Skip to content
MovieCove
Hack!

Hack!

200789 minRMidcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Director
Matt Flynn
Starring
Danica McKellar, Jay Kenneth Johnson, William Forsythe, Sean Kanan

Seven college students are picked to travel to a private island owned by the reclusive Vincent King and his film-obsessed wife Mary Shelley to study island wildlife. But is isn't long when a mysterious killer begins killing the students one-by-one, and modeling them after gory murder scenes from numerous horror films.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hack!?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Hack! on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Reception

Is Hack! worth watching?

Hack!'s Midcredits score is the 8th percentile of all films, from 3K ratings across 4 sources. 18% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

8th percentile

Better received than 8% of films

7th percentile among Comedy8th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)13th
Approval (how many liked it)6th

47 /100

13th percentile of all films

12th percentile among Comedy13th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

18% liked it

6th percentile of all films

5th percentile among Comedy5th percentile among 2000s
18% rated it 7–1082% rated it 1–6

56th percentile

3K ratings across platforms

50th percentile among Comedy48th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$2M

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slasher horror-comedy loaded with references and clichés, where genre buffs may find fun but others find a derivative mess.

Fans praised

  • infectious love of horror genre
  • campy, self-aware humor and references
  • gore, nudity, and fun kills

Detractors panned

  • script mired in clichés and unsubtle references
  • dialogue makes actors sound stupid
  • lack of suspense, emotional investment, and character depth

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

Gory kill scenes praised, but effects sometimes cheap

HumorDivisive50

Campy gags and references, divisive

ActingDivisive45

Cast enthusiasm and charm praised, but execution often called amateurish

Plot and storyDivisive40

Predictable slasher with a twist some liked, others found lacking

DialogueDivisive35

Incessant self-referential chatter, a few gems

CharactersDivisive30

Stereotypes without depth or motivation

Originality20

Heavy borrowing from classic horrors

Tension20

No suspense, predictable kills

Preferred by

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

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Hack! like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It has a few laughs and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

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

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseAbsurdThrilling
Heaviest: late
Satirical humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsPlayfulCampy · 4% of films
Told as
In medias res · 1% of films: Opens mid-action, then fills in how we got there.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material at a knowing ironic distance, constantly winking at horror tropes and filling scenes with self-conscious references.
The rideThe film balances tension with comedic absurdity, with the most intense stretches during the murder sequences.
StructureOpens with a decapitation scene before jumping back to the students' arrival, then follows a conventional slasher structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's energetic gore and self-aware jokes can be entertaining, but the poor execution leaves a mixed, slightly unsatisfied feeling.
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).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · 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. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeCollege students are trapped on an island and hunted by a killer couple who stage murders as horror-film homages, typical of a predator slasher with a whodunit element.

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 filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · 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%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15% (this title): 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%

Survival

SurvivalDeception · 9% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film follows college students fighting for their lives while the killers' true motives and hidden identities (including a possible turncoat) add layers of deception.
StanceThe film satirizes slasher film conventions while following a protagonist trying to survive.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
ElectronicOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Scott Glasgow
Settinga private island off the coast, owned by a film-obsessed couple
MusicThe score was composed by Scott Glasgow.

Content guide

Is Hack! okay for kids?

R

Hack! is rated R: “Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, nudity, sexuality, language and drug use” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (100/100), sexual content at intense (67/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 Hack! have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hack!?

Cast

Danica McKellar
as Emily
Jay Kenneth Johnson
as Johnny
William Forsythe
as Willy
Sean Kanan
as Vincent King
Juliet Landau
as Mary Shelley
Tony Burton
as Sheriff Stoker
Justin Chon
as Ricky
Travis Schuldt
as Tim
Lochlyn Munro
as Deputy Radley
Adrienne Frantz
as Maddy

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hack!?

Movies like Hack! include Hell of a Summer (2023), Drive Thru (2007) and Popcorn (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, most are horror comedies, and most are hero-versus-nemesis stories.

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

All 12 share its story type: slasher. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hack!?

932 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: closed circle. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.