Hollow Man

It's amazing what you can do... when you don't have to look at yourself in the mirror any more. It was the film that convinced director Paul Verhoeven to leave Hollywood and take a break from film making. His reasoning being that any Hollywood director could have made Hollow Man, a big effects led movie that made a lot of cash at the box office. It's this that is the main problem with the picture, it lacks some of the director's bite and satirical savagery, even the souped up sex (natural or deviant) that often comes with his productions. Yet devoid of expectations of a Verhoeven masterpiece, and the crushing realisation that it basically wastes its potential and plays out as a haunted house stalk movie - it's a good enough energetic popcorner. It quickly becomes obvious that we are entering special effects extravaganza, the opening credits are dynamite, sci-fi sexy, then the opening gambit sequence literally grabs us - and a rodent - by the throat. From here on in we are treated to grade "A" effects and some genius ways of exposing "the invisible" Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) to us and the prey he soon comes to hunt. Unfortunately the whole cast performances are a much of a muchness, and playing a roll call of sci-fi stereotypes. All involved here have done much better work in their sleep, but they put the bums on theatre seats and ultimately this works as one of those movies designed to thrill and awe the senses - but sadly not the brain. 6.5/10

Some pretty impressive effects for the era, and a pretty cool (if not original) core concept, but what's most intriguing about _Hollow Man_ is the hero's journey, or more accurately, the absence of it. The inverse of it. I don't feel like it's fair to even say that it's a villain's journey. Assuredly, by the end of the movie, it is very clear who our villain is, but given that he starts out such a dick anyway, the intriguing thing is not so much that he necessarily changes, but the idea that his character is maybe just "revealed". To become the type of prick he always could have been, if only had the power to be so. The thing is, he starts this movie a pretty archetypal protagonist. His role is seen almost identically across any number of movies for decades before _Hollow Man_ was released, and one that we honestly still see today. And this archetype is almost always beloved! "Sure he's a bit cheeky, but that's why he's such a great character". It's very confronting to think about what this archetype is so close to being, and I think maybe that's kind of the point of this whole thing. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._

Great watch, will watch again, and can definitely recommend. This has a fantastic premise of what happens when humans discover a process to "invisible-lize" and "visible-lize" organic life forms. For a 2000 movie, this has a high production value and probably state of the art computer effects in 2000, and for most of the movie they hold up, though they do struggle at points. I honestly do think that it's an "invisibility" effect, is what helps it hold up. This is a rather tricky premise, it's presented as a scientist turning himself invisible, but it's much closer to a "Twilight Zone" episode with a philosophical waxing of a Dr.'s god complex. What would a human do when it has a distinct advantage / power over others. And while that is super interesting, it tracks a little better if you just think of him as "snapping", but the movie fights you on this as it very quickly devolves to "I could do [horrible thing], who's going to stop me.". It parallels with the mad scientist trope of "We can, but do we ask if we should?". Kevin Bacon nails the awful, irredeemable mad scientist, and Elisabeth Shue does a wonderful job of playing support to Bacon and a protagonist in her own right. It is refreshingly different that the protagonist is the bad guy, or at least he's fluid, and it's almost two different perspectives blended together to make one story. I'm a big fan "inescapable terror" type of thriller, and this is fantastic example of it, and I think other thriller / horror fans will enjoy this where the sci-fi types might not enjoy it as much, even though that's how this one is sort of advertised. With "The Invisible Man" soon available, I'm very excited to have watch this, and am looking forward to a newer version of it.

Loved this movie. I never seen a concept for a movie like this. I wouldn't hate being invisible at all. I can also see how it would be frustrating to not be able to become normal again too.