Black
Hat
Movie
Analysis
By Keith Llaneta
1. Characters:
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Chris Hemsworth as Nicholas Hathaway, a hacker serving a prison sentence who is
released to help track down a cybercriminal.
Viola Davis as Carol Barrett, an FBI agent who enlists Hathaway's help in the investigation.
Wei Tang as Chen Lien, a computer expert who is also the sister of the cybercriminal.
Leehom Wang as Captain Chen Dawai, a Chinese military officer who works with the FBI
to track down the cybercriminal.
2. Plot:
"Blackhat" is a thriller movie directed by Michael Mann that follows the story of a hacker named
Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth). After a devastating cyberattack on a nuclear power plant
in Hong Kong, the FBI enlists Hathaway's help to track down the person responsible for the attack.
Hathaway, who is currently serving a prison sentence for his own hacking crimes, is released to
help with the investigation.
As Hathaway and the FBI agents investigate, they discover that the cybercriminal is actually a
highly skilled hacker who is using a sophisticated computer virus to commit a series of attacks.
Hathaway and his team travel from Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta as they try to track down
the hacker and prevent him from causing further damage.
3. Moral of the movie:
The movie "Blackhat" highlights the power of technology and the need for individuals and
governments to take cybersecurity seriously. It shows the potential consequences of
cyberattacks and how they can affect critical infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants. The
film also portrays the importance of international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime.
4. Definitions:
a. Blackhat: In the context of the movie, a blackhat refers to a hacker who uses their skills for
illegal or unethical purposes.
b. Black widow: A type of computer virus that is designed to be destructive and difficult to
remove.
c. NSA: The National Security Agency, a United States intelligence agency responsible for global
monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic
intelligence purposes. d. Backdoor (computer): A hidden entry point into a computer system that
bypasses normal security measures.
5.
Two damages caused by the computer virus:
The computer virus in the movie caused two major damages. Firstly, it caused a nuclear reactor
to overheat and leak radiation, putting people's lives in danger. Secondly, it caused the stock
exchange to crash, resulting in huge financial losses.
6. Counterpart of NSA in China:
The counterpart of NSA in China is the Ministry of State Security (MSS). Like the NSA, the MSS is
responsible for intelligence gathering and national security matters.
7.
Ending of the movie:
In the end, Hathaway and his team successfully track down the cybercriminal and stop him from
carrying out further attacks. Hathaway and Chen Lien reconcile, and the movie ends with them
walking away from the camera, suggesting a possible future relationship.