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Swordfish

Swordfish

Log on. Hack in. Go anywhere. Steal everything.

200199 minRMidcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Director
Dominic Sena
Starring
John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle

Rogue agent Gabriel Shear is determined to get his mitts on $9 billion stashed in a secret Drug Enforcement Administration account. He wants the cash to fight terrorism, but lacks the computer skills necessary to hack into the government mainframe. Enter Stanley Jobson, a n'er-do-well encryption expert who can log into anything.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Swordfish?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Swordfish streaming on Howdy via The Roku Channel and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Swordfish?

Swordfish earns 8 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Swordfish worth watching?

Swordfish's Midcredits score is the 55th percentile of all films, from 281K ratings across 6 sources. 56% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

55th percentile

Better received than 55% of films

70th percentile among Action52nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)47th
Approval (how many liked it)61st

61 /100

47th percentile of all films

63rd percentile among Action46th percentile among 2000s

Critics 32 · Audience 63

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

56% liked it

61st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Action58th percentile among 2000s
56% rated it 7–1044% rated it 1–6

Critics 27% · Audience 59%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 10 noms overall

98th percentile

281K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$102M
Opening weekend$18M
Domestic gross$70M
Worldwide gross$147M

Returned 1.4× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slick, high-energy action thriller with a thin, implausible plot and style over substance.

Fans praised

  • cool action set pieces including bullet-time explosion
  • slick style and energetic pacing
  • cast chemistry between Jackman and Berry

Detractors panned

  • incoherent and convoluted plot
  • Travolta's waxwork performance
  • mindless bang-by-numbers action lacking substance

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

impressive explosions and bullet-time shots

PacingDivisive60

relentless but sometimes exhausting

Cinematography55

orange tint and stylish visuals, though overdone

ActingDivisive45

Jackman charismatic but Travolta wooden; Berry limited by material

Dialogue40

slick but forgettable

CharactersDivisive35

stereotypical hacker, villain, and femme fatale

Plot and storyDivisive25

convoluted, implausible, and thin

Originality20

derivative of Matrix and other action films

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 22 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 16 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Swordfish like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingCold
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsExuberant · 2% of films: Bursting with energy and joy in its own filmmaking.
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film embraces its high-concept action premise with slick style, fast pacing, and a sense of fun, never undercutting its scenes.
The rideThe film sustains high tension from the 60-second hack test through the hostage heist, with cold, calculating exchanges between the leads.
StructureThe film opens in medias res with the bank heist and then tells the story leading up to it through flashback, creating a frame narrative.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film delivers a slick, high-energy heist with explosive action and a clever con, leaving the viewer entertained and satisfied by the hero's personal victory and the villains' escape.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeStanley, an ex-hacker seeking custody of his daughter, is coerced by charismatic Gabriel into a massive bank heist to steal $9.5 billion from a government slush fund.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsFamily bondsSurvival
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe entire film is built on layers of deception — from Gabriel's fake identity and Ginger's real allegiance to the final double-cross — while Stanley's desperate love for his daughter and his fight to survive drive the plot.
StanceThe film observes deception as a neutral tool of survival and ambition, without celebrating or condemning it; the focus is on Stanley's personal ordeal.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
ElectronicOrchestral modernForeground music · original score
SettingLos Angeles — hacker's rural Texas home, nightclub, Gabriel's mansion, a bank branch, and government offices.
MusicOakenfold's electronica tracks define the film's early-2000s techno-thriller energy.

Content guide

Is Swordfish okay for kids?

R

Swordfish is rated R: “Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality/nudity” (MPAA). As of August 18, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (80/100), sexual content at intense (64/100), language at severe (81/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (60/100) and frightening material at intense (71/100). Overall it is heavier than 80% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-15
  • Hungary12
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands16
  • PhilippinesR-18
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 88% of all filmsHeavier than 80% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 64%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Profanity
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 74%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 66%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: language, violence, frightening material, sexual content, and drug and alcohol content.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Swordfish have?

MovieCove's classifier found 7 depicted content warnings in Swordfish: Gun violence (severe), Gore or body horror (moderate), Addiction or relapse (mild), plus 4 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereGun violence
ModerateGore or body horror
MildAddiction or relapse

Cast and crew

Who is in Swordfish?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

John Travolta
as Gabriel
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hugh Jackman
as Stanley
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Halle Berry
as Ginger
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Don Cheadle
as Roberts
Vinnie Jones
as Marco
newcomer then · star now
Sam Shepard
as Senator Reisman
Drea de Matteo
as Melissa
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Rudolf Martin
as Axl Torvalds
Zach Grenier
as A.D. Joy
Camryn Grimes
as Holly
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Swordfish?

Movies like Swordfish include Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Shade (2003) and Cradle 2 the Grave (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, most are heist films, and most are films about law enforcement.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: Los Angeles. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Swordfish?

94 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: hacker. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.