Masterminds (1997)
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19% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
31% want to see it
(3,755 ratings)
A criminal genius who has carefully planned the ultimate score runs across an unexpected obstacle -- a 16-year-old computer hacker -- in this youth-oriented action-adventure story. Ozzie Paxton (Vincent Kartheiser) is a teenager with a knack for causing trouble; he's been expelled from the Shady… More A criminal genius who has carefully planned the ultimate score runs across an unexpected obstacle -- a 16-year-old computer hacker -- in this youth-oriented action-adventure story. Ozzie Paxton (Vincent Kartheiser) is a teenager with a knack for causing trouble; he's been expelled from the Shady Glen School, an exclusive private academy, for pulling one too many pranks on the faculty. Besides, he prefers to stay home with his computer, where for fun and profit he hacks into the systems of computer game designers, downloads new games before they can go on the market, and burns bootleg CD-ROMs that he can sell to his friends. One day, Ozzie's younger sister Melissa (Katie Stuart) talks him into giving her a lift to Shady Glen, where she still attends; looking for a little revenge, he sneaks into the school and intends to have a little fun with their computer system. As it turns out, Ozzie runs afoul of the school's new security chief, former British Secret Service agent Rafe Bentley (Patrick Stewart), who was hired by Principal Maloney (Brenda Fricker) after Ozzie's most recent bit of computer terrorism. But Bentley is not the friend of the law that he seems to be; several of the wealthiest families in America send their children to Shady Glen, and Bentley has a scheme to kidnap ten of the school's richest children and hold them for a ransom of $650 million. Ozzie is caught in the middle of Bentley's kidnapping plot and must now use his computer skills in order to save the children and put Bentley behind bars. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Roger Christian
- Written By
- Floyd Byars
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
One of the silliest hostage thrillers you're ever likely to see Patrick Stewart vamp his way through.
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Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
The title could not be a more ironic--the people behind this film don't have a single mind between them, let alone one to master.
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
, Ozzie eases into being a hero by doing what he does best naturally.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Cast
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Patrick Stewart
as Ralph Bentley
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Vincent Kartheiser
as Ozzie Paxton
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Brenda Fricker
as Claire Maloney
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Bradley Whitford
as Miles Lawrence
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Matt Craven
as Jake Paxton
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Annabelle Gurwitch
as Helen Paxton
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Katie Stuart
as Melissa Randall
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Michael MacRae
as Foster Deroy
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Jon Abrahams
as K-Dog
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Vanessa Morley
as Gabby
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Callum Keith Rennie
as Ollie
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Earl Pastko
as Capt. Jankel
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Jason Schomberg
as Marvin
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Michael David Simms
as Col. Duke
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David Paul Grove
as The Ferret
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Jay Brazeau
as Eliot
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Michael Benyaer
as Taxi Driver
