Original artwork, not a still
There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!
— Sneakers
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
This is the film's sharpest line: wars are won by whoever controls what people see, hear and think. It plays now as a description of the whole information age, which is why it is quoted in writing about privacy and propaganda. Cosmo says it as a villain, but it works as a warning from either side.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for SneakersShow the scene
The same hideout scene in Sneakers (1992) continues after Bishop turns the offer down and says it was only ever a prank. Cosmo, who faked his own death to be freed from prison and now works for a crime syndicate, tries one more time to reach his old friend. He tells him there is a war on, that it is a world war, and that it is fought with data rather than with bullets. He then aims at Bishop's head as Bishop heads for the ladder. Bishop tells him to destroy the box. Cosmo is played by Ben Kingsley.
Sources (2)
- Sneakers (1992 film), WikipediaPlot; leadReference checked
- Sneakers (film), WikiquoteCosmo and Bishop dialogueReference checked
Context reviewed
