Writer Joe Forte's "Firewall" has some fairly overdone elements: a classy bad guy with a British accent, a man trying desperately to save his kidnapped family and a bank heist.
But while "Firewall" does not have the most unique plot to hit screens this year, it remedies the routine story with solid performances, direction and style.
Director Richard Loncraine ("Richard III") has Harrison Ford, ("The Fugitive," "Star Wars") play Jack Stanfield, head of security for a global bank. When thieves break into Jack's home and take his family hostage, the only way he can save them is to steal $100 million from his own bank.
The family is held captive at the home while Jack continues to go to work and pretend everything is normal, though he's bugged from head to toe with a camera, microphone, and various other monitoring devices to ensure he does not try to foil their plot.
Even at the ripe age of 61, Harrison Ford is still kicking as much butt as he did in "Star Wars" and "Blade Runner" decades ago. This movie is a step up from the mediocre "Hollywood Homicide," Ford's most recent mainstream work.
The film's stunts and fight scenes were performed by Ford himself. His moves are not always swift and flashy, which helps rather than hinders the movie. After all, his character is not an action hero, but a white-collar worker with no background as a killer ninja.
The sparse laughs are often buried under the action and may go unnoticed if the viewer is not looking for them. The villains will rob Jack's bank, but they respect his home, bringing their own provisions of Hungry Man microwave dinners. Later, Jack has to grope his unknowing secretary to secretly transfer the pen-camera from his pocket to hers.
The mastermind of the heist, Bill Cox (Paul Bettany of "Master and Commander" and "A Beautiful Mind") jerks Jack around for a while, but his intentions aren't clear until after the second half of the film. Bettany does a regular job in a regular role, as there is not much room for creativity as a stereotypical enemy boss.
The only thing that really sets "Firewall" apart from other heist movies is that they are not taking any actual cash.
"This is the real vault. How is it stealing if we aren't even taking anything?" says Cox when Jack takes him into the computer server room, keeping the movie up-to-date with issues of identity theft and the artificiality of electronic money.
Director Richard Loncraine has worked previously with Bettany in "Wimbledon." After completing a movie about tennis, this film showcases his versatility with genres.
Jimmy Bennett and Carly Schroeder do a decent job playing the children, Andrew and Sarah Stanfield. They each portray fear without over-the-top hysterical reactions. Being the youngest, Andrew inevitably comes down with a bit of Stockholm syndrome as is standard with these films, showing loyalty to his captor.
There are, of course, a few excessive scenes added for effect. Cox feeds Andrew a cookie with nuts (he is allergic) and gives Jack the antidote when his son is on the brink of death. This was unnecessarily added just for an extra scene of tension.
The cinematography ranges from good to standard, with glossy and sharp images like most new movies. Shots from security cameras in the house and worn by Jack often provide an interesting point of view.
"Firewall" builds an acceptable amount of tension and keeps interest for the duration. In the weeks following the Academy Awards nominations, that's about the best one can hope for.
