Tempestade Virtual

Be warned when a movie has multiple names after being completed. Even though the ratings for this one promise an entertaining story, don't be fooled. If you liked War Games but thought it was outdated, if The Net was entertaining but a little over the top sometimes, leave this one in the shelves. Bad acting, worse humor and really no character that you're bound with. Nice effects can't save this one. As working in the IT myself, I noticed that except the occurring 'shortcuts'/'explosions' in the racks are ridiculous fireworks all the screens are realistic and most technical terms are used in the correct context. Read my lips: MOST ;)

I'm not sure where to even start on Code Hunter. The box says 'The hottest sex, the coolest technology, the most extreme adventure you've ever experienced.' The box, like the movie and its decent cast, is a huge letdown by every standard.

The plot? An ex-hacker who hasn't been allowed to touch a computer for years (Kevin Mitnick? Hackers? How about Hackers II: Electric BoogaBLAH!) starts playing an online game and gets involved with someone who takes control of a government satellite that can control the weather and destroy both US coasts.

Wow...what a plot. Except that the movie, FILMED IN 2001, has the characters still doing virtual reality. Still using dial-up. Going into a game where they look just like themselves with no computer simulation what-so-ever. It's so REAL that it IS REAL. Except, like the Matrix, when they enter 'the game' they suddenly change their clothes and everyone looks oh so UBER-KEWL. The Lawnmower Man called while I was watching this movie and said he wanted his VR back.

Besides the plot that seems to have come from 1995, the quasily-famous cast includes General Hospital's Vanessa Marcil (who is still damn hot even with the short hair she has in the film), Highlander's Adrian Paul, "rappers" Tone-Loc and Coolio, and she-needs-subtitles-when-she-talks Bai Ling. As craptacular as this was it got even worse when Adrian Paul grabs a sword. Why grab a sword? Because he used one in the Highlander TV show so he knows how to use one...blah.

The main character, Nick Cornish, looks to be like 21 years old in the script. He plays his character...decently, but he doesn't quite take the movie over. That stinks because for the most part we are watching him. An hour into the movie I was so bored that I wanted to turn this off, but my best friend said, "Trust me...Coolio will be back." So we waited and sure enough, Coolio came back. I hate to say this but...I don't know where this movie would have been without Coolio.

If you are in the mood for a Z-movie with lots of stock footage, bad acting, A SWORD, Coolio, and 2001 Virtual Reality then this is so the movie for you. My recommendation? Go get Hackers. At least it has Angelina Jolie.

Code hunter was really OK.

No Bad acting to speak of,no outstanding acting either,decent special effects and editing.

The Story was good enough to keep me watching and the writing was fine.

In a nut shell this is a cyber espionage story..with a few twists.

I liked Adrian Paul and he is OK in this,but he and Bai Ling were much better in that Vampire movie they did together.

Still worth a watch in the Dollar rental section.

If you want to buy it..look for it in the discount bin,it is where it belongs.

"The hottest sex, the coolest technology, the most extreme adventure you've ever experienced. Anything's possible in SHOCK, the ultimate reality challenge," according to the DVD sleeve description, "America's best player is being pulled in to the ultimate cyber-terror. The game's mastermind has stolen his identity, put him on the FBI's most wanted list, and is blackmailing him to take part in a REAL twisted plan of world destruction. With just hours left, can the code be broken to save the world from total annihilation?"

The above synopsis is accurate, but the first sentence is extremely misleading.

Chances are very good you will find neither the "coolest technology" nor the "extreme adventure" promised. As for the "hottest sex," forget it. There is, actually NO SEX in "Storm Watch" which was re-titled "Virtual Storm" then "Code Hunter" (the title, at least, keeps getting better). The cast is very good looking, especially lead actor Nick Cornish (as Nick Chase) and his main female co-star Vanessa Marcil (as Tess Woodward); really, they look more like models than computer geek and lady reporter.

It's nice to see heroic "Highlander" star Adrian Paul (as "Neville") as the story's main villain, but his "AI" character dies on the vine. Wearing a succession of neon wigs, Bai Ling (as "Skylar") also drifts into irreverence. Tone-Loc and Coolio play non-musical roles. Of the others, programmer Scott Rinker (as Mason Neville Kemeny) is nicely cast and essays his characterization well. Bit player Adam Lieberman is outstanding as the hotel clerk. As company leader Richard Cox (as Richard Clark) says, "The proof is in the pudding."

*** Code Hunter (5/1/02) Terry Cunningham ~ Nick Cornish, Vanessa Marcil, Adrian Paul, Scott Rinker

This won't convince you as far as the story line goes and you won't be impressed by the direction and you will wonder why someone wanted to make an el cheapo Matrix and you will be befuddled how they got money for the project - but you still might enjoy it. Minimally.

Principal reason is the supporting cast which includes Nora Dunn, Serena Scott Thomas, and the extremely charismatic Vanessa Marcil. Perhaps Marcil is not all that charismatic otherwise - although her resume would argue she is - but in this context she literally shines. Right out of the mouthed dialogue with non-existent acting she pops in and takes over and you find yourself saying to yourself 'wow some real acting in this one'.

The others aren't always bad, but they're under-directed. Marcil, a star from 90210 and responsible for an unforgettable scene with Nicholas Cage in The Rock, plays yet another character here and does it to perfection.

So yes, the movie itself is fairly horrible, but if you have the cassette in and are not otherwise occupied, watch Dunn, Thomas, and especially Marcil do their stuff. They're great - especially Marcil. There is such a thing as acting talent - even in low budget movies that shouldn't have been made.