I.T.

“I.T.” is a thriller about technology. Though innovative, It is not sci-fi; rather, it makes a sci-fi style plot out of the technology we currently have. It’s a dark, tense, suspenseful tale of spy against spy.

Mike Regan is a benevolent scientist who hires a former government agent named Ed Porter. When Ed meets Mike’s daughter, Kaitlyn, Mike disapproves of his daughter being involved with someone they know so little. From there, the Regans’ lives spiral into a twisted nightmare as Ed beings to control their every move to exact revenge. To protect his family, Mike must now find Ed’s weakness and take great risks.

I immensely enjoyed the scenery in this film. The architecture is very classy, and the effort put into making the sets neat was plain to see. I also enjoyed another outstanding performance from Stefanie Scott, a former Disney actress made famous by “Insidious: Chapter 3.” While she has comparatively few lines, she is very important to the plot, and her presence definitely adds a lot.

Pierce Brosnan’s performance could use some work, but his relationships to the other actors is convincing. James Frencheville’s performance as a psychotic felon is never over-the-top; his sane appearance makes his character even more terrifying.

But I’m afraid there are also a few things I didn’t enjoy. First, the language increases as the film progresses. It amounts up to 6 misuses of God, 1 of Jesus, 2 d**ns, 44 f-words (three with mother), 11 s-words, and 1 *ss.

This film deals with some very mature subject matter, part of which is how dangerous sex and technology can be together. This results in a scene of Kaitlyn masturbating in the shower, which, while it has a good purpose, still shows more than necessary. It’s not overly graphic, but could still be problematic for young men watching the film. My main concern is the amount of skin shown. No sensitive areas are shown, but it gets close.

Little did Kaitlyn know that Ed was secretly recording her at the time (not a spoiler, because it’s shown in the same scene. I won’t spoil what becomes of the video, but I will mention that it’s partially scene a few times later). In context, these acts are not condoned. While yes, Kaitlyn is a victim, her unwise behavior with Ed beforehand makes it clear that she is not a good role model either. I wasn’t offended that this was part of the plot, but I was offended by how much it showed.

We also glimpse a diagram of breasts in Ed’s office, which is not detailed or realistic. The only other potentially questionable scene is when two women kiss goodbye on the cheeks, which I’m pretty sure was just cordial, but it could be taken another way. It’s hard to tell these days.

There is also a brutal scene of hand-to-hand combat at the end. While it’s satisfying to see Mike protect his family and fight to the death for them, the scene is not for the faint of heart. (Neither is the prior scene in which Ed inflicts a bloody wound on himself to make it look like Mike assaulted him.) The peril is extreme throughout, but no one actually gets shot. Ed also briefly uses drugs in his office, but again, it’s not condoned.

While this film could have used a little more discretion and suffers from excessive language, I have to commend its message. Many messages, actually. It promotes obedience to parents and shows the consequences of disobedience. It discourages becoming blinded to safety by lust. But most importantly, the whole Regan family learns to be careful who they trust with their security. Be CAREFUL with Internet! It can be grossly abused! And furthermore, don’t trust someone just because they used to work for the government. People with that much power are often corrupt.

I would only recommend that older teens watch this film with their parents. While there is much caution to be exercised, just like with Internet, this film has an important message for our day and age.

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.