we saw Firewall last night. it was Erin's night so he and his friend chose. of the films available at the time, only this and Pink Panther were likely, and the boys weren't to be sucked in by PP. remember when Steve Martin seemed edgey? now he's doing remakes. Firewall drew a good crowd. wait, 1st the trailers. well, there's Da Vinci Code (as in Da Vinci Code Rulz!!!). I haven't read the book. I get the idea from the trailer that DVC is of the Exorcist school. hyper something, at any rate. Tom Hanks is a god!!! another movie seems to be about the end of Maya or Aztec culture, looked pretty vivid. I don't remember what other movies are coming, the explosions in my head distracted me. so Firewall, a Harrison Ford vehicle. I got nothing against Ford. he's looking a little wore out but not seedy (j'ever see Tony Curtis in latter years?). the plot's got him as dad to 2 great kids, hubby to the awesomest wife, living in San Simeon by the Puget Sound surrounded by the glow of money. he developes banking systems, so you know the excitement level will never abate. the plot is that the Dark Side kidnaps his family to convince him to help them with a heist of the banks he works for. despite the subtle hint that not playing ball with the criminal element would result in harm to the family, Ford 3 or 4 times tries to subvert the evildoers. head evildoer is a crisp English guy who progresses to raging maniac by the end. the tensions are as expected. I went along well enough. nicely creepy scene in which the cool bad guy gives peanut laden cookie to the peanut-allergic son, while avidly watching the Flintstiones. don't worry, the boy's all right. so's the dog, which I thought would be sacrificed to the purpose of utter tragedy. like the movie The Firm, the greatest excitement occurs at the computer: can't you type any faster??? the end gets pretty fuzzy. Ford climbs some rooftops, runs (which he doesn't do well, always ran hunched forward, now particularly so (now Daniel Day-Lewis in Last of the Mohicans: he could run), rehires his secretary. there's a point where he's trying to find his family. luckily deus ex machina comes along and reminds him that the dog (with the family) has fortuitously a gps in its collar. so Ford manages to find his family, blow up his car, get the shit beat out of him, and drive a pickaxe into the back of the last baddest guy. which elicted howls of laughter from a righteous crowd. except from the whimpering young child in the audience, who suffered seeing mommies and kids getting beat on. final shot is of nuclear family striding away from the wreckage, beaten but unbeaten. as Erin's friend said, just to remind you that this is a Hollywood picture. it warn't bad, albeit perfunctory.