Cypher – Review

Morgan Sullivan (Northam) has lost his accounting job and life is seeming mundane and dull. His wife Amy (Nicoll) has an idea for him to work at her dad’s company, but he winds up with a better idea: Digicorp. Digicorp is all about spying on competing corporations and collecting data. Simple enough, right? What’s a little corporate espionage anyway. No big thang. The head of security Finster (Bennett) hooks up Sullivan with a new job, and a new identity: Jack Thursby. Jack is a new beast and unlike Sullivan’s personality.

What unfolds slowly is a good and winding tale of intrigue and hazy motives. The futuristic ideas presented are interesting and realistic, despite a bit of outdated tech. Sullivan finds he really likes being this free Jack Thursby character, unrestrained by his own characteristics and life. He winds up looking forward to his missions, and succeeding in spying. Strangers give him secret messages which he is to follow. How exciting!

But… what is he really doing? As he sits at conferences recording competing company’s presentations, and submitting reports back to his home office, he starts to experience odd neck pains and nightmares and visual manifestations. Then… he meets a strange woman, Rita Foster (Lui) at a convention bar. She offers him some information, and implores him to skip recording the next convention speech, and to see what happens. As his company confirms receipt of his non-existent report, things begin to sway from strange to downright insane. What is real? Who is doing what to whom? Why is Sullivan mixed up in these plots?

Cypher is low budget, and does have that feel a bit at times, but despite that, it remains a decently solid story and hypnotic film. Exactly what is going on is constantly unclear, and the mystery remains interesting as the story drives along. It’s not the greatest Sci-Fi mind-blender of all time, but it’s good enough for a watch. Jump on into the mix of Cypher, all you need is security tech tighter than a nun’s asshole.