Cypher (film)

Cypher (released under the title *Brainstorm*) is a 2002 science fiction spy-fi thriller directed by Vincenzo Natali from a script by Brian King. The story centers on an accountant who, after becoming a corporate spy, finds his life upended when he encounters a mysterious woman and learns hidden truths about his assignments. The film went straight to video/DVD in the United States and had a limited theatrical run in Australia, and came out on DVD on August 2, 2005. Critical response was mixed; the film won Best Film at the Sitges Film Festival, but Jeremy Northam did not win an acting award there.

The plot follows Morgan Sullivan, a recently unemployed accountant stuck in a dull suburban life. Pressured by his wife to join her father’s company, he instead signs up for corporate espionage. Digicorp’s Head of Security, Finster, gives him a new identity as Jack Thursby and sends him to conventions to secretly record and transmit presentations. Soon, Morgan suffers from recurring nightmares and neck pain. At a bar, he meets Rita Foster, a woman from a rival corporation, who gives him pills and tells him not to transmit at the next convention. Afterward, Digicorp confirms receiving a transmission he never sent. Taking Rita’s pills stops his nightmares and pain. Intrigued, he meets her again, and she explains Digicorp’s deception, offering an antidote—a green liquid in a large syringe. Morgan hesitantly accepts, and she warns him not to react at the next convention.

At the convention, Morgan discovers all attendees believe they are Digicorp spies. While drugged from drinks, scientists probe, inject, and brainwash them, using headsets to reinforce new identities before disposing of them. Morgan convinces Digicorp he accepts his new identity and is recruited by Sunway Systems, a Digicorp rival. Sunway’s Head of Security, Callaway, urges Morgan to act as a double agent, feeding corrupted data to Digicorp. Morgan calls Rita, who warns him Sunway is equally ruthless and that he is being used by her boss, Sebastian Rooks. Morgan steals information from Sunway’s vault with Rita’s help. She takes him to meet Rooks. When she leaves, a nervous Morgan calls Finster, then accidentally shoots Rita. She urges him to ignore her and meet Rooks next door. There, he finds objects personal to him, including a photo of him and Rita together.