I.T. Review - A Shocking, High Tech, Thriller

I.T. from Voltage Pictures, RLJ Entertainment, brings to the screen a contemporary high tech thrill ride highlighting the dangers of smart technology advancements and the just waiting to happen destruction especially for the technologically dependent.

Directed by John Moore, I.T. stars Pierce Brosnan, Anna Friel, Stefanie Scott, Claire Hope Ashitey, James Frecheville, Michael Nyqvist and Jay Benedict. I.T was written by Dan Kay and William Wisher Jr, based on a story by Dan Kay.

I.T. opens to the luxury aviation world of Mike Regan, played by Pierce Brosnan, self-made billionaire, his company is poised on an IPO which, will catapult him from simply wealthy to uber wealthy. His love of flying became the catalyst for his life and his desire to share it with the world.

We meet him at his home, a smart, modern technology marvel, sleek, with every advancement money can buy, fully smart operational. The household tablets indicate which door is opened, where the water is running, which system is operating, which lights are on and locates the inhabitants in each room.

We meet Mike's wife, Rose, played by Anna Friel and his daughter, Kaitlyn, played by Stefanie Scott, as Mike is trying to operate the smart coffee machine, not the simple brew pot, and beyond the pod stage, it is an advanced brewing machine that takes his wife, Rose to operate.

As most households, Kaitlyn is glued to her phone, her attention divided between the next text, her parents actually wanting conversation, the cold cereal and wanting the newest Iphone.

This day is special, the business news programs have announced the IPO which still needs investors and the SEC application is a nightmare although word has it the company is strong. Today, Mike is revealing to his team, employees and special guests the next level of Regan Aviation which will change flight leasing forever.

The presentation starts with Mike's assistant, Joan, played by Clare-Hope Ashitey, working the logistics capturing the attention, suddenly the screen scrambles and fades. A computer glitch, that seemed somewhat beyond Regan I.T department dead-ends the program and a new temp tech wizard is asked to help and in the pinch and the crucial moment the temp comes through for the team.

The temp, Ed Porter, played by James Frecheville, is quickly elevated to employee and Mike's right hand tech man. Invited to his home, Ed is invited to "get a feel" of Mike's Maserati, and after a minute he convinces the less than technologically savvy Mike to upgrade the car's computer system with a chip he claims is from the government. Before he had a minute to think about it the car's internal computer controls are now upgraded.

Inside the home, Mike again displays to his new friend, Ed, his lack of technological knowledge as he explains the SMART home system has video capabilities that he disabled. Too much tech, the invasion argument comes up, to which Ed Porter explains the constitution offers no explicit right to privacy, certainly implied rights to privacy are mentioned multiple times, but the all exclusive right is not, it is a privilege for most Americans.

By the end of this first afternoon visit to "help get the internet running faster" Ed Porter, who seemed to be normal enough, he made it past the temp screening at the company, and didn't exhibit any creepy signs or signals had downloaded and gained control of every technological system in Mike Regan's life.

He now managed the car controls, he had access to every intimacy in the home, through the video capabilities, he could remotely engage every system in the house, causing a discotheque light show and sound should he want.

As it was what he started with was the innocuous invitation of a social media platform, who Kaitlyn, the 17-year-old daughter of the aviation tycoon see him through the eyes of youth or would she be one the pretentious idle trust fund babies? Bingo – she passed. Normal and accepted his invitation.

What follows is a series of encroachments, by our Ed Porter who doesn't understand polite statements said to be nice and actual invitations. Only after a series of setbacks and personal attacks on his family does Mike Regan realize it is Ed Porter who is manipulating the cyber system.

Attempting to work through the channels, Mike, finally understands that as cyber is a non-traditional crime, the traditional by the book cops are limited leaving the situation in his hands. Which is when we learn the difference between a smart home and essentially a dumb home and life.

I really enjoyed I.T. The film, which is streaming on Netflix, didn't have a long box office life which makes me wonder about the PR campaign as it is smart, sexy, a sleek contemporary high tech thriller.

I.T has eye candy a plenty, enough to reach everyone: If Pierce Brosnan does it for you he is as sexy, sharp, well dressed and on top of his game man. If aviation is your thing than the fleet is as sexy as the lead, if technology and the dark side of technologically advancement, is the draw I.T. has it.

The film goes even further with the business side, the contemporary architecture, the intrigue at stopping a hacker from accessing everything you essentially handed to him. The lengths the hacker will travel down the technological superhighway to show the "owner" who is in control.

The talented cast pull together this cat and mouse, sociopath stalker, every person's worst nightmare, conspiracy drama. A hands-down solid screening choice. Be prepared as we find out tech stalkers and those who target are often willing to do anything to create the picture of innocence and prey upon by the mighty.

I.T. is currently on Netflix. See it.

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