played by Jonny Lee Miller, who is arrested for crashing over 1,500 computer systems but avoids jail time by agreeing to stay away from computers. After moving to New York, Dade joins a hacker group and falls for fellow hacker Kate Libby, played by Angelina Jolie. The amateur hackers soon find themselves caught up in a high-tech conspiracy when they are blamed for a computer virus that was planted by an infamous hacker. Hacking is glorified in the film, as the protagonists use their skills to outsmart the villains and authorities. The film popularized the cyberpunk culture and aesthetic at the time.
Rating: IMDb 6.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 33%
Where to Watch: Apple TV and Amazon Prime
7. Takedown (2000) by Joe Chappelle
Takedown is a 2000 American biographical crime film directed by Joe Chappelle. It depicts the pursuit of hacker Kevin Mitnick by computer security expert Tsutomu Shimomura and the FBI. The film was released on March 15, 2000. It stars Skeet Ulrich as Mitnick and Russell Wong as Shimomura. Based on the 1996 nonfiction book Takedown by Shimomura and John Markoff, the film depicts Mitnick’s hacking crimes, such as stealing corporate secrets and hacking into phone companies and government systems. Mitnick is portrayed as a cunning cybercriminal who leads authorities on a cat-and-mouse chase before finally being apprehended with the help of Shimomura. The film highlights the growth of hacking in the early days of the internet and the efforts to crack down on cybercrime through computer forensics and legal means. It popularized the story of Mitnick, who later became a security consultant.
Rating: IMDb 5.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 38%
Where to Watch: Netflix
8. The Italian Job (2003) by F. Gary Gray
The Italian Job is a 2003 American heist action thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray. It was released on May 30, 2003, and is a remake of the 1969 British film of the same name. The film follows a team of thieves, led by Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg), who plan to steal gold bullion in Venice, Italy. However, one of their own betrays them and steals the gold for himself. A year later, Croker assembles a new team, including computer expert Lyle (Seth Green), to track down the traitor and steal the gold back. The thieves utilize new technologies like GPS tracking and remote hacking to locate the gold and pull off the heist. The film culminates in an elaborate chase through Los Angeles.
Overall, The Italian Job modernized the heist genre with a stylish and technology-focused update of the original film that highlighted cool gadgets and hacking as integral to a big Hollywood caper.
Rating: IMDb 7/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
Where to Watch: Netflix, JioCinema, Amazon Prime, and YouTube
9. Unfriended: Dark Web (2018) by Stephen Susco
Unfriended: Dark Web is a 2018 American horror film directed by Stephen Susco. It was released on July 20, 2018. The movie is a sequel to the 2014 film Unfriended and follows a group of friends who find themselves targeted by a hacker after one of them comes into possession of a laptop that contains illicit content on the dark web. The hacker infiltrates their online group chat and threatens to release their personal information and secrets. The movie depicts the dangers of the dark web and how hackers can access personal information and webcams to terrorize victims. Hacking is portrayed as a vehicle for the horror narrative in the movie, with the anonymous hacker using his technological skills to stalk and threaten the protagonists.
Rating: IMDb 6/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 59%
Where to Watch: Netflix and Amazon Prime
10. GoldenEye (1995) by Martin Campbell
GoldenEye is a 1995 British spy film and the 17th installment in the James Bond series directed by Martin Campbell. It was released on November 13, 1995. The film stars Pierce Brosnan in his first appearance as MI6 agent James Bond. In the movie, Bond goes up against a former fellow MI6 agent named Alec Trevelyan, who has turned to crime and plots revenge against Britain by using a satellite weapon named GoldenEye. Bond tries to stop Trevelyan as he carries out his plot to erase financial records and cause a global economic meltdown or recession. The movie features high-tech espionage gadgets, exotic locations, and action set pieces, including a tank chase through the streets of St. Petersburg. GoldenEye brought the Bond franchise into a new era, with Brosnan in the lead role as a modern take on the iconic spy.
Rating: IMDb 7.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play & Movies and YouTube
11. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) by David Fincher
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a 2011 psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher. It was released on December 20, 2011. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson and stars Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Rooney Mara as the troubled hacker Lisbeth Salander. They investigate the mysterious disappearance of a woman from a wealthy family 40 years prior. Lisbeth is a skilled computer hacker who helps Mikael break into computers and access classified information. As they dig deeper into the unsolved case, they uncover dark secrets about the family. The film is known for its dark, gritty tone as the two protagonists race to find the truth behind the decades-old mystery. With roles that launched Mara and Craig into stardom, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a hit adaptation of Larsson’s bestselling novel.
Rating: IMDb 7.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Zee5, Amazon Prime, and YouTube
12. Sneakers (1992) by Phil Alden Robinson
Sneakers is a 1992 American comedy-thriller film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and released on September 9, 1992. The film follows a group of security experts led by Martin Brice (Robert Redford) who specialize in testing security systems. They are hired to steal a universal decoder device called the ‘black box,’ which can break into any computer system. The National Security Agency (NSA) is also trying to obtain the device, leading to a cat-and-mouse game between the two groups. Hacking plays a central role in the plot, as the protagonists use their technical skills to break into secure facilities and computer networks to steal the black box device. Overall, the film examines early hacking culture and the rising prominence of encryption and cybersecurity in the digital age.
Rating: IMDb 7.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
13. Echelon Conspiracy (2009) by Greg Marcks
Echelon Conspiracy is a 2009 action thriller film directed by Greg Marcks. It was released in theaters on February 27, 2009. The film follows Max Peterson, played by Shane West, who receives a cell phone through which he gets a series of disturbing text messages. The messages provide tips to avoid danger just moments before chaotic events occur around Max. He soon realizes the phone’s extraordinary predictive powers are connected to a massive government surveillance network codenamed Echelon. Max and his love interest, Jennifer Peters, played by Tamara Feldman, find themselves caught up in an escalating conspiracy as they try to uncover the truth behind the mysterious texts and Echelon. Hacking plays a central role, as a shadowy hacker group attempts to gain access to Echelon.
Rating: IMDb 5.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 8%
Where to Watch: Apple TV
14. 23 (1998) by Hans-Christian Schmid
23 is a 1998 German thriller film directed by Hans-Christian Schmid. The film follows Karl Koch, a computer hacker who became obsessed with infiltrating networks and selling passwords and access codes to the KGB in the 1980s. Karl, played by August Diehl, begins hacking as a game with his friends, but it slowly consumes his life. Much of the film focuses on the mental strain of Koch’s hacking and his anxiety over being caught. The theme of hacking plays a central role as the film explores the motivations and mindset behind Karl’s computer crimes. Overall, 23 provides a dramatic portrayal of the rise of hacking in the early days of the internet.
Rating: IMDb 6.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 7%
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play & Movies
15. Johnny Mnemonic (1995) by Robert Longo
Johnny Mnemonic is a 1995 Canadian-American cyberpunk action film directed by Robert Longo. It stars Keanu Reeves as the title character, a man with a cybernetic implant in his brain that allows him to transport sensitive data. Set in the future year of 2021, Johnny takes on a dangerous job transporting data for the Yakuza crime syndicate. However, the sensitive information he is carrying is wanted by the wealthy Takahashi corporation. Johnny must fight off agents from Takahashi, including Takeshi, played by Dolph Lundgren, who wants to extract the data from his mind. With the help of a bodyguard named Jane, played by Dina Meyer, and a rebel group called The LoTek, Johnny attempts to keep the information out of the wrong hands. The film is based on the short story of the same name by William Gibson. It explores futuristic technology and the black market trade of data.
Rating: IMDb 5.6/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 18%
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Conclusion
The world of hacking has provided filmmakers with a rich canvas to explore themes of technology, morality, and intrigue. From classics that laid the foundation for the genre to modern portrayals reflecting our increasingly digital society, these top 15 hacker movies offer a thrilling journey into the depths of the digital underworld. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or simply a fan of gripping storytelling, these films are sure to captivate and entertain.