By Robert Scucci | Published
1995s Cyberjack (known as Virtual Assassin in the United States) is a film that thrives on its neo-noir action thriller and sci-fi energy, hitting all the classics Die hard trope along the way. You have your reluctant hero haunted by his past, clever low-budget effects, and a villain so enamored with his own evil plans that you almost want to root for him. The hacker lingo is detailed enough to make the fiction work, but never so specific that it crumbles under scrutiny, provided you follow the film’s internal logic.
Always entertaining and full of charisma, Cyberjack benefits from its B-movie charm because it never pretends to be anything else.
A cop turned janitor with a troubled past
Cyberjack follows Nick James (Michael Dudikoff), a former cop who left the force after the death of his partner at the hands of cyberterrorist Nassim (Brion James). Now a washed-up, alcoholic janitor for an IT company called Quantum, Nick’s extensive knowledge of the building becomes crucial when Nassim and his team break in. Nick’s haunted past clashes with his old instincts as he is forced to intervene once again.
At Quantum, lead researcher Phillip Royce (Duncan Fraser) and his daughter Alex (Suki Kaiser) are developing a crazy new technology that fuses a computer virus with organic matter to create a “vaccine” against cyberattacks. Naturally, Nassim wants it for himself. His plan is to telepathically take control of the world’s computers by merging with technology, without worrying about the potential consequences.
Nick, narrowly escaping the initial assault, must save Alex while stopping Nassim’s hostile takeover before it is too late. The fate of the world is in his hands.
The worst special effects that work
You might laugh at Cyberjack special effects at the beginning. Miniatures, laser lights, and flashing signs straight out of a ’90s tech demo dominate the visuals.
Once your eyes adjust, it works better than you ever imagined. The realistic cinematography and vibrant color palette draw you in, and before long, you become addicted to its unapologetic character. Die hard-meets-cyberpunk delivery.
Brion James throws himself into the role of the smiling psychopath who kills on impulse, while Dudikoff’s straight-talking delivery keeps things grounded. Add in Nassim’s crazy right-hand man, Numb (Garvin Cross), and you have an over-the-top power trio that blows every scene off the screen.
By leaning on Die hard tropes while forging its own identity, Cyberjack seems both familiar and unpredictable. It’s bold, trashy and explosive in every way, keeping you glued to every laser blast and one-liner. The ending may hit all the beats you’d expect, but the fun is in the ride itself.
As of this writing, you can stream Cyberjack for free on Tubi.
