Pierce Brosnan has more than a few network issues in I.T., a techno-thriller from Director John Moore. The film is essentially the psycho stalks family storyline. It starts off promising; then falls prey to convention. That said, Brosnan is a more than capable actor in any role. He delivers his standard strong performance and saves I.T. from being altogether rote.
Pierce Brosnan stars as Mike Regan, a wealthy businessman on the verge of taking his aviation company public. His press presentation encounters a technical glitch that is quickly addressed by a new temp, Ed Porter (James Frecheville). Mike has been having Wi-Fi issues in his ultra-modern mansion. He invites Ed over to work his technical magic. Ed takes a keen interest in Mike’s seventeen year old daughter (Stefanie Scott). He begins to stalk the girl, much to the alarm of his boss. As Mike drops the hammer on Ed’s intrusions, he unleashes a vindictive psychopath unto his family. Ed has surreptitiously hacked the Regan’s and is hell bent on exacting revenge.
I.T. is the worst case scenario that many people unfortunately face in real life. Ed’s use of technology to destroy the Regan’s is not the stuff of science fiction. The film has one particularly telling scene involving the daughter. Children are especially vulnerable to predators online. While I.T. goes to an extreme, how many times do we read or hear about a tragedy involving a teen’s internet activities. I.T. plays successfully to that fear and the awful repercussions.
I.T. loses interest toward the third act. At this point of the film, there’s really no mystery to the outcome. James Frecheville plays Ed Porter as creepy from the go. It’s no surprise when he goes off the rails and starts going crazy. It would have been more interesting to see his character as a bit more nuanced. Porter is a wholly predictable character to the end. This film would have been more engaging if the script threw a few curveballs at the audience.
From Voltage Pictures, I.T. is a parable for the modern age. At best it reminds us to be wary of all those nameless technicians that enter our homes to do work. The cable guy could easily hack your home’s security system and turn technology against you. Brosnan’s film family learns that lesson the hard way times a hundred. I.T. is unremarkable viewing. It’s not a bad film, just completely forgettable.