A bit of context: The Hummingbird Project (2018)’s main premise is Vince Zaleski’s (played by Eisenberg) ambitious project of creating the fastest data connection between the Kansas stock exchange and the NYSE by building a point-to-point straight line of fiber optic tunnel, which then will give his investor’s company a millisecond of advantage (equivalent to untold thousands of dollars depending on the volume of transactions at any one moment) on high-frequency trading (HFT). He recruits his cousin, Anton Zaleski (played by Alexander Skarsgard), who was then employed under Eva Torres (played by Salma Hayek) as a trading software programmer. With everything quite literally on the line, Vince becomes even more desperate to complete the project if it’s going to be the one last, great and incredible thing he achieves.

Jesse Eisenberg adds yet another to his repertoire of whip-smart, surprisingly charming characters with depth (i.e. The Social Network, Zombieland, Now You See Me). You’d think it would have gotten old by now, but it’s incredible how he makes me want to stay and watch and listen EVERY. TIME.

Even though Alexander Skarsgard made such a convincing introverted genius, his undeniable onscreen presence was definitely better suited as a villain rather than an underdog. For me, he was most brilliant in that scene where he effortlessly bested Salma Hayek and drove a straight bargain, with all the conditions set by him.

I became so absorbed with the plot and the characters, screaming passionately at the screen as crazy things start happening. It was super intense and I became so emotionally invested. Admittedly, I may have found it a little more exciting than most normally would because of the finance aspects. Loved every bit of it.

It also made me think. For me, I don’t want to do one last, incredible thing. I just want to read one last, incredible book. And about the fact that even an absurd amount of money won’t be able to buy you out of death, not even for one millisecond. And it’s sad and morbid, but also somehow fair. Ironic, how life is only fair in death.

Have you seen The Hummingbird Project? If so, what did you think?