Hollow Man

In one of the most spectacular displays of special effects, Paul Verhoeven crafts the otherwise muddled Hollow Man (2000). Despite the impeccable artistry devoted to rendering our lead Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) invisible, the same craft cannot be attached to the script, which is alternately negligible to simply silly. In taking the classic trope of the scientist who ends up sacrificing his humanity for his obsessionality after becoming invisible (becoming a peeping tom, a rapist, and a murderer), Verhoeven takes a limitless philosophical concept and reduces it to frivolous fun and suspense. Unfortunately, there is no real character for the audience to attach itself to, so the whole affair becomes a meaningless one, lacking purpose or value.

Our seemingly surrogate protagonist becomes Linda McKay (Elisabeth Shue), ex-girlfriend of Caine’s and a fellow scientist now bedding another member of the research team. Yet because McKay demonstrates a conflicted attraction to her new beau while allowing Caine far too much leniency with her, she herself becomes as deluded as Caine. That is, any objective identification is derailed because her own actions damage credibility and therefore leave audiences devoid of reason.

The whole film seems to disregard intellectual logic, which is self-defeating for a film ostensibly concerning scientists. The animal trainer at the scientific hub is felt up in her sleep by Caine, awakens to find her shirt unbuttoned yet doesn’t mention this to anyone because… well, the film never concerns itself with answering these questions of logic. Verhoeven seems to have gotten caught up in taking care of the admittedly wonderful visual effects to predicate any concern with the script.

After a fascinating premise, this is a film that devolves and loses any intellectuality, substituting empty thrills and spectacle for story and development. This is a shame because this idea is indeed limitless, but the film neglects actual considerations for pointless wonder.

Hollow Man: 6/10