'Wardriver' review: Dane DeHaan makes this crime thriller a less bumpy ride

Rebecca Thomas' modest, minor-key thriller Wardriver blends neo-noir atmosphere with a crime-caper sensibility that nods to Drive and Heat, but it runs at too low a boil and leans on conventional plotting. Shot in just 20 days, the film is a fairly immersive urban crime story that deserves an appreciative nod rather than grand praise.

A wardriver, as the film explains, drives around town with a laptop hunting unsecured Wi‑Fi to exploit. Thomas avoids the uncinematic tedium by lingering on close-ups of Cole, played by Dane DeHaan, who leans into the character’s tired eyes and unglamorous work.

DeHaan makes a compelling case that he deserves more than his career has afforded him; his performance is the best thing here. The setup grows darker when Oscar (Mamoudou Athie) breaks into Cole’s home, beats him, and forces him to siphon $800,000 from the account of Sarah (Sasha Calle), the lover of crooked attorney Mark Bilson (Jeffrey Donovan).

wardriver, dane dehaan, rebecca thomas, neo-noir, crime thriller, mamoudou athie, sasha calle, jeffrey donovan, wi-fi, cybercrime