retrogames ...but it's not great either. The film has a budget, some nice action sequences, decent special effects and some good actors actually doing what they are paid to do. Oh, and Val Kilmer in a silly wig. Cuba Gooding Jr can act and does give his usual decent performance, despite the films flaws. Val Kilmer's scenes were obviously filmed in a day or two of shooting, hence the silly wig and the fact you only ever see him on a video screen or in the same set. Also looks like his lines were being read off a board or he had just read them for the first time 2mins before saying them.Still the film did have some entertainment value, its not an awful film as other reviewers who voted it 1 have suggested, its just not a good film. It does have some pacing issues, sometimes there is too much explaining going on when anyone with sense can see what's going on, its not brain surgery (well it is in some parts!). It feels like a pilot for a TV series, especially the speech at the end and without giving too much away Lance Henriksen's face on the screen as the 'Mr Hope' of hope industry (you'll see what I mean if you watch it). If there is nothing else on, or you have watched most of the other recent releases then this will pass some time.

callanvass |Credit, IMDb| After a tragic accident claims the lives of Luke Gibson's (Gooding Jr.) wife and unborn child, he is left with critical injuries and complete amnesia. A new technological breakthrough from the Hexx Corporation - a Psi-Comp Implant that's hardwired into Luke's brain - saves his life, but Luke soon finds out that this new technology comes with a price and that the Hexx Corporation harbors sinister plans for the new device. With the help of new allies, Luke tries to recover the memories of his past while uncovering the Hexx Corporation's true motives.While watching Hardwired, I couldn't help but think this had so much wasted potential. I'm somewhat a sucker for Sci-Fi type movies, with plots like these. If done right, I find them fascinating. Hard Wired's problem is the budget doesn't cover it enough to meet this potential. Hard Wired's 1st half is especially much better than the 2nd. I was really intrigued by the happenings, and what Cuba's character was finding out. However the 2nd half becomes dull, and largely interesting for the most part. With a rather weak ending in my opinion. Val Kilmer is barely in the film, and seems to be only interested in a paycheck.Performances. Cuba Gooding is rather solid here for the most part. I was rooting for him throughout the 1st half, and he did his best to cover the sloppy ground he had to cover during the 2nd half. Val Kilmer is hammy, and doesn't give much of a performance. Michael Ironside's character is interesting, and I enjoyed his work.Bottom line. I actually enjoyed this to an extent, but the 2nd half really ruins things. For a low-budget film, it's not that bad though. And you could do much worse for a DTV film starring Cuba, believe me.4 1/2 /10

rlange-3 Mediocre acting, ponderous political pandering, and the total implausibility of the plot execution finally overcame the desire to seek entertainment value or insight in this clunker. We are supposed to believe that the CEO of the world's largest corporation spends his time watching some guy walking around on the streets. This is like a movie about Bill Gates watching somebody's home computer crash and cackle about it.Evil corporations control the world now. We can tell because they have hologrammed commercials erupting out of every building and national landmark in sight. This is a movie element designed to appeal to five year olds with paranoia and dementia. Yeah, we get it. Pass ObamaCare or else heartless corporations will scoop people off the streets who have been in car wrecks and upon finding them uninsured, pop a microchip the size of an ipod into their heads and harass them into buying watches. Got it.This doesn't qualify as science fiction, it is somebody's private delusion made into a movie. No doubt by an evil corporation.

Bob_the_Hobo I'd like to justify myself first; I went to Blockbuster to get The Hurt Locker, but it was out, and I saw Hardwired sitting on a full shelf. I'd read the reviews here on IMDb and I thought I may as well rent a cheap flick. When it was over, I thought Hardwired was getting a bad rap.First, the story is pretty decent. It's not unheard of, but it kept me entertained. Second, the acting isn't as bad as others say it is. Third, it could have been a comedy.The Story- Joshua (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is subjected to a horrible experiment by an unsympathetic Government which is run by corporations. It's not foreign, but it's an interesting plot. The script isn't great, but it kept me interested.The Acting- Cuba Gooding, Jr. has been getting nasty reviews for his acting, which is without doubt a far cry from his performances in Jerry Macguire and Shadowboxer. But when compared to the mess that was Wrong Turn at Tahoe, it wasn't bad.The Comedy- The beginning credits had me almost rolling on the floor with laughter, at the futuristic product placement. Hilarious.So, Hardwired won't be winning any Oscars, and it sure won't be a highlight of Cuba or Val's careers. But was it worth a laugh, maybe at the expense of their dignity? Yes.