Directed by:
Paul VerhoevenScreenplay:
Andrew W. MarloweCinematography:
Jost VacanoComposer:
Jerry GoldsmithCast:
Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin, Kim Dickens, Greg Grunberg, Joey Slotnick, William Devane, Rhona Mitra, Jeffrey Scaperrotta, Tom Woodruff Jr. (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Washington D.C. scientist Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) is under contract with the U.S. government to formulate a serum which will render human beings invisible. When his test serum makes a laboratory gorilla disappear and then successfully brings her back, Caine decides that it is time for him to be the next guinea pig. He and his team are ecstatic when the serum work. When the antidote fails to work as it did on the gorilla, however, Caine finds himself in the initially enviable, but ultimately horrifying predicament of being permanently undetectable to the human eye. Faced with the opportunity to perpetrate any crime he desires without fear of apprehension, Caine gives in to his basest desires. But when he learns that his that his ex-girlfriend and assistant, Linda McKay (Elisabeth Shue), is involved with their fellow co-worker Matt Kensington (Josh Brolin), Caine goes over the deep end, and is willing to kill anyone who tries to stand in his way, including his trusted fellow researchers. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (8)
I like Verhoeven and his certain level of perversity and lack of inhibitions, but this film is definitely not up to his previous works. It did have potential, there are great visual effects, a promising start and actually the whole first half is interesting. But then the plot starts grinding, the script goes off the rails and Verhoeven tries to entertain the viewer with a killing spree. I could accept seeing Kevin Bacon covered in blood from head to toe only to be squeaky clean a minute later, but what he survives afterwards is something that not even Superman would be able to. There's no logic, plus a bunch of clichés and an ending that's set up several times and built up to extremes – everything I don't like in movies. You can forgive that in a B-movie, but not with a director of Verhoeven’s calibre.
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I'm sorry that the film was not better received by the critics, and it was Paul Verhoeven's last film he directed in American production. It's not a bad movie. It had a high budget, but it shows in how well the visual effects turned out. There are shots that are simply excellent. I am thrilled about this movie, and sometimes I wouldn't mind watching it again. I really had nothing to fear.
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Verhoeven, stifled by the producers and cornered by a faceless script, did not completely disappoint. Hints of thoughts about the possibilities of science and how possible it is to get closer to God can indeed be found in the film. However, the film focuses primarily on the action and the impressive work of the special effects artists. The director's classical trademarks such as blood (a little bit of it drips at the end) and stylish violence (a cut rape) are ignored. This a perfect example of how the Hollywood machine has scrapped a unique talent.
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A film that relies on a strong cast and a decent budget, allowing for a variety of complex special effects. However, in terms of content, it's desperately clichéd and executed without any spark. By the end, I felt quite disenchanted. With this team, the premise undoubtedly had more potential. Overall impression: 40%.
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Paul Verhoeven has made a surprisingly uncontroversial and rather mediocre film that is at least well-crafted. It had the potential to be better — even the screenplay initially remains in quality waters. But the closer it gets to the end, the more it sinks into B-movie blandness. It's saved only by the charismatic Kevin Bacon and solid visual effects.
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Gallery (29)
Photo © 2000 Columbia Pictures
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