100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 94: Paranoia

Director: Robert Luketic

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, Amber Heard, Richard Dreyfuss, Embeth Davidtz, Josh Holloway, Julian McMahon

Description: Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) is an entry-level employee at a powerful corporation. He finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss's old mentor to secure for him a multi-billion dollar advantage.

Review: Adam Cassidy is a young and ambitious man working for a company that specializes in smartphones. When he stuffs up a presentation, he and his co-workers end up on the street. Because Adam is angry, he uses the company’s credit card and buys his colleagues a fun night out. Adam’s boss Nicholas Wyatt finds out and leaves him with two options: They turn him in to the police or he has to spy on Wyatts old mentor, Jock Goddard. Adam, who doesn’t have a penny to spare and is struggling with a sick father, takes the job. What seems like an easy job, turns out to be his worst nightmare.

A thriller doesn’t need to have a good developed story to captivate you. With the correct mix of a good script, pace and the right actors you get a long way. “Paranioa” seems to have all those things: a script about corruption within the current crisis, acting legends Ford and Oldman and hot talent Liam Hemsworth. But “Paranoia” hits and misses.

The movie starts out just fine. But things get very improbable. Everything is high-tech, but the competition easily breaks through each other’s security. And there are very bad dialogues. This movie lacks originality.

Liam Hemsworth looks great, like his brother Chris, but doesn’t have that same charisma and talent. He is a bit superficial. Amber Heard shows us that looking good doesn’t mean you can’t act. Harrison Ford is doing a routine job, nothing noteworthy there. But Gary Oldman shows us that he can still pull of the villain role.

“Paranoia” misses its chance with the mediocre script and the lack of intensity from the actors. Even Ford and Oldman can’t save it. It’s a standard thriller that you won’t remember for long.

Rating: 1,5/ 5