Top 10 Best Hacking Movies of All Time

You might have heard of his name but do you know his story?

Snowden (2016) is a biographical film that seeks to tell the story of Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency (NSA) officer who becomes disillusioned with his job and leaked the techniques the NSA and USA used in surveilling their own citizens. Whether you see him as a hero or a traitor, you should definitely give this hacking film a watch.

The film is based on the book The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World’s Most Wanted Man by Luke Harding.

Although not revolving around the topic of hacking, The Italian Job (2003) does feature a hacker character prominently in Seth Green’s character.

Here we see him join forces with other double-crossed members of a heist group as they go after their former ally played by Edward Norton. To nab him and get their stolen gold, they form a group composed of experts.

The film is based on a book of the same name by Troy Kennedy Martin and is a modern-day remake of a 1969 British film production with the same title.

Hackers (1995) is a cult classic hacking film about a teenage hacker who is framed for stealing millions of dollars from a big corporation. The film is one of the first ones to be made at the age of the Internet so it’s a seminal film. It introduced the world to ideals of the Hacker Manifesto which is oft quoted in the film. It is one of the 90’s best hacking films.

The film stars Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller, and Renoly Santiago.

Eagle Eye (2008) is a crime thriller film starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan as a pair of strangers brought together by a threat on their lives and family when an unknown woman begins controlling their lives through the use of everyday technology.

Her threat to their lives soon escalates as the two of them are framed to become some of the most wanted fugitives in the country as they try to make sense of the things happening to them. Eagle Eye is one of the best hacking movies of all time.

Now time for something a bit older.

In War Games (1983) we see Matthew Broderick play a high school student who accidentally hacks a military computer while looking for video games. After an unfortunate set of events, he used the military computer to control the United States nuclear weapons to counter a simulated threat from the ‘Soviet Union’.

Now he must come clean about his offenses to put a stop to what could possibly be the start of a third world war. War Games is one of the best movies about hacking and coding.

Blackhat (2015) is an action thriller film starring Chris Hemsworth as a convicted computer hacker who is released from jail so that he can help the FBI track down a notorious group of hackers who are attacking the Mercantile Trade Exchange in Chicago.

Sound like every computer geek’s dream right? Imagine being so amazing at hacking that the government is willing to release you in exchange for your help and expertise?

Unfortunately, the film didn’t fare well among critics and audiences despite its star-studded cast.

In Untraceable (2008), we see Diane Lane play Special Agent Jennifer Marsh who works for the FBI’s elite cybercrime division. After years of service, she thinks she’s seen the worst of it all. But a new sadistic cybercriminal shows up on the scene to prove her otherwise.

The criminal is a killer who posts live feeds of his killings on a website. Here he lets his audience participate in his sadistic crimes by establishing a system where more hits on the site translate to the speed in which he kills.

It is now up to Marsh and her team to nab down the killer and stop his tech-savvy way of killing.

Of course, a list of the best hacking movies is not complete without a mention of this classic hacking movie.

Want to see how computer hacking affects the real world? Give Live Free or Die hard a watch (2007).

An installation of the Die Hard movie series, we see Bruce Willis return as policeman John Mcclane. Here he is tasked to bring a computer hacker in for a routine questioning. He is eventually thrust in a plot where another hacker tries to use his tech skills to bring down America’s technological infrastructure. Thus, he must use his traditional skills to face a modern threat. Live Free or Die Hard is considered one of the best hacking movies ever made.

By its name alone, you can already tell what this film will be about. Here we follow the story of Will, a freelance computer hacker who discovers a mysterious government program after successfully hacking into a government contractor’s computer.

Although criticized for its poor storyline and bad acting, given that it’s a small film production, computer geeks would still find this movie an interesting watch.

Not only is The Matrix (1999) one of the best science fiction movies of all time, it’s also an amazing hacking film.

Here we follow the main character Neo, who is a computer hacker who aims to save the human race by taking down the machines which control a simulation that keeps humanity’s minds occupied.

The film proved to be a critical and financial success leading to two more follow-ups to complete what is now known as The Matrix trilogy.