2008 Woodie Awards
Firewall: The Old Guy Can Still Kick Villain Butt
Roger Priddy
Issue date: 2/14/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment
**1/2 (of 4), 105 Minutes, PG-13
Harrison Ford has been in so many great movies and played so many internationally, immensely-loved characters: working-man Han Solo in the "good old" Star Wars movies; ancient relic seeking "Indiana Jones;" Jack Ryan in the movie versions of the beloved Tom Clancy books. Ford thrillingly represented the individual fighting for his innocence in The Fugitive, and as an America president uttered the unforgettable "Get off my plane!" in the rousing, patriotic Air Force One. Ford's been in a lot of great movies that weren't mega-action-box office hits too: Witness, Frantic, and The Mosquito Coast. And he's been in 2 of my all-time favorite movies with a cameo in Apocalypse Now and an often forgotten role as replicant-hunting "Deckard" in the beautiful Blade Runner. He's the epitome of "American Movies."
But the present hasn't been so kind to Harrison. 4 of his last 5 movies have been box-office duds, particularly his latest, 2003's Hollywood Homicide. Ford has been in the midst of a self-admitted mid-life crisis as well, recently divorcing his wife of 20 years and getting engaged to a woman 23 years younger, Ally McBeal's Calista Flockhart (God fatten her soul). So, the man who had it all and who was everything to movies finds himself suddenly in need of a hit. Will his latest, Firewall, be it? Well, that's hard to say, but Firewall is an enjoyable if predictable movie that Harrison's force of action fans should enjoy.
Ford plays Jack Stanfield, the head of security for a bank. He designed the bank's protection system and he's a computer expert. Yeah, Harrison Ford as a technical computer expert is definitely a stretch (Indiana Jones goes Corporate), but that's what Firewall is all about; leaving your mind behind and just enjoying a good, entertaining, suspenseful movie. Jack meets over drinks with a businessman, Bill Cox (Paul Bettany), trying to entice Jack's bank to use his banking services. The suspense begins when, as Jack gets in his car to leave the meeting, that very same businessman is in his backseat, pointing a gun at his head. We soon learn Bill and his co-crook minions have turned Jack's seaside Seattle mansion into their headquarters and kidnapped Jack's family. For his family to live, Jack must guide the vandals in stealing $100 million from his own bank. Jack and his family face a bleak situation until, you guessed it, more suspense ensues, and slowly, methodically and as illogically as possible, Jack (Ford) fights back and turns the tide on the thieves.
Harrison Ford has been in so many great movies and played so many internationally, immensely-loved characters: working-man Han Solo in the "good old" Star Wars movies; ancient relic seeking "Indiana Jones;" Jack Ryan in the movie versions of the beloved Tom Clancy books. Ford thrillingly represented the individual fighting for his innocence in The Fugitive, and as an America president uttered the unforgettable "Get off my plane!" in the rousing, patriotic Air Force One. Ford's been in a lot of great movies that weren't mega-action-box office hits too: Witness, Frantic, and The Mosquito Coast. And he's been in 2 of my all-time favorite movies with a cameo in Apocalypse Now and an often forgotten role as replicant-hunting "Deckard" in the beautiful Blade Runner. He's the epitome of "American Movies."
But the present hasn't been so kind to Harrison. 4 of his last 5 movies have been box-office duds, particularly his latest, 2003's Hollywood Homicide. Ford has been in the midst of a self-admitted mid-life crisis as well, recently divorcing his wife of 20 years and getting engaged to a woman 23 years younger, Ally McBeal's Calista Flockhart (God fatten her soul). So, the man who had it all and who was everything to movies finds himself suddenly in need of a hit. Will his latest, Firewall, be it? Well, that's hard to say, but Firewall is an enjoyable if predictable movie that Harrison's force of action fans should enjoy.
Ford plays Jack Stanfield, the head of security for a bank. He designed the bank's protection system and he's a computer expert. Yeah, Harrison Ford as a technical computer expert is definitely a stretch (Indiana Jones goes Corporate), but that's what Firewall is all about; leaving your mind behind and just enjoying a good, entertaining, suspenseful movie. Jack meets over drinks with a businessman, Bill Cox (Paul Bettany), trying to entice Jack's bank to use his banking services. The suspense begins when, as Jack gets in his car to leave the meeting, that very same businessman is in his backseat, pointing a gun at his head. We soon learn Bill and his co-crook minions have turned Jack's seaside Seattle mansion into their headquarters and kidnapped Jack's family. For his family to live, Jack must guide the vandals in stealing $100 million from his own bank. Jack and his family face a bleak situation until, you guessed it, more suspense ensues, and slowly, methodically and as illogically as possible, Jack (Ford) fights back and turns the tide on the thieves.
