Blackhat

Mann’s image of masterful crime grows into global dimensions in Blackhat. This cyberthriller leans away from the analog manual and mental work to which the previous films paid so much attention, and heads into the world of zeroes and ones. Just like his predecessors from Mann’s workshop, hacker Nick (Hemsworth) is also a professional, but unlike them, he races with time and an invisible enemy all around the world. Mann’s cityscape is no longer represented only in North American dimensions, but internationally; the close-ups of the key work now dive into the insides of a computer network; the fragile relationships between characters gain a political dimension. And if you still find Mann’s handwriting in this style illegible, try to identify a moment near the end of the film, where Blackhat seemingly shakes hands with Collateral (2004). (bk)