83: “You’re The Moron That’s Been Invading My Turf?” - Hackers

When We Were Young - an 80s and 90s pop culture podcast

In cyberspace, there is no right or wrong… there’s only fun and boring! At least, that’s what 1995’s techsploitation thriller HACKERS would have you believe.

After getting caught up in THE NET in Part 1 of our “net-rospective,” Part 2 finds our hosts recalling other 90s movies involving the internet, including The Lawnmower Man, Virtuosity, Johnny Mnemonic, and Disclosure, which were heavy on virtual reality but short on stuff people actually use the internet for nowadays. Then, we take a deep dive into Hackers, starring future sweethearts Johnny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie, plus an eclectic supporting cast that includes Matthew Lillard, Fisher Stevens, Penn Jillette, and Marc Anthony.

With its pulsing techno soundtrack, rave-inspired fashion, and some badass rollerblading, we marvel at how 90s one film can be — and cringe at Lorraine Bracco’s unintentionally hilarious turn as a trashy corporate executive whose main function in the story is repeating nonsense computer jargon with perpetually increasing desperation.

Is this teen-oriented techno thriller still a seriously righteous hack? Or, when viewed through a modern lens, does it seem universally stupid? Hackers of the world unite for our latest episode!

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