Code is Law

Code is Law is a feature-length documentary centred around a crime spree in the world of Decentralised Finance, where hackers will steal hundreds of millions of dollars with the push of a button. The piece exposes a historic wave of cyber heists instigated by criminals, including teenage math prodigy Andean Medjedovic, who stole $64 million before disappearing as an international fugitive.

 

As the piece opens, a synth-heavy score promptly pulls the viewer into the world of cryptocurrency, accompanied by a creative opening credits crawl that almost feels reminiscent of the Matrix. The film boasts a topical subject matter, given the current landscape of Bitcoin and its rise over the 21st century. The structure cuts between a mix of interviews around individuals impacted by the betrayal of hackers exposing large amounts of data, and visualisations of data which complement the storytelling of the interviews. Amplified by a booming musical score, these sequences are engaging and effectively build tension as the rise of Bitcoin unfolds. While the subject matter may not appeal to a wide array of audiences outside of the core target audience, it does provide a well-rounded approach to keep the viewer informed about the exposure of massive crypto heists.

 

However, the narrative can sadly become repetitive and convoluted due to the rapid pace at which information is communicated to the viewer, which can cause some disengagement with the overall subject matter. While it is thematically timely, a steadier approach in its pacing could have made the experience much less daunting. A shorter runtime could’ve also made the overall experience less prolonged, and the themes could’ve been conveyed more naturally to the audience. On the other hand, the musical score does a lot of the heavy lifting and further transfixes you within less engaging sequences.

 

One of the highlights of the piece, however, is a sequence involving an indexed finance hack, which is incredibly riveting while providing a profound amount of empathy for the individuals affected by the hacking. The filmmakers shine a light on the perpetrators, such as Andean Medjedovic, to make sure individuals like him are held accountable for their actions. Telling the story from the first-person perspective is a visceral way of communicating the themes more eloquently, and this may resonate compellingly with audiences. The film's conclusion is insightful and bleak, conveying themes that may linger in viewers' minds long after the credits roll. Andean Medjedovic is still on the loose, and other hackers, such as Avraham Eisenberg, have stolen millions of dollars. Thankfully, there's still closure conveyed to the protagonists, such as Griff Green, Christoph Jentzsch and Dillon Keller.

 

Code is Law is a cathartic experience with its depiction of raw empathy for the victims of cyber-attacks, exposing the truths and wrongdoings of criminals such as Andean Medjedovic, who is shockingly still on the run. While the narrative is bloated and its pacing is uneven, it does conclude with a suitable closure for the people involved. It's an educational endeavour to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable, and this may hopefully suppress the impact of crypto heists by exposing them to a larger demographic through a visual medium.