Since the emergence of computers and the following but progressive technologization of society, hackers have been exploiting this new reality for multiple reasons. Whether stealing important documents, revealing to the world sensitive governmental data, or sabotaging corporate enemies, hackers have become more and more influential in our daily lives with their practices. Good or bad, hacking has forever entered the zeitgeist of our new society.

This list presents you with the best hacker movies ever made and elaborates on how hacking was portrayed and what techniques are featured in the plots. From eternal classics like Ghost In The Shell and WarGames to underrated and less known gems like One Point O and Who Am I, this list will bring you to the world of hackers and their complex and brilliant minds.

20 Hackers

A scene from Hackers
United Artists

Despite not performing well at the 1995 box office, Hackers has become a cult over the years for its cyberpunk aesthetic and for its ability to capture the atmosphere of the early Internet. The movie sees a group of young hackers, including Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller, Matthew Lillard, and Renoly Santiago, combating a powerful and dangerous hacker.

Hackers contains many scenes where the protagonists use hacking techniques and devices to obtain what they need. These techniques include password cracking, phishing, and network scanning, among others. However, it must be stressed that the movie tends to overemphasize and hyperbolize real-life hacking, sometimes exaggerating or creatively enhancing the potential capabilities of a hacking attack. Hackers is a lighthearted introduction to hacking movies.

Related: Jonny Lee Miller's 9 Best Performances, Ranked

19 Open Windows

A scene from Open Windows
Antena 3 Films

Open Windows was written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo. It features a unique mise-en-scène: the plot develops through many videos that the audience sees through the screencast, the capturing and recording of video screens. The movie stars Elijah Wood as Nick Chambers, a fan who wins the possibility of meeting his favorite actress Jill Goddard, portrayed by Sasha Grey.

Open Windows puts in front of the screen the ambivalence of technology and precisely its ability to interconnect people while, at the same time, being susceptible to hacking. In fact, in the movie, Jill's cellphone gets hacked, with its camera and microphone turned on remotely. Open Windows is a creative technological process in itself.

18 The Italian Job

A scene from The Italian Job
De Line Pictures

The Italian Job was directed by F. Gary Gray, and it is a loose remake of the 1969 cult heist movie of the same name. After Steve Frazelli (Edward Norton) betrays his crew and steals from them all the loot from a perfectly designed robbery, the surviving members, led by Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg), plan for revenge.

Charlie's crew features a hacker named Lyle (Seth Green), who has an absolutely essential role: he is able to hack into the city's traffic control system in order to re-direct the target of the heist towards the crew's desired spot. The Italian Job shows how society's progressive technologization and computerization also imply the correspondent technologization of robbing techniques.

17 23

A scene from 23
Claussen & Wöbke 

Co-written and directed by Hans-Christian Schmid, 23 is an underrated thriller based on actual events. August Diehl stars in the role of Karl Koch, a real-life hacker who lived in 1980s Germany during the Cold War. He starts to hack into the global data network, the previous version of the Internet, and works for the KGB.

23 is a great movie that depicts the pioneering beginning of many civilian hackers who started exploring the capabilities of new technological devices in the 1980s. At the same time, 23 perfectly depicts the beginning of a new era, when espionage starts to be done electronically through computers rather than in persons by mysterious spies. An often overlooked movie, 23 is still powerful to this day.

16 Tron

A scene from Tron
Walt Disney Productions

Written and directed by Steven Lisberger, Tron is a fantastic sci-fi cult from the 1980s that stars Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a former videogame developer and video arcade owner. After trying to hack into the system of the corporation he was working for, Flynn gets catapulted into the software itself. Tron's popularity made possible the release of a sequel in 2010.

Although Tron does not represent realistically hacking, it still features elements that relate to that world and subculture. Tron presents the idea of cyberspace, a completely different and parallel reality made of codes and software. At the same time, also the character of Flynn exhibits hacking abilities when he tries to force himself into the corporation's system.

15 The Signal

A scene from The Signal
Low Spark Films

Co-written and directed by William Eubank, The Signal takes the hacking theme into arthouse territory and mixes it with solid touches of science fiction and thriller. The movie stars Brenton Thwaites, Olivia Cooke, and Beau Knapp respectively as MIT students Nic, Haley, and Jonah. While driving toward California, a mysterious hacker starts sending them emails. Everything changes when they track down the hacker's position.

Hacking has a small part in The Signal, but it is important because it shows the students' ability to counterattack the hacker by tracking down his position. The movie describes how sometimes the same individuals who hackers target can switch the power dynamic and respond with the same weapons to the attack after gaining specific knowledge.

14 Johnny Mnemonic

Johnny Mnemonic
Johnny Mnemonic Productions

Directed by Robert Longo and based on the homonymous short story by cyberpunk pioneer William Gibson, Johnny Mnemonic features an ensemble cast that includes Keanu Reeves, Dolph Lundgren, Ice T, and Takeshi Kitano. Johnny Mnemonic (Reeves) possesses a storage implant in his brain that allows him to transport sensitive data. Everything changes when he agrees to transport something different from usual.

In this movie, hacking is fundamental for accessing the sensitive data contained in Johnny Mnemonic's brain. The Yakuza and a powerful corporation, which is led by Takahashi (Kitano) called Pharmakom, want the data. At the same time, the cyberpunk atmosphere elevates the hacking theme by featuring multiple and diverse technological devices throughout the movie. A prophetical movie.

Related: Why Keanu Reeves Is Such a Beloved Celebrity

13 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

A scene from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Yellow Bird

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was directed by Niels Arden Oplev, and it's based on the homonymous novel by Stieg Larsson. Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), a journalist who is under investigation and is facing three months of jail, and Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), a capable hacker and security expert with an obscure past, are hired by the rich Vanger family to investigate the disappearance of a family member.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo shows the audience a more realistic portrayal of hackers and hacking abilities, completely devoid of futuristic or cyberpunk elements. Technology and computers are heavily used throughout the movie to gather and research information and it's Lisbeth Salander who uses them mostly.

12 Who Am I

A scene from Who Am I
Deutsche Columbia 

Who Am I was co-written and directed by Baran bo Odar, and it is an excellent example of what is considered a techno-thriller. The movie revolves around Benjamin Engel (Tom Schilling), a hacker from Berlin who gets in contact with a fellow hacker named Max (Elyas M'Barek). Everything changes after that.

Who Am I features many scenes in which the hacking world and its pros and cons are described in detail and style. Interestingly, along with cybernetic techniques of hacking like phishing, this German movie also sees the hackers dumpster diving in order to retrieve critical information, showing how sometimes a practical action that doesn't involve computers is also fundamental for the hacking goal. Underrated hacker movie.

11 Sneakers

A scene from Sneakers
  Universal Studios

Co-written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, Sneakers features an impressive ensemble cast that includes Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Ben Kingsley, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix, and Dan Aykroyd. Martin Bishop (Redford) is the head of a security team with a past as a left-wing activist. Everything changes for the team when they are approached by NSA agents and tasked with recovering a mysterious encryption device.

Sneakers is great for showing the combination of creativity and specific knowledge necessary to bring hacking projects to completion. Since the movie focuses entirely on a whole team of hackers, it is possible to see different techniques and understand their complexities. At the same time, the ethical dilemmas related to hacking are also effectively portrayed.

10 GoldenEye

A scene from GoldenEye
United Artists

GoldenEye is the seventeenth instalment of the famous James Bond film franchise. Directed by Martin Campbell and based on the character created by Ian Fleming, the movie sees Pierce Brosnan portraying for the first time the British spy and battling against an MI6 agent turned rogue called Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean), who decided to gain control of an electromagnetic weapon.

In GoldenEye, hacking is featured through the presence of a secondary villain that works for Trevelyan, whose name is Boris Grishenko (Alan Cumming). The computer programmer turned hacker is fundamental for his technological abilities: he can gain control and operate the weapon through his computer. GoldenEye is a highly entertaining spy film that builds an exciting story thanks to its hacking undertones.

9 Anon

A scene from Anon
K5 International

Co-produced, written, and directed by sci-fi master Andrew Niccol, Anon depicts a futuristic society where privacy doesn't exist. In fact, all citizens are obligated to carry an implant in their eyes that constantly record their lives. Clive Owen stars as Sal Frieland, a troubled metropolitan police detective that casually encounters a woman, portrayed by Amanda Seyfried, who appears not to be surveilled by the implants.

Given the incredible effect of technology on the society depicted in Anon, the use of hacking elements is fundamental for totally conveying the supreme importance of the data of each citizen and the dystopian nature of the environment in which Frieland has to operate. For instance, cyber attacks directly target the eyesight of individuals rather than their devices.

8 One Point O

A scene from One Point O
Armada Pictures 

One Point O was written and directed by Jeff Renfroe and Marteinn Thorsson. It is a vastly underrated and under-the-radar gem that features Jeremy Sisto, Deborah Kara Unger, Bruce Payne, and Udo Kier. Simon J. (Sisto) is a computer programmer that lives alone in his apartment. One day, he receives an empty package that he did not order. It's the first of many more.

One Point O amazingly mixes themes dear to hacking movies, such as paranoia towards big corporations and an ultra-technological society, with the Kafkaesque elements of isolation and nightmarish atmospheres. In this movie, hacking is used as background information to better materialize the dystopian reality of the movie. To be discovered and watched immediately.

7 The Matrix

Keanu Reeves in the original Matrix.
Warner Bros. Pictures

The Matrix is one of the most influential movies of the 1990s and an excellent example of the cyberpunk aesthetic. Written and amazingly directed by the Wachowskis and featuring Keanu Reeves in his iconic role of Neo, this movie details the story of humanity trapped in a fictitious reality created by machines.

Even though The Matrix is not a classic hacker movie, it features some elements that are connected to the topic. Neo, in fact, is portrayed as a computer programmer by day and a hacker by night, and it is his interest in hacking that puts him in contact with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). The Matrix is a classic cyberpunk movie that has made history since its release.

Related: These Action Movies Have the Best Sound Design

6 Inception

A scene from Inception
Syncopy

Written, co-produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan, Inception stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the talented robber Dom Cobb, who can penetrate people's dreams to steal secrets from them. His latest target Saito (Ken Watanabe) hires him to complete a mission that, at first hand, seems impossible for the seasoned thief: rather than taking secretes, Cobb would have to implant an idea in businessman Robert Michael Fischer (Cillian Murphy).

A creative imagination of hacking characterizes Inception. On the one hand, the team led by Cobb hacks into people's dreams in order to access their brains; on the other, while in their own dreams, the team has the advantage of being able to manipulate the environment they find, basically hacking themselves.

5 Snowden

A scene from Snowden
Endgame Entertainment

Co-written and directed by Oliver Stone, Snowden tells the story of the real-life CIA subcontractor called Edward Snowden, who became a whistleblower after realizing highly sensitive information about the NSA, the National Security Agency. The movie has an astonishing ensemble cast featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the part of Snowden and Shailene Woodley as Snowden's partner. Moreover, we find Zachary Quinto, Mellissa Leo, Tom Wilkinson, and Nicolas Cage.

Snowden is exceptionally gifted with hacking abilities, and the movie is great in showing to the minimum detail the plan and execution that the whistleblower had to go through in order to release information that he thought had to be public. The movie is amazing in depicting Snowden using encryption and data exfiltration techniques.

4 Blackhat

A scene from Blackhat
Legendary Pictures

Co-produced and directed by Michael Mann, Blackhat sees Chris Hemsworth in the role of Nicholas Hathaway, a hacker in jail that gets released in exchange for helping the FBI and the Chinese People's Liberation Army cyber warfare unit to stop a cyber criminal. The movie also features Tang Wei, Viola Davis, Holt McCallany, and Andy On.

Blackhat is an underestimated thriller by Mann that, despite its poor performance at the box office, contains many significant elements. The screenplay is tense and engaging from minute one, and it helps build the tense and deceptive environment of hackers and governmental agencies. Simultaneously, Blackhat goes deep with its cinematic depiction of hacking, including many techniques like cryptography and network penetration.

3 WarGames

A scene from WarGames
United Artists

WarGames was directed by John Badham and written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes. The movie is fundamental for its pioneering and first depiction of hacking and its pop-cultural influences in American society. Matthew Broderick stars in the part of David Lightman, a high schooler and young hacker who accesses a supercomputer belonging to the US Army.

WarGames features many scenes that show the powerful and possibly risky nature of hacking and the technological society developing in the 1980s, culminating with today's Internet society. Despite the lack of accuracy in certain depictions of hacking, the movie effectively delivers an entertaining screenplay that is clear to the audience without appearing difficult due to the highly technical nature of hacking.

2 eXistenZ

A scene from eXistenZ
The Movie Network

Written, directed, and co-produced by David Cronenberg, eXistenZ mixes the director's body horror aesthetic with vital science fiction elements. Jennifer Jason Leigh is the protagonist, playing the game designer Allegra Geller. In the film's dystopian future, games are played by connecting game pods to the human spine. eXistenZ also features Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm, and Callum Keith Rennie.

eXistenZ has become a cult through the years, despite its poor performance at the box office. The type of hacking that Cronenberg presents here is similar to the one appearing in The Matrix. It's the human body rather than computers that offer the possibility to hackers, in this case zealously against the biotechnological games, to interfere.

1 Ghost in the Shell

A scene from Ghost in the Shell
Production I.G

Mamoru Oshii directed this classic cyberpunk anime based on the homonymous manga by Masamune Shirow. Japan, 2029. Motoko Kusanagi (voice by Atsuko Tanaka) is the leader of the Public Security Section 9 who is hunting down a dangerous hacker known as the Puppet Master (voice by Iemasa Kayumi).

Ghost in the Shell brings hacking to another level. In its universe, the population features a hybrid body composition that allows them to interact with technological devices or learn extremely well and fast abilities or skills. This is done thanks to an interface located in the brain. Major Kusanagi has only a human brain and spinal cord, being able to hack devices and people with her cyborg body.