Top Hacker Movies to Watch Right Now for Movie Buffs

If you’re interested in the world of cybercrime and hacking, you’ll want to check out these hacker movies available on Netflix and other platforms:

Watching hacker movies can provide fascinating insights into the realm of cybercrime. While Hollywood often amps up the action compared to reality, you might be surprised by how closely these films mirror real-life hacking.

Though the characters may come across as somewhat stereotypical, they share similarities with actual cybercriminals. The stories, often inspired by historical events or speculative scenarios, offer a gripping look into the world of hacking.

Hackers have become increasingly influential in our daily lives, from stealing important documents to exposing sensitive government data and sabotaging rival companies. Movies about hackers offer an intriguing look at how hacking is depicted and the techniques used in various plots. So, what are the best hacker movies? Here’s our list of hacker movies with high IMDb ratings 👇🏻

Movie List Index

1.WarGames

Top Hacker Movies to Watch Right Now - WarGames

Directed by John Badham and written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes, WarGames is a seminal movie that captures the early depiction of computer hacking and its cultural impact on American society. Matthew Broderick stars as David Lightman, a high school student and teenage hacker who gains unauthorized access to a U.S. military supercomputer.

Information about WarGames (1983)

Director: John Badham
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, John Wood, Dabney Coleman
Release Year: 1983
Duration: 114 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Language: English
Age Rating: PG
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Similar Movies: Sneakers (1992), Hackers (1995), The Net (1995)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: WarGames on IMDb

2.Snowden

Top Hacker Movies to Watch Right Now Snowden

Co-written and directed by Oliver Stone, Snowden chronicles the true story of Edward Snowden, a former CIA contractor who became an informant after uncovering highly sensitive information about the National Security Agency (NSA). The movie features Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Snowden and Shailene Woodley as his partner. Notable actors like Zachary Quinto, Melissa Leo, Tom Wilkinson, and Nicolas Cage also appear. The movie is particularly notable for its accurate portrayal of Snowden’s encryption and data exfiltration techniques.

Information about Snowden (2016)

Director: Oliver Stone
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto
Release Year: 2016
Duration: 134 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Similar Movies: CitizenFour (2014), The Fifth Estate (2013), The Social Network (2010)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: Snowden on IMDb

3.Matrix

The Matrix is one of the most influential movies of the 1990s and a quintessential example of the cyberpunk aesthetic. Written and superbly directed by the Wachowski brothers, and starring Keanu Reeves as the iconic Neo, the movie explores a world where humanity is trapped in a simulated reality created by machines. Although The Matrix is not a classic hacker movie, it features relevant elements. Neo, who is portrayed as a computer programmer by day and a hacker by night, gets involved with Trinity (played by Carrie-Anne Moss) through his hacking activities. The Matrix remains a groundbreaking cyberpunk movie that has made a lasting impact since its release.

Information about The Matrix (1999)

Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving
Release Year: 1999
Duration: 136 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Similar Movies: Inception (2010), Blade Runner (1982), Equilibrium (2002)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: The Matrix on IMDb

4.Anon

Anon, co-produced, written, and directed by Andrew Niccol, is a gripping science fiction movie that explores a future where privacy has become obsolete. In this society, every citizen is required to wear an implant in their eyes that constantly records their lives. Clive Owen stars as Sal Frieland, a troubled metropolitan police detective who stumbles upon a woman, played by Amanda Seyfried, who seems to be invisible to the implants. What sets the movie apart is its unique take on cyberattacks; rather than targeting devices, the attacks aim to disrupt people’s ability to see directly.

Information about Anon (2018)

Director: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Clive Owen, Amanda Seyfried, Colm Feore, Sonya Walger
Release Year: 2018
Duration: 100 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Language: English
Age Rating: TV-MA
Available Platforms: Netflix
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Similar Movies: Minority Report (2002), Gattaca (1997), Black Mirror (2011)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: Anon on IMDb

5.GoldenEye

GoldenEye is the seventeenth movie in the iconic James Bond series. Directed by Martin Campbell and based on the character created by Ian Fleming, this movie marks Pierce Brosnan‘s debut as the British spy, James Bond. He faces off against Alec Trevelyan (played by Sean Bean), a former MI6 agent who aims to take control of a powerful electromagnetic weapon. The movie features elements of hacking, prominently showcased through the character of Boris Grishenko (portrayed by Alan Cumming). As a secondary villain working for Trevelyan, Grishenko is a skilled computer programmer who demonstrates his technological prowess as a hacker.

Information about GoldenEye (1995)

Director: Martin Campbell
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen
Release Year: 1995
Duration: 130 minutes
Country: United Kingdom, United States
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Similar Movies: Casino Royale (2006), Skyfall (2012), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: GoldenEye on IMDb

6.Sneakers

Sneakers, co-written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, boasts an impressive cast including Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Ben Kingsley, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix, and Dan Aykroyd. The movie centers on Martin Bishop (played by Redford), the leader of a security team with a background in left-wing activism. The team’s world is turned upside down when NSA agents enlist their help to recover a mysterious encryption device. Sneakers effectively showcases the combination of creativity and specialized knowledge needed for hacking projects. With its focus on a team of hackers, the movie provides insights into various hacking techniques and their sophistication. It also explores the ethical dilemmas associated with hacking, adding depth to its portrayal of the cyber world.

Information about Sneakers (1992)

Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Cast: Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, Sidney Poitier, Ben Kingsley
Release Year: 1992
Duration: 126 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Similar Movies: WarGames (1983), Hackers (1995), Enemy of the State (1998)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: Sneakers on IMDb

7.Who Am I?

Who Am I, co-written and directed by Baran bo Odar, is a quintessential techno-thriller. The movie follows Benjamin Engel (played by Tom Schilling), a hacker from Berlin, who meets a fellow hacker named Max (portrayed by Elyas M’Barek). This encounter leads to a series of dramatic events that change everything for Benjamin. Who Am I delves deeply into the hacking world, showcasing various techniques and their pros and cons. The German movie effectively illustrates cybernetic hacking methods such as phishing and highlights the intriguing ways hackers attempt to obtain critical information.

Information about Who Am I (2014)

Director: Baran bo Odar
Cast: Tom Schilling, Elyas M’Barek, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Antoine Monot Jr.
Release Year: 2014
Duration: 105 minutes
Country: Germany
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Language: German
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Similar Movies: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Hackers (1995), Snowden (2016)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: Who Am I on IMDb

8.The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Directed by Niels Arden Oplev, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is based on Stieg Larsson’s novel of the same name. The movie features Mikael Blomkvist (played by Michael Nyqvist), a journalist facing investigation and a three-month prison sentence, who is hired by the wealthy Vanger family to solve the mysterious disappearance of a relative. He teams up with Lisbeth Salander (portrayed by Noomi Rapace), a brilliant hacker and security expert with a mysterious past. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo offers a realistic depiction of hackers and their skills, avoiding futuristic or cyberpunk elements. Technology and computers are used extensively throughout the movie to gather and analyze information.

Information about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Director: David Fincher
Cast: Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård
Release Year: 2011
Duration: 158 minutes
Country: United States, Sweden
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Similar Movies: Gone Girl (2014), Se7en (1995), Zodiac (2007)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on IMDb

9.Tron

Written and directed by Steven Lisberger, Tron is a 1980s fantasy science fiction cult classic starring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a former game developer and video arcade owner. Although Tron does not depict hacking realistically, it incorporates elements of the hacking world and subculture. The movie introduces the concept of cyberspace, a parallel reality composed of code and software. Flynn also showcases his hacking skills as he attempts to infiltrate the company’s system.

Information about Tron: Legacy (2010)

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner
Release Year: 2010
Duration: 125 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Language: English
Age Rating: PG
Available Platforms: Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Similar Movies: The Matrix (1999), Ready Player One (2018), Ender’s Game (2013)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: Tron: Legacy on IMDb

10.The Fifth Estate (Wikileaks: The Fifth Estate)

Based on Julian Assange and his history of international government relations, The Fifth Estate retells the story behind the creator of WikiLeaks. Julian Assange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) founds a journalistic organization with his colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg (played by Daniel Brühl) to expose government crimes and shady dealings. While The Fifth Estate may not be the quintessential hacker movie, the true nature of the story is deeply intriguing, and Cumberbatch delivers an effective performance.

Information about The Fifth Estate (2013)

Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten, Alicia Vikander
Release Year: 2013
Duration: 128 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Similar Movies: Snowden (2016), CitizenFour (2014), The Social Network (2010)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: The Fifth Estate on IMDb

11.CitizenFour

This documentary delves into the infamous story of Edward Snowden and his initial exposure of the controversial NSA spying program to journalists. Rather than focusing on specific hacking scenes, the movie provides a high-level overview while addressing one of the most crucial topics in hacking and cybersecurity: mass surveillance. With an impressive 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it is a compelling recommendation for anyone interested in hackers, cybersecurity, or civil liberties.

Information about CitizenFour (2014)

Director: Laura Poitras
Cast: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, William Binney, Jacob Appelbaum
Release Year: 2014
Duration: 114 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Documentary, Biography, News
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Similar Movies: Snowden (2016), The Fifth Estate (2013), Inside Job (2010)
Trailer: YouTube Trailer
IMDb Link: CitizenFour on IMDb

Netflix hacker movies ⌨️

Black Hat
Unlocked
Takeover (Hacker Wars)
Lady Voyeur (The House Next Door)
The Great Hack
Cyber Hell: An Internet Nightmare
Unfriended:Dark Web
iBoy
Glass (Camera)

Cybersecurity, cyberattacks, and hackers have captivated Hollywood for nearly half a century. With the rise of technology and its increasing role in our lives in the early 21st century, interest in hacker movies has surged globally. These movies are perfect for anyone interested in exploring the cinematic world of information security. Each movie on this list delves into cybersecurity and highlights the critical importance of protecting sensitive data. Often inspired by real-world events, the characters and scenarios in these movies are both compelling and thought-provoking. Discover the best hacker movies here.

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