Hardwired (film)
A 2009 direct-to-DVD sci-fi action film.
Hardwired is a 2009 American science fiction action film. Ernie Barbarash directed it, and Mike Hurst wrote the screenplay. The cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr. and Val Kilmer. It went straight to DVD in the United States on November 3, 2009.
The story takes place in a near future where corporations dominate daily life. Luke Gibson survives a car crash that kills his pregnant wife, but he suffers severe brain damage. The Hope Corporation implants a chip in his brain to save him. He soon learns the chip forces constant advertisements on him until he buys the product or goes insane. While trying to understand his situation and identity, he discovers the chip is a test product with a kill switch. He begins to succumb to its effects, and the corporation, fearing exposure, activates the fail-safe. A group of underground hackers, led by Hal and Keyboard, intervene and save him.
Using the chip to evade Hope Corp. pursuers, Luke agrees to help the hackers fight the corporation in exchange for help recovering his memory. They reveal his accident was staged by Hope Corp. to make him a test subject. He joins their mission but is captured and taken to a Hope Corp. facility. With assistance from Punk Red and Punk Blue, he fights his way to project leader Virgil Kirkhill, kills him after a brief confrontation, and escapes. Red and Blue, the only surviving hackers, join him in vowing to destroy Hope Corporation.
The cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr. as Luke Gibson, Val Kilmer as Virgil Kirkhill, Michael Ironside as Hal, Tatiana Maslany as Punk Red, Eric Breker as Robert Drake, Juan Riedinger as Punk Blue, Chad Krowchuk as Keyboard, Terry Chen as Carter Burke, Hiro Kanagawa as Dr. Steckler, Rachel Luttrell as Candace, Donny Lucas as Bennett, Ali Liebert as Catalina Jones, Monica Mustelier as Veronica Gibson, Julius Chapple as Lewis, Sunita Prasad as Nurse Price, and Lance Henriksen as Hope (appearing only in a still frame from the TV show *Millennium*).
Michael Ironside was originally offered Val Kilmer's role but declined, wanting to avoid playing only imposing antagonists. He said the script's Matrix-style themes drew him in.
David Nusair of ReelFilm panned the film, calling it a sloppy, run-of-the-mill direct-to-video actioner and noting Cuba Gooding Jr.'s presence as more sad than anything else.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Ernie Barbarash
- Producer
- Christine Haebler / Kirk Shaw
- Writer
- Mike Hurst
- Starring
- Cuba Gooding Jr. / Michael Ironside / Tatiana Maslany / Juan Riedinger / Lance Henriksen / Val Kilmer
- Music
- Schaun Tozer
- Cinematography
- Stephen Jackson
- Editing
- Gordon Williams
- Studio
- Stage 6 Films
- Distributor
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Released
- 3 November 2009
- Runtime
- 94 minutes
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the not-too-distant future where corporations control nearly every aspect of human life, a man named Luke Gibson is involved in a car accident that claims the life of his wife and their unborn child. Luke has severe brain damage, but Hope Corporation agrees to implant a chip into his brain to save his life. He discovers that this chip also constantly sends advertisements until either the person obtains the product, or they go insane. While trying to figure out why they did this to him and who he is, he finds out that the chip is a test product with a fail-safe that could kill him. He succumbs to the effects but the Corporation fears that their test might be discovered, and they decide to activate the fail-safe. Just before it goes off, a group of underground hackers led by Hal and 'Keyboard' hack into the chip and save his life.
Reader's Guide
Hardwired is a direct-to-DVD science fiction action film that received largely negative reviews. David Nusair of ReelFilm panned the film, stating it 'inevitably establishes itself as just another sloppy, run-of-the-mill direct-to-video actioner – with Cuba Gooding Jr's presence in the central role ultimately more sad than anything else.' Scifi Movie Page also negatively reviewed the movie, writing that 'Hardwired is cheesy, seriously cheesy.' Steve Power of DVD Verdict wrote, 'Amazingly, Hardwired isn't completely terrible.' The film is notable for featuring Val Kilmer and Cuba Gooding Jr., and for Michael Ironside, who was originally offered Kilmer's role but declined to stretch beyond playing imposing antagonists. Ironside said he was drawn to the script based on Matrix-style themes. The film's legacy is as a minor entry in the direct-to-video market of the late 2000s.
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