Underground: The Julian Assange Story
| Company type | Television film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film, Television |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Key people | Robert Connolly (writer and director), Helen Bowden (producer), Tony Ayres (executive producer), Rick Maier (executive producer) |
| Products | Television film |
| Parent | Matchbox Pictures |
Underground: The Julian Assange Story is a television film from Australia created for Network Ten. It made its debut at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival before airing on Network Ten on 7 October 2012. The film’s name is inspired by Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier, a 1997 publication by Suelette Dreyfus, which was researched by Julian Assange. However, the movie diverges considerably from the book, concentrating primarily on Assange’s formative years instead of the wider hacking activities explored in the text. Neither Julian Assange, Wikileaks, nor his family authorized or participated in the production, although Assange later expressed a "very favourable response to the movie".
Shot around Melbourne, the film was both written and directed by Robert Connolly and produced by Helen Bowden of Matchbox Pictures, with Tony Ayres and Rick Maier serving as Executive Producers. The cast features Alex Williams portraying Julian Assange, supported by performances from Rachel Griffiths, Anthony LaPaglia, and Laura Wheelwright.
Synopsis
In 1989, operating under the alias 'Mendax', Assange joined forces with two companions to create the 'International Subversives'. Identifying themselves as white hat hackers—individuals who probe systems without malicious intent—they breached some of the most influential organizations globally. Their activities raised significant national security alarms within the US Government.
Prompted by the FBI, the Australian Federal Police established a dedicated taskforce to capture them. With limited technical knowledge in computing, law enforcement relied heavily on conventional investigative techniques to navigate this emerging digital landscape, resulting in a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse within Melbourne’s electronic underworld.
Cast
- Alex Williams – Julian Assange
- Rachel Griffiths – Christine Assange
- Anthony LaPaglia – Detective Ken Roberts
- Laura Wheelwright – Electra
- Callan McAuliffe – Prime Suspect
- Jordan Raskopoulos – Trax
- Benedict Samuel – Jonah
- Daniel Frederiksen – Wayne
Broadcast and reception
The film’s Australian television premiere on 7 October 2012 drew an audience of 1.34 million viewers and became the leading trending topic on Twitter across Australia during its broadcast.
Channel 10 re-broadcasted the film on 27 June 2024, timed with Julian Assange’s return to Australia following a plea agreement with US authorities.
Critical reception
Critical responses were varied. Prior to its screening at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, Daniel Janvier from Toronto Film Scene described the film as "deeply frustrating," criticizing its overly dense biographical approach that attempted to cover too much material in a single installment.
In contrast, Australian reviewers offered more positive feedback. David Knox of TV Tonight praised it as "a terrific yarn" that depicts Assange as a journalistic crusader and highlighted Alex Williams as an emerging talent. Karl Quinn of The Age regarded it as "a considered yet gripping look at the crucible in which Julian Assange was formed and, arguably, deformed."
The telefeature received two nominations at the 2nd AACTA Awards, including Best Telefeature, Mini Series or Short Run Series and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for Laura Wheelwright.
Additional responses
Julian Assange is said to have reacted very positively to the film, expressing particular admiration for the actor portraying him.
His mother, Christine Assange, conveyed a sense of relief and joy regarding the faithful representation of Julian, remarking that "Alex Williams was so convincing at times I actually felt I was looking at my son," while also acknowledging moments when she felt uncomfortable with how her own character was shown.
Ken Dey, who formerly led the Australian Federal Police's computer crime division, condemned the movie as "a fictional narrative presented as truth," challenging the accuracy of the alleged MILNET breach depicted in the film.
See also
- The Fifth Estate — 2013 DreamWorks production featuring Benedict Cumberbatch