Mercury Rising (1998)

[inactiveuser501 168]

Via Wikipedia:

 

(Bruce) Willis plays Art Jeffries, an undercover FBI agent who protects a nine-year-old boy with autism who is targeted by government assassins after he cracks a top secret government code.

 

I wasn't sure how to feel about the kids performance. On one hand, it's not Justin Bartha Bad, but on the other, this kid apparently went to a psychologist to learn how to act autistic, Charlize Theron-Style

 

Either way, it's still insane. The NSA believes that the best course of action when a kid cracks a code and no one, not even his parents know, is to KILL THE FAMILY? Bruce Willis's Sepia-Toned flashbacks to a teenager getting shot, the woman who looks like Velma from Scooby Doo who speaks only in 90's references, the OTHER woman who is pointlessly dragged into the plot for no reason, it is just a crazy mess.

[seanotron 2307]

I know there was an episode of Covert Affairs that was basically this same outline. I need to ask my friends with autistic children if their kids spend most of their free time cracking top-secret codes, because Hollywood has led me to believe it is a very common thing. Also they should probably stop, because the government will likely kill their children.

[RyanSz 3140]

What I never got from watching the movie was why put the code in a magazine in the first place? You're just asking for trouble at that point.

[inactiveuser501 168]

I loved Roger Ebert's final word on this movie, which was pointing out, and I quote:

 

Modern encryption cannot be intuitively deciphered, by rainmen or anyone else, without a key. And, If a 9-year-old kid can break your code, don't kill the kid, kill the programmers.

[RyanSz 3140]

Well to be fair they did kill the programmers.

[sillstaw 414]

I need to ask my friends with autistic children if their kids spend most of their free time cracking top-secret codes, because Hollywood has led me to believe it is a very common thing. Also they should probably stop, because the government will likely kill their children.

 

As someone with mild autism, and as someone with a very autistic brother: HAHAHAHAHAHA no.

 

In my experience, autism makes you very focused on certain subjects, to the point where you kind of learn everything you can about it (and also, it gives you a tendency to prattle on about it to people who don't really care). Math/code-cracking can be one of them, but it's not a trait that every autistic person has; it's just that Hollywood is under the impression that autism automatically makes you Rain Man. (Although, seeing as how they apparently still believe every schizophrenic has visual hallucinations, it's entirely possible that most filmmakers just don't care about looking into what mental disorders are actually like.)

[seanotron 2307]

 

As someone with mild autism, and as someone with a very autistic brother: HAHAHAHAHAHA no.

 

In my experience, autism makes you very focused on certain subjects, to the point where you kind of learn everything you can about it (and also, it gives you a tendency to prattle on about it to people who don't really care). Math/code-cracking can be one of them, but it's not a trait that every autistic person has; it's just that Hollywood is under the impression that autism automatically makes you Rain Man. (Although, seeing as how they apparently still believe every schizophrenic has visual hallucinations, it's entirely possible that most filmmakers just don't care about looking into what mental disorders are actually like.)

 

They still frequently confuse schizophrenia with multiple personality disorder, so I guess it's not that surprising they think that all autistic children are codebreakers.

[sillstaw 414]

They still frequently confuse schizophrenia with multiple personality disorder, so I guess it's not that surprising they think that all autistic children are codebreakers.

 

And they often get the details of that (like how it's actually called dissociative identity disorder, and that it's controversial on whether it even exists) wrong, too. I swear, sometimes it's like screenwriters aren't obsessively checking their DSM-IVs.

[seanotron 2307]

 

And they often get the details of that (like how it's actually called dissociative identity disorder, and that it's controversial on whether it even exists) wrong, too. I swear, sometimes it's like screenwriters aren't obsessively checking their DSM-IVs.

 

And what's with all those cases of amnesia being caused by coconuts to the head?

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

Did anyone see "Safe", the Jason Statham flick from a couple years back? I didn't think so. Anyway, when I saw the trailer for that, it instantly made me think of THIS movie.

[RyanSz 3140]

Safe was a pretty good action flick though and it came out last year. The kid in that movie didn't have any disorder, but rather was a math prodigy who had a photographic memory. Also, that movie had one of the funniest twists on the final fight against the main bad guy in an action movie.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

Safe was a pretty good action flick though and it came out last year. The kid in that movie didn't have any disorder, but rather was a math prodigy who had a photographic memory. Also, that movie had one of the funniest twists on the final fight against the main bad guy in an action movie.

I always get my Statham movies out of order. I mean, I know there's always the Statham movie that comes out towards the beginning of the year that nobody sees, and then you usually have your Statham movie that comes out in the fall that nobody sees. Sometimes, the small Asian person tagging along is Jet Li, and sometimes it isn't.

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

What I never got from watching the movie was why put the code in a magazine in the first place? You're just asking for trouble at that point.

 

I haven't seen it in a long time but if I'm remembering correctly, they did it to see if it was possible to crack at which point they would create a new one and kill whoever cracked it. I know that sounds pretty stupid, but I believe that was the reason they gave for it.

[inactiveuser501 168]

I haven't seen it in a long time but if I'm remembering correctly, they did it to see if it was possible to crack it at which point they would create a new one and kill whoever cracked it. I know that sounds pretty stupid, but I believe that was the reason they gave for it.

 

(Ending Spoilers for those who haven't seen it)

 

But the two scientist guys who placed the code in the magazine were against killing the kid. Alec Baldwin wanted the kid dead. Also, they wouldn't replace the code because, as Alec Baldwin continuously says, this code was worth $2 Billion and blame for the code being cracked would go on Alec Baldwin?

 

Did I mention Alec Baldwin is in this? And that when he falls to his death at the end, complete with Suit and Tie, I laughed for about a minute

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

Oh yeah, didn't they put it in the magazine without anyone knowing it? I guess I just invented a reason because of how pointless it was.

[JeddJong 50]

I thought Miko Hughes did an exceptional job in this one.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Although Bruce Willis really does have some shitty movies under his belt, I really hope this is the next one they cover of his.

[IRONicmerMAN 391]

Although Bruce Willis really does have some shitty movies under his belt, I really hope this is the next one they cover of his.

 

He's really been in his fair share of turds over the last few years. Even the best aren't immune...Walken, De Niro, J Lo.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

I really feel like they cant skip this. Its a movie about Alec Baldwin trying to assassinate a ten year old autistic child for being really good at puzzles.

[RyanSz 3140]

On 6/11/2013 at 9:26 PM, isaiaher said:

 

(Ending Spoilers for those who haven't seen it)

 

But the two scientist guys who placed the code in the magazine were against killing the kid. Alec Baldwin wanted the kid dead. Also, they wouldn't replace the code because, as Alec Baldwin continuously says, this code was worth $2 Billion and blame for the code being cracked would go on Alec Baldwin?

 

Did I mention Alec Baldwin is in this? And that when he falls to his death at the end, complete with Suit and Tie, I laughed for about a minute

What's more stupid is that the code is a McGuffin and they flagrantly flaunt that fact when anyone tries to explain what the hell it is, they are killed. Yet apparently it's so important that Baldwin and his main lackey will openly try to kill a kid and FBI agents. I can't even imagine what Baldwin's exit strategy for that plan would be as he would instantly become the most wanted man in the country for a list of crimes as long as my arm.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

I think the most hilarious thing about this movie is how the overriding concern of Baldwin's character is looking like an idiot in front of bosses. Like rather than explain that their encryption was potentially flawed in that a small child was able to decipher it. 

He decides to murder: The boys parents, two NSA coders, as well as numerous attempts on FBI agents lives in an effort to hide the obvious flaw with Mercury Rising. 

In terms of plot insanity, why in the hell was Baldwin ever allowed to walk around freely and set up his ambush on the roof of that building. Chi Mcbride's character had just confirmed that not only did Baldwin murder two of his underlings but he had tangible proof of it as well, he even showed it to the FBI director. 

But rather than arrest beforehand, he's basically just given one more opportunity to kill the kid for absolutely no reason at all. 

Also how fucking dumb was the assassin that Baldwin hired. The lie that dude told to get himself in the kid's house would have also given him the excuse to talk to Simon. Rather than ask the parents to see Simon, he just shoots both of them and then has to run out of the house before finding him because the dad was able to dial 911.