Zuckerberg - The Hero, The Legend

Rating: 8/10 (29 March 2011)

This film is a very emotionless look at how Mark Zuckerberg used ideas and circumstances around him to create Facebook and become a Billionaire. The film opens with Erica Albright on Zuckerbergs only depicted date in the movie getting frustrated with his nonsensical ranting and dumping him calling him the appropriate name. The rest of the movie (spoiler) tells us how he lives up to that name. This simple plot is then encased into a lot of other subplots.
This movie presents the high IQ main character as a genius who seems to outsmart not only other nerds & geeks, but even the business types he deals with throughout the film. In effect it is making Zuckerberg into a modern legend and a real tough as nails type who is not effected by anyone around him, feasting like a fighting fish on everyone else. How much of the story is actually true is a subject of conjecture as the disclaimer at the end of the movie states that scenes were done to change the story for "dramatic effect".
The film closes with a lone Zuckerberg sitting at a laptop sending a friend request to the long lost Erica on Facebook. That is the closest thing to real emotion that is in the movie. There is anger from the other folks who seem to get taken advantage of.
There is a scene that depicts Bill Gates speaking to an audience at Harvard. Gates is a man who has used money, computers, and the media to make himself into a legend. This scene is right on for this movie as this testament of Zuckerberg pretty much makes him a legend. Both he and Gates have made themselves into legends using the same technology. This film covers Zuckerberg as the next generation Gates.
Is this a good movie? Yes as it does break a lot of molds and does not appear to make up too much. The direction and production and sound track are very good. The cast does a fine job acting, but suffer from a lack of script as far as being able to show a lot of range in their roles. That's because this spin of a legend lacks reality and the lack of depth of the characters proves that.
I won't knock the film for that. It is a fine film, but in real life is Zuckerberg really this much of a dead fish? If he really is, this movie shows that having brains and taking of advantage of others will win for you in life as long as your self-absorbed.