Plot: What’s it about?
Dr. Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) and his team of workers have been funded by the military to unlock the secrets of invisibility. This sounds rather complex, but they have already been able to grant primates invisible status, though they haven’t mastered the art of making them visible again. But Caine and his team push forward and after some successful tests, the time has come to report the good news to their committee that funds their work, but Caine lies instead. Caine is an arrogant man with a bad attitude and since he wants to be the first human subject, he keeps their progress under wraps. He then volunteers to be the test subject and when the first phase is complete, it seems as though the process will show no flaws when tested on humans. But when the time comes for Caine to rejoin the visible realm, problems surface and he is forced to remain invisible. He starts to slide downhill mentally and soon, his levels of aggression start to peak. Soon enough, Caine begins to escape from the lab for periods of time and gets more & more risky in his actions. With no real identity in his mind, will Caine run loose and cause chaos? If so, will anyone be able to stop him, since no one can see him?
Man, what a wild ride Hollow Man is. I admit, the film veers off course toward the end, but as a whole, this is one fun movie. Some incredible visuals take the main focus, but the basics of character and storyline don’t get kicked aside either. This story is not a new one by any means, but some cool new twists and turns have been tacked on, so this far from a simple rehash, I assure you. I think fans of director Paul Verhoeven and of course, mad scientist films will be most interested, but anyone in search of a great thriller will find a lot to like with Hollow Man. From the musical score to the cast to the direction to the dazzling special effects, Hollow Man packs all the elements and then some to hold the viewer’s attention. This might not be the most complex film in terms of story and characters, but this is much more than a visual feast, there is substance with this style. You can watch this film for the thrills and intense visuals, but there are also some nice subtle touches to explore on repeat viewing sessions.
In the realm of film directors, Paul Verhoeven is always in the midst of criticism. His films run the gamut from all out action blockbusters to sex laced stripper epics, all of which have divided viewers in the process. I happen to fall on the positive side of Verhoeven’s work and consider him to be one of my personal favorites. In my eyes, his films usually have many layers, some obvious at first glance and others that require you to look beyond the surface. His more recent efforts have been passed off as one dimensional blockbusters, but I think they’ve possessed much more depth than most people admit. Hollow Man is no exception to that trend and while many claimed it was all visual flash, I think it is excellent and offers a lot to think about. Just what the morals and such are varies from person to person, but I think it does offer some food for thought.
Video: How does it look?
Hollow Man has been around long enough that it’s seen a few DVD releases and a couple of Blu-ray releases. I don’t think a new master was made for this release and if it was, it wasn’t noticeable by me when watching and they didn’t promote it via the press release or back of the box. That said, I’m pretty sure that this is the same master used for the previously-released Blu-ray. That said, it doesn’t look bad. It’s a new enough film that what errors there were, aren’t really that bad. I found a few wider shots to have a little more grain than I was comfortable with. Flesh tones seem warm and natural and detail looks solid. I’m sure, one day, we’ll get a 4K of this but for the time being – it’s really not that bad.
Audio: How does it sound?
Like the video transfers, this movie has also had its fair share of audio tracks to accompany it. The DVD had a Dolby Digital mix while the previously-released Blu-ray had a PCM and now we’ve got a DTS HD Master Audio mix. Suffice it to say, you really can’t go wrong with any of them, but this DTS mix is just as good as any. Vocals are sharp and crisp, surrounds are used (especially during the last act) and, as expected, Jerry Goldsmith’s score is the highlight. It’s a good, well-rounded soundtrack that’s sure to please.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is kind of frustrating. Previous versions have had a slew of supplements like deleted scenes, featurettes and the like. While we do get a new supplement on this disc, it’s the only one. So if you’re looking for the definitive version of this film – this disc ain’t it.
- Full Transparency: Scoring Hollow Man – Get it? Transparency? Ok, enough of that. This new feature gives us some insight on Jerry Goldsmith’s biographer, Jeff Bond. Yes, that’s right – we don’t get an interview with the actual composer, but his biographer. It’s a wonder he found time to do this. Kidding aside, Bond knows his stuff so if this is something that might be of interest – look no further.
The Bottom Line
Paul Verhoeven’s films somewhat defined the late 80’s and early 90’s. With blockbusters like Robocop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers and, yes, even Showgirls – it’s hard to deny the director’s appeal. Hollow Man represented the last of his “big budget” films, but I actually enjoyed it. This new Blu-ray adds a new supplement, but you have to ask yourself if owning a steelbook and a new feature is really worth it?
