Angelina Jolie's Worst Thriller From 1995 Is Still Worth Checking Out
Over the past 30 years, Angelina Jolie has climbed the ranks to become one of the top names in Hollywood. She's the face of iconic films like "Maleficent," "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" and "Girl, Interrupted," and has numerous Academy Awards, Golden Globes and other accolades under her belt (via IMDB).
Still, Jolie didn't become an A-lister overnight. In fact, her first handful of gigs were music videos, including "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" by Meat Loaf. But in 1995, she transitioned from portraying generic, uncredited roles (runaway teenager, girl in car, model) to landing her first movie appearances. That year, two Jolie films were released. One was "Without Evidence," based on the real-life murder of Michael Francke while on duty as director of Oregon's Department of Corrections. Jolie portrays Jodie Swearingen, a teen from the area who testifies that she witnessed the heinous crime.
The other was "Hackers," a crime drama directed by Ian Softley that follows a group of teen hackers, including Kate (Jolie), Dade (Jonny Lee Miller), Cereal (Matthew Lillard) and more. At a time when the internet — and the concept of hacking — was still fairly new, they're geniuses. However, they unintentionally become mixed up in a plot by former hacker The Plague (Fisher Stevens) to defraud Ellingson Mineral Corporation. Turns out, a virus he created is set to cause the capsizing of several oil tankers.
"Hackers" features some high-stress moments, crafty computer skills and a blossoming romance as Dade pines after Kate. But audiences weren't rushing to the theaters. According to Box Office Mojo, "Hackers" grossed about $7.5 million domestically. It wasn't a massive success, yet many — including Jolie — still think it's worth a watch.
Audiences and cast members alike have an appreciation for Hackers
It's safe to say that Angelina Jolie isn't best known for her work in "Hackers." Nearly 30 years later, audiences still widely agree that it's a rather bad movie. Despite this, many admit they enjoy watching it.
On Reddit, u/GreatTragedy said, "Definitely hot garbage, but I love it." U/April29ste81 described it as a "mid 90s throwaway film that hits all the right spots." The following user, in particular, appreciated the idea of the nerdy kids being the coolest people at school without realizing it. U/Philo_T_Farnsworth added, "At the time, I wasn't a fan but this movie has grown on me over the years. It's a pastiche of 90s culture and it's absolutely perfect. A time capsule of where we thought as a society Internet culture was headed."
For Jolie, she looks back on "Hackers" with a sense of fondness. After all, that set is where she met Jonny Lee Miller, who she married in 1996 (via Us Weekly). Jolie told Buzzfeed, "So I think of him when I think of that ["Hackers"]. Although, I'm sure the movie looks so ancient now, but we had a lot of fun making that." Though Jolie and Miller divorced in 1999, they've remained close friends over the years and occasionally hang out. In October 2021, E! News reported that the pair got dinner together in Beverly Hills.
Jolie isn't the only cast member to hold "Hackers" close to her heart. In an interview with HackersCurator, Matthew Lillard reflected on bringing his children to see a late-night showing to celebrate its 20th anniversary. "Everyone there was going bananas," he said. "It's got a voracious following, that film."