As someone who became a computer enthusiast in the late 80s (on an IBM PC XT compatible), hacking and hacker culture is always something I’ve been fascinated by.
Hacker movies are therefore a guilty pleasure. So, without further lollygagging here is an incomplete list of hacker movies that mostly don’t suck.
(It was tempting to put every AI movie on here from Terminator and I, Robot, to Him and Transcendence, but perhaps that should be a different list.)
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Hackers (1995) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase only on iTunes and Google Play.
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The Matrix (1999) — Netlix
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Mr. Robot (2015) — Showmax and Prime Video
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Swordfish (2001) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase on iTunes only.
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WarGames (1983) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase only on iTunes and Google Play.
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V for Vendetta (2006) — Netflix
While not technically a hacker movie, V for Vendetta is what popularised the Guy Fawkes mask that has become the crest of Anonymous. -
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011) — Showmax
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Tron (1982) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase on iTunes only.
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Tron: Legacy (2010) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase only on iTunes and Google Play.
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Antitrust (2001) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase only on iTunes and Google Play.
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The Net (1995) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase on Google Play only.
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Blackhat (2015) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase on iTunes only.
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Die Hard 4.0: Live Free or Die Hard (2007) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase only on iTunes and Google Play.
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One Point O (2004) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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eXistenZ (1999) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Takedown (2000) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Sword Art Online (2012) — Netflix
While not technically about hacking, it is about people who get their consciousness stuck in an MMO so it’s in the same spirit. -
Ready Player One (2018)— Showmax
While also not technically about hacking, the book read a bit like a book in the same genre. It’s a mystery/adventure within a fountain of '80s and early 90s pop culture references. The movie didn’t do the book justice. -
Silicon Valley (2014) — Showmax
Also not strictly about hacking, but about programming/computer culture. -
Halt and Catch Fire (2014) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
Also not strictly about hacking, but about programming/computer culture.
Non-fiction / based on real events
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The Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires (1996) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Revolution OS (2001) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Micro Men (2009) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Snowden (2016) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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The Fifth Estate (2013) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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The Social Network (2010) — Netflix
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Jobs (2013) — Netflix
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Steve Jobs (2015) — Showmax
Unknowns — films I haven’t watched yet for whatever reason
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Sneakers (1992) — not available for streaming, for rent/purchase only on iTunes and Google Play.
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23 (1998) — German film recommended by CSO Online, not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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In Ascalto (2006) — Italian film recommended by CSO Online, not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Who Am I: No System Is Safe? (2014) — German film recommended by Fossbytes, not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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The Cyberbully (2015) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa
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Open Windows (2014) — not available through any legal channel in South Africa