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Technology has evolved radically throughout cinematic history, as advances in computers and communication have changed significantly since the Golden Age of Hollywood. Considering that Hollywood is itself often at the forefront of pushing technology forward in order to embrace new techniques of making movies, it is not surprising that there are many great thrillers that focus on the use of emerging tech. Many of the great advances in the medium have come when filmmakers have been willing to push the boundaries of what is possible on screen.
The best techno-thrillers are products of their time, as it would be unfeasible to imagine that films from decades earlier would hold up given today’s standards for the way that technology has evolved. Just because the technology is dated does not mean that a film can’t be thrilling and well-executed. Here are the best techno-thrillers, ranked.
'Sneakers' (1992)
Sneakersis one of the most rewatchable films of the ‘90s, and served as a great transitional project for Robert Redford as he proved he was still one of the most charismatic movie stars on the planet. Given that Redford starred in many great political thrillers in the 1970s that addressed the ongoing concerns about conspiracies and corruption, it made sense for him to return to the genre two decades later to make a film about the surveillance state and the power of tech corporations.
Sneakers has a nostalgic depiction of what hacking was perceived to be in the ‘90s, and has aged quite well because it now serves as an instructive period piece for younger generations that weren’t born when it first came out. The film has a terrific ensemble, including one of the last performances from River Phoenix before his tragic death.
'Tron' (1982)
Tronwas one of the many legendary science fiction thrillers released in the summer of 1982, and it's also become notably prescient in its exploration of the popularity of video games. Video game technology and its immersive capabilities would age in a way that would justify the hard sci-fi concepts in the original Tron, and the idea of an independent programmer fighting for creative integrity against a powerful corporation is more relevant than ever.
Tron looked at how video game strategy and combat originated, and offered some clues as to how it would evolve. Although last year’s Tron: Ares was a complete disaster that didn’t understand the original film’s cultural significance, the 2010 legacy sequel Tron: Legacyis rather underrated, and deserves to be remembered as a cult classic in the same way that the original 1982 film is now.
'Upgrade' (2018)
Upgradeis a terrific work of original science fiction storytelling that explored the dangers of the technological overreach of the future, all whilst serving as a satisfying revenge thriller in the vein of John Wick. Logan Marshall-Green gives a true breakout performance as a tech-phobic mechanic who is forced to wear a synthetically infused exoskeleton after he is critically injured by criminals who kill his wife; after merging with the tech to become a lethal fighting machine, he goes on a path of vengeance.
Upgrade is surprisingly nuanced in its exploration of the possibilities of tech application as both a medical practice and a source of technology, and it shows how inventive low-budget sci-fi can be. There sadly haven’t been any updates on what the planned Upgrade television spinoff will be, but the film still deserves to be remembered as one of Blumhouse’s best efforts.
'Deja Vu' (2006)
Deja Vuwas one of the many great collaborations between Denzel Washington and Tony Scott, a duo who knew how to make compelling blockbuster films that still had a heart and soul. Deja Vu begins as a straightforward science fiction thriller about authorities looking into a terrorist attack, but it becomes a more high-concept techno film as advanced computer systems are used to predict and potentially prevent the tragedy from happening.
Deja Vu has a tactile grittiness that is common within Scott’s work, making it feel more realistic than many of the other films of the same era that made predictions about futuristic technology. It was also a notable film that was shot and set in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and helped both celebrate the city’s virtues while offering jobs to the local filmmaking community.
'Hackers' (1995)
Hackershas become a cult classic for a reason, as the film’s depiction of the early Internet communities is fairly laughable by today’s standards. While it has become obvious that much of the terminology and gadgets that are used in the film have no semblance to the actual ways that the Internet would evolve in the late 1990s, Hackers does skate by thanks to the chemistry between the two stars.
Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller make for very interesting heroes who blend early Internet nerdiness with the sort of affluent charisma that was common in teen adventure films at the time. Hackers is a great time capsule for the era in which it was created, and it’s hard to think of many other techno-thrillers that have managed to summarize an entire period in popular culture history quite as sufficiently.
'Eye in the Sky' (2016)
Eye in the Skyis one of the most inventive war films in recent memory, as it examines the moral, strategic, and practical issues that are involved with making a drone strike. The film focuses on the decision-making process that a drone pilot (Aaron Paul) makes when his General (Helen Mirren) commands him to launch a missile in order to kill a terrorist, even though there may be civilian casualties.
Eye in the Sky is a gripping watch, as it raises questions about whether the ends justify the means when it comes to preventing a larger threat from breaking out and harming other people. Although the film does not offer any easy solutions, it is the late great Alan Rickman who delivers the gutting line: “never tell a soldier that he does not know the cost of war.”
'Blackhat' (2015)
Blackhatis one of the more underrated political thrillers in recent years, as Michael Mann’s profound 2015 examination of the tech crisis did not deserve the divisive reviews and box office underperformance that it was initially met with. In a chilling parallel to a very plausible situation, Blackhat centers on a rogue hacker (Chris Hemsworth) who is released from prison in order to prevent a cyberterrorist from destroying the world’s financial institutions.
Blackhat puts a spotlight on how easy it would be to throw the world into chaos by disrupting the international markets. It features the signature digital camerawork that Mann has been utilizing so well since he first started experimenting with the technology in the 2006 reboot of Miami Vice, another very underrated crime thriller that was well ahead of its time, and has since earned a cult fandom among select cinephiles.
'Enemy of the State' (1998)
Enemy of the Statewas a great modern take on the surveillance state that charts the team-up between an aging computer expert (Gene Hackman) and a hotshot lawyer (Will Smith) who find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy involving murder. As with many of the best hacker movies, Enemy of the State looks at how dangerous it can be when the fate of a critical case or prosecution is left on a disk that can easily be intercepted by villainous parties.
Enemy of the State has a lot to say about legal cover-ups and government conspiracies and gets surprisingly political for a mainstream star vehicle released in the 1990s. Even though there are a few somewhat cheesy moments, as one would expect from a Tony Scott film, the great chemistry between Hackman and Smith makes even the slower scenes completely engaging.
'Source Code' (2011)
Source Codeis perhaps the most exciting use of the “time loop” concept since Groundhog Day, as it used its technological mythology to create a scenario in which problems can be solved by repeating the same moment over and over. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a deceased veteran whose consciousness is placed in the simulation of a train that was bombed by a terrorist; his job is to play through an alternate reality and find out who the responsible detonator was.
Source Code takes a complex topic and manages to condense it into a palatable story, and has a lot of fun with the concept of reliving the same experience. While the technology that director Duncan Jones created for the film is obviously fictitious, the notion of simulated realities and artificial intelligence is just realistic enough to be believable in the context of the story.
'Body of Lies' (2008)
Body of Lies is one of the most underrated films of Ridley Scott’s career, as it was able to examine modern warfare by showing the dynamic between those in the field and the analysts sitting at their computer desks far away from where the action is taking place. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a CIA agent dispatched to Jordan, who must communicate with a drone operator (Russell Crowe) to take down a terrorist cell.
Body of Lies explores the tactile nature of modern combat and shows how frustrating it can be for field agents who head into enemy territory without knowledge of the larger repercussions of their mission. It’s timely, at times quite shocking, and just as well-shot as one would expect from Scott, a filmmaker who has never failed to deliver when it comes to spectacle, even at his worst.
