The 10 Best Hacker Movies of All Time

Ever since the conception of at-home computers, the modern world has developed a demographic of computer fans fascinated by the many, hard-coded possibilities of the world wide web. All it takes is a few rapid strokes of the keyboard and access to the mainframe is granted, after all. At least that’s how hacking is generally portrayed in modern cinema.

For our list today, the technology at hand ranges from as recent as 2015 all the way back to the early 80s, making the concept of hacking vastly variable in the ways it is presented. As coding is much like learning an entirely new language, it increases the creativity needed to visualize computer coding for the untrained mind. Apart from that, these movies carry their own unique narrative arcs that make them the best hacker movies of all time.

10. Swordfish (2001)

Swordfish is a campy, popcorn movie addition that begs the question, “Who was in charge of makeup and hair for John Travolta’s character?” Pushed to the limit by a rich, powerful, and ruthless crime lord, computer cracker Stanley (Hugh Jackman) joins in on one of the many heists to make billions of dollars from unused government funds. Along with the original concept of this underground cyber-community, Swordfish, the coding in this movie looks fairly authentic and visually appealing.

Read our review of Swordfish.

9. The Fifth Estate (2013)

Based on Julian Assange and his history of international government affairs, The Fifth Estate is a tedious retelling of a story behind this controversial creator of WikiLeaks. Teaming up with a colleague of his named Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl), Julian (Benedict Cumberbatch) creates a journalist organization to expose government crimes and shady dealings. While it’s not the best example of a hacker movie per se, the very real nature of the story is beyond intriguing and Cumberbatch gives a powerful performance.

Read our review of the Fifth Estate.

8. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

The most action-packed of the movies on this list, Live Free or Die Hard is a wonderfully fun and exciting addition to the Die Hard franchise that qualifies for this list. Tasked with yet another run-of-the-mill mission, John McClane (Bruce Willis) brings in a young computer hacker for questioning but ultimately uses his skills against a greater foe that threatens to crumble American society by hacking the national computer infrastructure. While this movie isn’t exactly focused around the hacking aspect, the main villain played by Timothy Olyphant is a compelling character and a great example of what computer knowledge can do when in the wrong hands.

Read our review of Live Free or Die Hard.

7. Tron (1982)

Another 80s classic to add to the list, Tron brings an interesting, digital tale of adventure to life with some dated special effects and an electrified film score. Betrayed by an executive of the company he works for, computer engineer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is mysteriously transported inside the master control program after attempting to hack into it. While the special effects may be a bit silly in today’s world, the color palette and styling of the scenes is what makes this movie as special as it is.

6. Sneakers (1992)

Full of clever plot twists and turns, Sneakers is a classic take on the ‘get the team together’ trope of a good heist movie. Computer hacker Martin (Robert Redford) is tasked to test multiple companies’ security systems with his team of specialists, but is swindled into stealing a powerful hacking tool that brings forth a greater moral dilemma for our characters. While it’s mostly characterized by puzzles and mind games, this movie still brings a special quality to the list that thematically separates it from the others.

5. Blackhat (2015)

While not the strongest quality movie on the list, Blackhat brings more action and thrill to the sub-genre than expected. Furloughed on account of his hacking skills, Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) helps his American and Chinese counterparts hunt down a cyber-terrorist crime organization all around the world. Focusing on the cyber-connectivity of the world and the dangers of it, this movie does a good job of thrilling its audience with real-world applicable fears. The hacking is also cleverly visualized in this film by x-ray shots of computer parts and multiple lights traveling through the interior of the machines.

Read our review of Blackhat or check out our guide to the best Chris Hemsworth movies.

4. Hackers (1995)

With a plotline fairly similar to the narrative in Who Am I, Hackers is one of the more corny 90s nostalgia-bait pieces in the lineup. A young coding prodigy discretely returning to the world of coding after many years under close surveillance, Dade (Jonny Lee Miller) and his new group of hacker buddies must thwart a plot to frame them for an upcoming cyber-terrorist attack. Unique to this film, the coding sequences are creatively visualized as a large city of buildings made of code that must be located with proper time and efficiency.

3. Wargames (1983)

The oldest and most nostalgic movie on this list is Wargames; an 80s classic that serves as a fine addition to the catalog of 80s sci-fi movies. A young video game and computer enthusiast named David (Matthew Broderick) unintentionally hacks into a military central computer thinking its a computer game, causing military mayhem at an international level. Since this is the most dated of the movies on this list, the hacking is portrayed as a very basic black and green screen with normal vernacular to keep the audience engaged.

2. Who Am I (2014)

A movie that could be summarized as if Fight Club was a German heist movie, Who Am I plays with existing movie tropes in a way that is original enough to individualize itself. Attempting to make a name for himself in the hacker community, Benjamin (Tom Schilling) joins with a group of tech masters to form a hacker group that strives to become the best of the best. What makes this film unique is the creative way it portrays the interactions between hackers in the online world: a subway car full of masked strangers with 3D text fields surrounding them and doors between rail cars representing firewalls and security measures.

1. The Matrix (1999)

One of the best Keanu Reeves movies, The Matrix is an action-packed hacker movie that transcends reality in an exciting way. Known for his way around a computer and a mysterious prophecy, Neo (Keanu Reeves) has his eyes opened to the truth that his entire life has been a simulation created by an AI hive-mind. Famous for its unique style and story, the hacking in this movie is a lot of zeros and ones on a screen but is gracefully translated into intricately choreographed action sequences with impressive special effects.

Read our review of the Matrix or check out our guide to the Matrix movies in order.

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