As far as I understand it, the word paranoia refers to an irrational state involving intense fear and panic, often involving fantasies of persecution. Oddly enough, while there are a few brief moments of fright and tension for the lead character in the new thriller Paranoia, there is very little actual… well, paranoia. And that’s the least of the movie’s problems.
Twenty-something Adam (Liam Hemsworth) is a tech-savvy idea man striving to make it big in the business world. Frustrated at his lack of success and looming medical debts caused by his sickly father (Richard Dreyfuss), he is suddenly forced into a dicey proposition by Nicolas Wyatt (Gary Oldman), the head of the Wyatt Corporation.
Agreeing to be an undercover spy, he is given a fancy cover in order to work his way to the head of a rival company. His mission is to discover and steal a revolutionary new phone product that Wyatt’s adversary Goddard (Harrison Ford) is prepping for release. Matters are complicated when Adam begins to fall for a Goddard employee named Emma (Amber Heard). Gauzily shot love scenes ensue, forcing Adam to strip down to an undershirt whenever the opportunity arises.
If this movie sounds more than a bit preposterous, it is. Nothing that takes place within the executive world feels in any way authentic, least of all Adam’s rather quick and casual rise to Goddard’s side. Neither, for that matter, is Wyatt’s frequent use of an assassin to rid himself of ex-employees who know too much (although he must be saving some dough on severance packages). The double crosses and twists that follow in the second half of the film border on the absurd and Adam’s spy chores mostly consist of waiting for files to load at inopportune moments or desperately trying to start an app on his smart phone.
Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman do their best to growl and bark as nasty and embittered company heads. They’re fun to watch, but unfortunately are relegated to supporting characters in the movie, which focuses more on Adam’s inner turmoil from manipulating Emma and letting his computer whiz friends suffer as he moves up the corporate ladder. The dialogue written for the younger cast is wooden, resulting in heroes we can’t for.
And the film’s climax, which features the protagonist and his friends working together take down the crooked parties responsible for his predicament, is even less convincing. There are also a few strange plot holes as the film closes, including Adam’s rather blasé non-reaction to the assumed murder of a character that is likely in a predicament similar to his own.
The message of “doing the right thing” by exposing and taking down wealthy (and occasionally staff-murdering) managers is fine. However, as a dramatic thriller, Paranoia has all the thrills and chills of a board room meeting.