Do you have a knack for the best hacker movies? Believe it or not, you can learn much about the world of cybercrime and hackers by watching such flicks. Though the Hollywood version tends to be more action-packed than it really is, the number of similarities between hacking films and what happens in real life might surprise you.
The characters could seem a little stereotyped in these movies but aren’t too different from real-life cybercriminals. As for the storylines, they have often been inspired by past events or what could happen in the future.
Most of the movies included below feature a central theme surrounding hacking, whereas others make the cut because of certain characters or enough scenes on the subject.
If any of the below-mentioned movies are not available in your region, use the PureVPN browser extension to access them with just a click. You can also enjoy any of these movies on your big screen with the PureVPN Amazon Fire TV and Android TV app.
The Ultimate List of Hacker Movies:
Here’s our list of 80 must-watch hacker movies, along with their IMDb ratings:
IMDb Rating: (7.1/10)
Robert Redford (Martin Bishop) heads a team of security experts who are hired by the National Security Agency (NSA) to steal a decoder that can break virtually any encryption code. However, they get framed for the murder of the device’s inventor and must do everything to clear their names.
IMDb Rating: (7.1/10)
High school student and computer genius David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) accidentally hacks into a U.S military supercomputer while looking for new games to play. He challenges the supercomputer to a game of Global Thermonuclear War, causing it to activate the country’s nuclear arsenal. Lightman with his girlfriend (Ally Sheedy) have to race to stop the authorities from launching the missiles.
IMDb Rating: (6.3/10)
A group of teenage hackers unearth evidence of a multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme. However, their intrusion gets noticed, and they’re blamed for making a virus capable of capsizing an oil tanker fleet. The team has to work together to prove their innocence while being tailed by the Secret Service.
IMDb Rating: (8.5/10)
A cybersecurity engineer Elliot (Rami Malek), who suffers from anxiety, works for E Corp by day and hacks criminals by night. While Mr. Robot isn’t a movie, it makes a place on our list because of how far the show’s cast and crew went to get the technical details spot on.
IMDb Rating: (7.5/10)
Young computer expert Benjamin (Tom Schilling) is invited by Max (Elyas M’Barek) and his two friends Stephen (Wotan Wilke Möhring) and Paul (Antoine Monot Jr.) to join a subversive hacker group by the name of CLAY.
IMDb Rating: (8.7/10)
Blue pill or red pill? A hacker, known as Neo (Keanu Reeves), chooses the former and discovers mankind is living in a simulated universe created by super-intelligent computers that intend on imprisoning humans and using their bodies as organic fuel. He joins a team of mysterious freedom fighters to continue their war against the machines. The fourth installment in the Matrix franchise, titled The Matrix Resurrections, is all set to hit the screens on December 22, 2021.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
A hacker Kevin Mitnick (Skeet Ulrich) faces an unexpected challenge after breaking into a security expert’s computer. Also referred to Track Down, the movie is based on Tsutomu Shimomura’s book, “Takedown: The Pursuit and Capture of Kevin Mitnick, America’s Most Wanted Computer Outlaw – By The Man Who Did It.”
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This biopic about former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor and now whistleblower Edward Snowden is a must-have for any list of best hacker movies. Played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it follows the events that lead to Snowden uncovering and sharing with the world the massive amounts of data that was being collected on American citizens and ally foreign governments.
IMDb Rating: 5.4/10
When the Mercantile Trade Exchange in Chicago and a nuclear power plant in Hong Kong are hacked, the Chinese government and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) join forces to track down the perpetrators. They release a convicted hacker (Chris Hemsworth) from prison to help with the investigation.
10. The Girl in the Spider’s Web (2018)
IMDb Rating: (6.1/10)
Hacker Lisbeth Salander (Claire Foy) is recruited to steal a powerful computer program called FireWall that can access codes for the world’s nuclear weapons. The theft draws the attention of an NSA agent and things get more complicated when Russian thugs steal her laptop and kidnap a mathematical whiz who can activate FireWall.
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
The founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl) become underground watchdogs of the powerful and privileged. Despite having limited resources, they make a platform for whistleblowers to leak covert information anonymously and expose corporate crimes and government secrets.
IMDb Rating: 8/10
A cyborg policewoman Major Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) hunts a cybercriminal called the Puppet Master who hacks into the minds of cyborg-human hybrids to steal information.
13. 23 (1998)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Karl Koch (August Diehl) and his friend David (Fabian Busch) start breaking into government and military databases and find themselves facing the consequences.
14. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
John McClane and a young ethical hacker Mat Farrell (Justin Long) team up to take down cybercriminal Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) as he launches an attack on America’s infrastructure.
15. The Net (1995)
IMDb Rating: 6/10
Angela Bennet (Sandra Bullock), a computer programmer, becomes aware of a conspiracy during her time off. The vacation turns into a nightmare when her identity is stolen and someone attempts to kill her.
16. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
A journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) search for answers about a woman who disappeared forty years ago.
IMDb Rating: 8/10
This Laura Poitras documentary about the NSA spying scandal and whistleblower Edward Snowden features interviews of Snowden in 2013 and work by Glenn Greenwald.
18. Tron (1982)
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
A software programmer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) discovers that Edward Dillin (David Warner) has been stealing his work and is pulled into the virtual world. Tron is one of the earliest hacking movies on this list.
19. Swordfish (2001)
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Gabriel Shear (John Travolta), a spy, plots to steal a huge fortune and recruits Ginger Knowles (Halle Berry) to persuade a computer hacker (Hugh Jackman) to help.
IMDb Rating: 5.2/10
A jilted fan (Elijah Wood) soon finds himself in a deadly cat-and-mouse game after accepting the opportunity to spy on his favorite actress (Sasha Grey) via his laptop.
21. Anonymous(2016)
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Alex (Callan McAuliffe), a young hacker, turns to identity theft and hacking to support his financially drained family and runs into the FBI’s most wanted hacker. This movie is also called Hacker.
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane), an FBI agent, tries to hunt down an elusive serial killer who posts live videos of his ruthless murders on a website.
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
A recently released criminal Charlie Croker (Michael Cane) plans to seal a shipment of gold by creating a traffic jam on the streets of Turin with the help of hackers.
24. Antitrust (2001)
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Milo Hoffman (Ryan Phillips), a college graduate, lands his dream job of writing software at a hot computer company. However, he soon learns the founder and his mentor Tim Robbins (Gary Winston) are hiding some dark secrets.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
This documentary explores the backstory of Cambridge Analytica, Facebook, and the 2016 U.S presidential election.
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
The documentary delves into the history of the GNU/Linux and Open Source movement and features numerous interviews with prominent entrepreneurs and hackers.
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Jesse Eisenberg plays computer genius and Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg in this biographical drama about the creation of social networking site Facebook.
28. Algorithm (2014)
IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
A computer hacker stumbles upon a mysterious government computer program and breaks into it, which thrusts him into a revolution.
29. Underground: The Julian Assange Story (2012)
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
This film takes a look at the prominent events that occurred in the career and life of Wikileaks founder and director Julian Assange (played by Alex Williams).
30. Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
When massive computer systems from the US and Russian connect to each other, it triggers the possibility of a nuclear war.
31. The Imitation Game (2014)
IMDb Rating: 8/10
A British mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his team get recruited by the M16 to crack the German enigma code during World War II.
32.The Signal (2014)
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Haley (Olivia Cooke), Nic (Brenton Thwaites), and Jonah (Beau Knapp) are on a road-trip when they get taunted by a hacker via emails. They end up in an underground research facility trying to track his location.
33. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
When the IMF is wrongly accused for the attack on the Kremlin, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team set out to find the actual culprits and clear their organization’s reputation.
34. The Circle (2017)
IMDb Rating: 5.4/10
Mae (Emma Watson) gains employment at the world’s biggest tech company. She takes part in an experiment headed by the founder (Tom Hanks) only to realize its adverse consequences.
35. Prime Risk (1985)
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Computer-wise lovers Julie Collins (Toni Hudson) and Michael Fox (Lee Montgomery) discover a plot to destroy the monetary system of the US while ripping off ATMS.
36. Risk (2016)
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Filmed over a period of six years, this Laura Poitras documentary is a story about WikiLeaks founder and director Julian Assange.
37. Anon (2018)
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
In a world with no anonymity or crime, detective Sal Frieland (Clive Owen) tries to investigate a hacker (Amanda Seyfried) whose data and records don’t exist.
38. The Hacker Wars (2014)
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
This documentary takes a look at hacktivism in the US, including the government’s surveillance programs and persecution of journalists and hackers.
39. I.T (2016)
IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
Mike Regan (Pierce Brosnan) hires IT consultant Ed Porter (James Frecheville) to work on his smart home, but things take a turn for the worse when Ed uses his skills to threaten Mike’s family and business.
40. Zero Days (2016)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
This documentary by Alex Gibney investigates Stuxnet, a malware program developed jointly between the US and Israel, which targeted Iranian centrifuges.
41. Hackers Wanted (2009)
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Directed by Sam Bozzo, the unreleased documentary follows the story of Adrian Lomo and explores the nature and origins of hackers and hacking.
42. Hackers: Wizards of the Electronic Age (1985)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
This documentary focuses on the hacker community and features interviews with a number of programmers that started the PC revolution, including Steve Wozniak and Bill Atkinson.
43. Office Space (1999)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
A software engineer Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) is tired of his job and hatches a devious plan with two of his colleagues to plant a virus in the company’s system.
44. Webmaster (1998)
IMDb Rating: 4.9/10
J.B. (Lars Bom), a talented computer specialist, hacks into the most powerful domain. He gets caught and must work as the webmaster of the Stoiser domain in exchange for his life.
45. The Conversation (1974)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a surveillance expert, uses high-tech equipment to spy on a young couple he thinks might be in danger.
46. We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This documentary is about the radical hacktivist group known as Anonymous and includes a series of interviews with its members.
47. Firewall (2006)
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
With his family held hostage, Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford), a security executive for a bank, must hack into his own system and steal millions to pay off the ransom.
48. Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This biological drama focuses on the rivalry between Microsoft and Apple. Anthony Michael Halls portrays Bill Gates whereas Noah Wyle stars as Steve Jobs.
49. Masterminds (1997)
IMDb Rating: 5.3/10
A teenage computer genius Ozzie (Vincent Kartheiser) uses his skills to outwit the school’s security consultant Bentley (Patrick Stewart) who has taken the students hostage.
50. Eagle Eye (2008)
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) and Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) get a mysterious call from a woman they don’t know, who threatens their family and lives and forces them into dangerous situations by tracking and controlling their every move.
51. Reality (2023)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
An ex-intelligence specialist from America has received the lengthiest sentence for disclosing government information to the media without authorization. The information released concerned Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, which was accomplished through an email operation.
52. Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web (2017)
IMDb Rating: 7/10
The documentary follows the story of MegaUpload owner Kim Dotcom and his battle against the entertainment industry and US government over issues of piracy, ownership, and privacy in the digital age.
53. Cyberbully (2015)
IMDb Rating: 6.8 /10
A computer hacker forces Casey Jacobs (Maisie Williams) to do his bidding by threatening to leak her compromising photos.
54. Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
Johnny (Keanu Reeves) has a secret stash of data implanted in his mind and must deliver it within 48 hours or he will die.
55. Code 2600 (2012)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This documentary by Jeremy Zerechak is about the rise of information technology and features interviews with the individuals who helped build it.
56. The Throwaways (2015)
IMDb Rating: 4.6/10
Drew (Sam Huntington), a notorious hacker, is given a choice to go to prison or work for the CIA. He accepts the job but gets back at his employers by assembling a team of misfits.
57. Minority Report (2002)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
In the year 2054, technology allows the police to catch criminals before they commit a crime. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is accused of such a crime and must prove his innocence.
58. The Secret History of Hacking (2001)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
This documentary focuses on social engineering, phreaking, and computer hacking occurring from the 1970s to the 1990s.
59. Genius on Hold (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7/10
The focus of this documentary is the downfall of telecommunications genius Walter L. Shaw and his eventual association with crime.
60. V for Vendetta (2005)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
In the late 2020s, Britain is under the rule of an authoritarian leader. A freedom fighter called V (Hugo Weaving) sets out to bring down the tyrannical government with aid from Evy (Natalie Portman).
61. NetForce (1999)
IMDb Rating: 5.1/10
Alex (Scott Bakula), the new commander of FBI’s computer-crime division, must stop a villain from gaining control of the internet.
62. The Core (2003)
IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
The Earth’s inner core has stopped spinning, causing the planet’s geomagnetic field to deteriorate rapidly. The only way to avert disaster is to get the core spinning again.
63. Breach (2007)
IMDb Rating: 7/10
This docudrama focuses on the events that lead to the capture and arrest of Agent Robert Hanssen for selling US secrets to Russia.
64. We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013)
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
The documentary is about Julian Assange’s organization and the people involved in the gathering and distribution of media and secret information by whistleblowers.
65. Hackers Are People Too (2008)
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
This documentary by Ashley Shwartu takes a look at the hacker community. It delves into areas like the meaning of hacking, the way hackers think, and profiles women in the field.
66. The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)
In this Brian Knappenberger documentary, the life of information activist and programming prodigy Aaron Swartz is brought to light.
IMDb Rating: 8/10
67. Mickey Virus (2013)
IMDb Rating: 6/10
Delhi police stumbles upon an unusual case surrounding hacking and seeks the help of a small-time hacker Mickey (Manish Paul).
68. Hacked (2018)
IMDb Rating: 4.2/10
A computer technician loses his job to a state-of-the-art supercomputer. Disgruntled, he decides to put his replacement to the test. Meanwhile, a group of hackers break into the building to steal it.
69. Storm Watch (2002)
IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
A protagonist who is the best player of a virtual reality online game must race against time to stop the world from being destroyed by a weather satellite.
70. Reboot (2012)
IMDb Rating : 4/10
When a young female hacker wakes up from a traumatic event, she notices an iPhone is glued to her hand with the timer counting down to zero.
71. Deep Web (2015)
IMDb Rating: 7/10
The documentary features interviews with the individuals behind Bitcoin and the Deep Web and follows the trial of Ross Ulbricht, the alleged creator of an online black market known as Silk Road.
72. Terms and Conditions May Apply (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This Cullen Hoback documentary highlights how the government and corporations use the information provided by users when agreeing to purchase goods online, browse a website, or install an app.
73. Nerve (2016)
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Vee (Emma Roberts), a high school senior, gets caught up in an online game of truth and dare, but things take a sinister and dark turn.
74. Hacking Democracy (2007)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
This documentary by Simon Ardizzone and Russel Michaels investigates fraud allegations during the 2004 US presidential election.
75. Ex Machina (2014)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
A young programmer Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) gets the opportunity to become a part of a scientific experiment where he has to assess the capabilities of Ava (Alicia Vikander), an artificial intelligence (AI).
Are there any other hacker movies that should be added to the list? Let us know in the comments section below!
76. The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Computer scientist Douglas Hall (Craig Bierko) becomes the primary suspect in the murder of his mentor and colleague before the testing of a new virtual reality simulator.
77. Code Rush (2000)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This documentary by David Winton follows the lives of Netscape engineers in 1998 and is a must-watch for those into software engineering and/or software project management.
78. Transcendence (2014)
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Dr. Will Caster’s consciousness is uploaded into a quantum computer by his wife to save him. He soon starts making groundbreaking discoveries but exhibits signs of a dark motive as well.
79. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Frank Abagnale, a former conman specializing in forgery and impersonation, provided the inspiration for this Steven Spielberg film. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Abagnale while Tom Hanks stars an FBI agent.
80. In the Realm of the Hackers (2003)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
This documentary follows the story of a group of Australian teenagers who broke into some of the world’s most secure computer networks from their bedrooms.
Hackers Are a Real Threat
The thrilling and often risky life of a hacker, as shown in these movies, isn’t necessarily the real deal. However, the threat of hacking is a dangerous and persistent one, with millions of individuals getting hacked every year.
Don’t want to fall prey to hackers and lose your personal and confidential information up to them? It’s important to educate yourself about the latest threats online and offline and take the required steps to protect yourself.
Some things to keep in mind include:
- Install apps wisely and from official sources.
- Use security software like anti-virus and anti-malware.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi without the protection of a VPN.
- Choose complex, difficult-to-guess passwords for your online accounts and don’t reuse them.
- Set up two-factor authentication wherever possible.
- Be skeptical when it comes to attachments and links.
Quench Your Thirst for Hacker Movies with These Flicks!
While most of these hacker movies don’t offer a realistic view of the hacker community, they’re nonetheless a good watch and make for great entertainment. Whether you’re looking for mind-bending thrillers or insightful documentaries, this list has got you covered.
Are there any other hacker movies that should be added to the list? Let us know in the comments section below!
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February 22, 2024
2 months ago
