So if there's not something compelling there, [it's a] pretty empty exercise to go through. (scientificamerican.com)
Like a lot of Mann's work, from Heat to Public Enemies, great swaths of Blackhat feel like empty exercises in style. (o.canada.com)
The dialogue is no less engaging; the conversations are not empty exercises, but reflect the quest of a hero trying to reason himself through that most perplexing experience — life. (rogerebert.com)