The Net

Angela Bennett works as a freelance computer systems analyst, hunting down glitches and viruses for a living. By night she logs on to chat rooms with other net surfers, treating the online world as a social refuge. While testing a newly released online game for a cyber pal, she stumbles upon a top secret software program hidden within the system. Before she can make sense of it, she finds herself pursued by hidden agents who will do anything to silence her and shield the project. With her identity rapidly discarded as she travels through a digital maze and real world traps, she must stay one step ahead of those who want her erased. The chase blends technology, paranoia, and danger.

The Net released in 1995, directed by Irwin Winkler, with a screenplay by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It presents Winkler's venture into a techno thriller built from an original story rather than a novel or comic for broad audiences.

It earned about 110.6 million worldwide against a 22 million budget, signaling solid commercial performance for a mid budget thriller and strong showings in both domestic and international markets. Its worldwide reception helped expand early discussion around online identity risks.

The Net helped shape the public imagination about online danger and identity theft, one of the era's first big screen thrillers to center the internet as a high stakes playground. Its chase set pieces linger in memory and influenced later cyber suspense. Fans still recall the chase through crowded streets.

Critics gave mixed reviews, praising Bullock's tough performance and the film's brisk tempo while flagging implausible tech details and melodrama. The story probes privacy, surveillance, and how quickly a modern life can be turned upside down by an unseen foe. The film also raises questions about data trails and consent.