review by Joseph B. Mauceri

SYNOPSIS: Team of scientists, headed by Sebastian Caine (Bacon), have cracked the secret to invisibility. The problem is brining something back. Caine bests the challenge, but balks when it comes to telling his superiors. Breaking with Pentagon protocol, the team takes the project to the next phase ¯ making a human invisible. The subject, who else but Caine. When they fail to bring him back the egomaniac goes on a power trip that jeopardizes all their lives.

REVIEW: Aptly named, HOLLOW MAN is a hollow film as special effects replace a talented cast as the main emphasis. The first act of the film examines the interpersonal dynamics of this close group of scientists. Unfortunately, they are too close. There is a love triangle between Linda (Shue) and her relationship with Kensington (Brolin), that she is trying to keep a secret from Caine, her former lover.  In the meantime, the first act slowly exposes Caine as a gifted scientist and latent megalomaniac. Aren't all scientists a little mad?

The supporting cast works together as a collective, and Bacon is amazing, even when invisible. Bacon's performance transcends the effects, and not since the original "Invisible Man" has an unseen actor had such screen presence. Bacon's co-star is believable as the a scientific colleague. However, when Shue steps out of the group she is unable to hold her own. There is this "Jekyll and Hyde" aspect to her performance, where Hyde is a cute, blonde air head. Granted, Shue is an outstanding dramatic actress, but drama does not an action star make! As for the rest of the cast, they do a fine job, except you know they're just there for the body count.

HOLLOW MAN begins to fall apart in the second act as character development and scripted details are sacrificed for pacing and running time. Key, and I do mean key, elements are dropped leaving glaring holes in the plot. Notice how the color of the agent used to bring the gorilla back looks different from the agent they use to bring back Caine. How come we never hear anymore about the girl he rapes? Also, there is a scene where the invisible Caine kills and invisible dog in the lab. It's an effect sequence that seems like it was positioned earlier in the plot, cut out and put beck in later.

The third act deals with the final confrontation between the seen and unseen in the underground research facility. You get the feeling that the script must have been printed using disappearing ink, because it any semblance of a logical resolution vanishes. Brilliant scientists are reduced to babbling idiots who can't find their way out of a paper bag. The worst offense is when the scientists pull out a motion detector to track Caine in the facility and we enter the realm of "Alien" ripoff.

As I looked over the score card for HOLLOW MAN I had high marks for effects, a great score by Goldsmith, a nearly almost perfect cast, some great camera work, but a story that goes awry. Is it the screenplay? No! I read the last two drafts of the screenplay before the film went into production and there are some important things missing from the finished film. I believe HOLLOW MAN is a meager shadow of the great film it could have been. A potentially modern take on a classic theme becomes just another undistinguishable thriller ride in this summer's box office.

OFFICIAL WEB SITE:
http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/hollowman

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