2008 Woodie Awards
Ford not quite on Fire in latest release
Justina Huddleston
Issue date: 2/9/06 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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Harrison Ford has wooed viewers in America with his charms ever since he hit it big with the original Star Wars trilogy.
Ford, however, must have been somewhat desperate to take on a role when he agreed to participate in the production of Firewall, a predictable yet entertaining story that allows no room for character development of any kind-hardly a challenge for an actor.
Jack Stanfield (Ford) is a prominent bank software designer. He has a wonderful family and a seemingly perfect life-until the criminally inclined Bill Cox (Paul Bettany) decides to hold his family hostage, and Jack has to hack into his secure banking software to transfer $100 million into Cox's offshore accounts.
What's the catch?
In the meantime, the bank Jack works at is merging with another company and his coworker (Robert Patrick) begins to suspect Jack of embezzling money.
Under constant surveillance, Jack must make a decision: submit to Cox's plan or do everything he can to save both his family and his reputation.
Firewall is entertaining, though almost entirely predictable, which is typical of action/suspense films released in early February.
The most disappointing aspect of the movie was the lack of character development. At times, Bettany begins to show a hint of duality in the villainous Cox; nothing, however, comes of it.
The others are just as bland.
Virginia Madsen plays Ford's onscreen wife Beth. Her popularity has grown since her role as Maya in Sideways; however, anyone familiar with that film will likely find her portrayal of Beth Stanfield flat and uninteresting.
Her character falls into the role of the "dependable wife," waiting docilely while Jack makes all the big decisions and participating in his dangerous escape plans no matter how unlikely they may be to succeed.
These far-fetched plans were perhaps one of the most annoying aspects of the film.
Every time Jack dreamt up yet another wild scheme, things got worse, not better. It was difficult to feel sympathetic toward the continuous failures; the family is being held hostage in their own comfortable home, and in two days it will be all over with no danger to the family as long as they cooperate.
Ford, however, must have been somewhat desperate to take on a role when he agreed to participate in the production of Firewall, a predictable yet entertaining story that allows no room for character development of any kind-hardly a challenge for an actor.
Jack Stanfield (Ford) is a prominent bank software designer. He has a wonderful family and a seemingly perfect life-until the criminally inclined Bill Cox (Paul Bettany) decides to hold his family hostage, and Jack has to hack into his secure banking software to transfer $100 million into Cox's offshore accounts.
What's the catch?
In the meantime, the bank Jack works at is merging with another company and his coworker (Robert Patrick) begins to suspect Jack of embezzling money.
Under constant surveillance, Jack must make a decision: submit to Cox's plan or do everything he can to save both his family and his reputation.
Firewall is entertaining, though almost entirely predictable, which is typical of action/suspense films released in early February.
The most disappointing aspect of the movie was the lack of character development. At times, Bettany begins to show a hint of duality in the villainous Cox; nothing, however, comes of it.
The others are just as bland.
Virginia Madsen plays Ford's onscreen wife Beth. Her popularity has grown since her role as Maya in Sideways; however, anyone familiar with that film will likely find her portrayal of Beth Stanfield flat and uninteresting.
Her character falls into the role of the "dependable wife," waiting docilely while Jack makes all the big decisions and participating in his dangerous escape plans no matter how unlikely they may be to succeed.
These far-fetched plans were perhaps one of the most annoying aspects of the film.
Every time Jack dreamt up yet another wild scheme, things got worse, not better. It was difficult to feel sympathetic toward the continuous failures; the family is being held hostage in their own comfortable home, and in two days it will be all over with no danger to the family as long as they cooperate.
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