you ain’t checking your phone during this one. loved this movie as a kid, love it as well now that I understand the sociopolitical aspects to it. Tony Scott was special, this thing is just nonstop and is arguably more relevant now than ever. I don’t want to say it “predicted” anything, given that this type of stuff was in effect way before 1998. but it’s eerie just how commonplace a lot of this is now in America (or anywhere that has cell phones and overreaching governments). I know he’s probably an odd dude, and certainly a major Hollywood guy, but Will Smith has been in my life since childhood. I’m a fan, what can I say. Hackman being in this is a great choice, given The Conversation (still have yet to watch that). I will say though that the film doesn’t go as far as I’d like with its stance against the surveillance state; feels more like a movie about a guy who, yes, gets screwed over in a major way by state agencies but ultimately chalks it up to an unfortunate occurrence, rather than the system doing what it was designed to do. the plot line with the congressman seems like it’s going somewhere, but ultimately nothing big comes of it. still, it’s exciting and bold enough to make me wish something like this could come out today with an equally-impressive budget.