BELOW THE RADAR MOVIES: SWORDFISH

SWORDFISH (2001) (R)

Starring John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry & Don Cheadle

OK. It might be a stretch to say that a movie snuck "under the radar" if it sold over 12 million tickets between the US and the UK, but Swordfish managed to do it.

Opening with around $18 Million in ticket sales for it's premiere weekend in June of that year, Swordfish stayed in theaters and plugged away until the studio pulled it after the events of 9/11. (Due to an exploding building that is prominent in the movie.) When the box office totals were tallied, Swordfish totalled just short of $70 million compared to an approximate production cost of $80 million. Obviously with overseas tickets and DVD sales, a profit was turned but this was not a blockbuster by studio standards.

Which is a shame. Swordfish is a solid movie, a great story, and one hell of a ride. Travolta plays Gabriel, a somewhat shady government agent who hatches a scheme to steal several billion dollars that have been "lost and forgotten" by the government so he can finance a take-it-to-em war on terror. His sidekick is Ginger (Berry) who helps him recruit computer-whiz Stanley Jobson (Jackman), who had once hacked into government computers and will be sent back to prison if he is caught using a computer again.

Naturally the cop who originally arrested Jobson (Cheadle) almost immediately finds out that he's involved in something but Ginger tells him not to worry because she's actually a DEA agent who is undercover and knows about his problem and will vouch for him when the time comes.

Adding to the undercurrent is the fact that Jobson's ex wife has taken his daughter and won't allow her to see him. She has married a producer of adult films who has money, which Jobson no longer does, and can fight him in court with a team of lawyers if he tries to see the girl.

This movie has some wonderful performances, a good chemistry between the characters, and the effects are top notch. We're talking about a movie here that has a myriad of twists and turns and very few people are exactly who or what they seem.

There is some language issue here, there is a scene with a topless Berry, and some serious violence so be aware this is not a movie for the kiddees. But if the kids are in bed, or gone... or old enough to share a grown up movie, this is one that you will enjoy.