Cypher

Cypher is a technothriller starring Jeremy Northam and Lucy Liu. The plot focuses on a man with an otherwise boring and merely subsisting life. Faster than you can say "Walter Mitty," he is whisked into the world of corporate espionage and counter spying. Against the objections of his otherwise sedate wife, he is criss crossing the country and racking up the frequent flier miles.

Somewhat akin to the fizzled ABC drama, "Alias," layer upon layer of complexity and deception gets added. There is enough mystery and intrigue to keep the viewer involved and curious as to if anyone can even be trusted.

What mars an otherwise well conceived story is the pacing. At several points the breakneck speeds hit rush hour traffic, and we come to a complete halt. These drawn out scenes were nothing that judicious use of the remote control couldn't handle. Somewhere in the editing, a tighter, an improved film should have emerged.

I did guess at the ultimate ending about 2/3rd's of the way through Cypher, but I didn't know how we were going to arrive there. If you're looking for a technothriller, give it a whirl. Just keep your remote handy; you're gonna need it.

Overall Grade: B-