Hollow Man (2000)

Scientists discover how to make people invisible, but their test subject becomes an insane killer who stalks them.

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Gary Scott Thompson (story), Andrew W. Marlowe (story),

Stars:

Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elisabeth Shue	...	Linda McKay
Kevin Bacon	...	Sebastian Caine
Josh Brolin	...	Matthew Kensington
Kim Dickens	...	Sarah Kennedy
Greg Grunberg	...	Carter Abbey
Joey Slotnick	...	Frank Chase
Mary Randle	...	Janice Walton
William Devane	...	Dr. Howard Kramer
Rhona Mitra	...	Sebastian's Neighbor
Pablo Espinosa	...	Ed, Warehouse Guard
Margot Rose	...	Mrs. Martha Kramer
Jimmie F. Skaggs	...	Wino
Jeffrey Scaperrotta	...	Boy in Car (as Jeffrey George Scaperotta)
Sarah Bowles	...	Girl in Car
Kelli Scott	...	Mom

Storyline

Elisabeth Shue is Linda Foster, a scientist who is working on a serum to make people invisible. When another scientist tries the serum and becomes invisible his colleagues figure another way to bring him back to the normal world.

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Plot Keywords:

scientist | invisibility | experiment | researcher | animal | 

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Taglines:

What would you do if you knew you couldn't be seen?

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 August 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

El hombre sin sombra

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$95,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,634,386 (UK) (29 September 2000)

Gross:

ESP 1,778,455,868 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Global Entertainment Productions GmbH & Company Medien KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min 119 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the crew carries a half-invisible Sebastian back to the operating table, a metal skeleton was used. It was made of metal in order to make it heavy so the actors would give the impression of carrying a human body.

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Goofs

When Sebastian is injecting himself with the serum, air bubbles are clearly visible in various shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sebastian: [another failed molecule design] Damn it!

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Connections

Referenced in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Monster Squad (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Power Struggle"
Performed by Sunna

User Reviews

Hollow plot and characters but visually fantastic

Sebastian Caine and his team have worked tirelessly to develop a formula that can not only turn animals invisible but also bring them back to normal at will. With Governmental pressure on them to show results, Sebastian decides he will be the first human to try the formula. He becomes invisible for a short time, however efforts to bring him back fail and he finds himself stuck. As work continues on the formula, the others in the lab begin to notice him becoming increasingly unhinged.

From director Verhoven the norm is to expect great special effects and violence. He has also been known to integrate themes and good stories into these mainly effects driven films. On this occasion however he fails to really do that and is left with a fast paced and enjoyable film that makes up in effects what it lacks in substance. The plot is pretty basic and never goes deeper – Sebastian's descent into madness is not really a descent so much as a short trip that is not really built to so much as just delivered. In it's placed though, the effects are really impressive and make the film worth seeing simply because, not only are they great, but they are also used very well in the action rather than just being the film in themselves.

The cast is OK but don't really have much to work with in terms of material. Bacon is much more interesting when not on screen than when he is. His character is too thin and he fails to portray any sort of `descent' in his character's behaviour. Shue is pretty good and seems to enjoy running round with a flamethrower. The rest of the cast are OK but basically just act as fodder in the way that a normal slasher movie will have actors to be disposed of as the film rolls.

Overall I really enjoyed this film as it is a very expensive special effects movie which relies on spectacle to keep things moving. The effects are great and take the mind away from the lack of real substance and the action at the end is very enjoyable. A really good special effects movie as long as you don't expect anything more.