We have been big fans of Paul Verhoeven since the 1980s. His magical touch has produced some truly awe-inspiring science fiction properties (like the original ROBOCOP, TOTAL RECALL, and to a lesser extent, STARSHIP TROOPERS). Heck, we even like his non-genre adult fare like BASIC INSTINCT and the campy SHOWGIRLS. Verhoeven’s nihilistic, violent approach to his subject matter is refreshing in the sanitized cesspool of contemporary Hollywood. Verhoeven released HOLLOW MAN, a modern-day retelling of James Whale’s classic THE INVISIBLE MAN, during the Summer 2000 sweepstakes. Amid a maelstrom of negative criticism, HOLLOW MAN still managed to rake in the bucks. But the movie does not lend itself to a franchise like Verhoeven’s previous STARSHIP TROOPERS (no, you won’t be seeing any HOLLOW MAN toys on the shelves or a Saturday morning TV series. Despite the negative aura that hangs over the film, Columbia Tristar has assembled a wondrous DVD special edition to tempt you into relinquishing your hard earned cash on Verhoeven’s latest.

Kevin (TREMORS) Bacon plays egomaniac scientist Sebastian Caine, who develops a powerful new weapon for Uncle Sam. Elizabeth (THE SAINT) Shue is Linda McKay, Caine’s ex-lover who now is involved with another scientific guru. Josh (MIMIC) Brolin portrays Mark, the young scientist that Linda is seeing. William (THE DARK) Devane is Dr. Kramer. Greg (WITCHCRAFT V) Grunberg plays Carter Abbey. Kim (THE GIFT) Dickens portrays Sarah Kennedy.

A group of scientists, lead by the perverted Sebastain Caine (Bacon), develop a way to turn lab animals invisible. This is all a secret project for the U.S. military. In the bottom level of a giant underground research complex, the scientists take a giant step toward making a human invisible, when they turn a gorilla invisible (then safely restore her to her original state). Sebastian, his associate Mark (Brolin), and Sebastian’s ex-lover and lab assistant Linda (Shue), conspire to fool the government agency that funds the project. They plan to proceed to the next phase of their goal, to actually turn a human invisible. Sebastian bravely volunteers to be the guinea pig. The other members of the team are unaware that this trio is doing this without the permission of the government.

The experiment is a success, and Sebastian turns invisible. The team makes provisions for Sebastian to live in the underground research lab, but clearly everyone is uncomfortable with Sebastian’s condition. They attempt to return his body to his normal condition, but they fail in restoring his visible body. As the days go by, and Sebastian’s partner Mark cannot come up with a way to restore him, Sebastian begins going slowly insane. One day, he sneaks out of the complex and goes to his apartment where he spies his gorgeous female neighbor (Rhona Mitra) getting naked in her apartment. Sebastian easily sneaks into her apartment and rapes her. Then he returns to the research lab to face his former caretakers. When he discovers that his ex-girlfriend is having a hush-hush affair with his associate, Mark, he literally goes off the deep end. He lays a trap and lures all his coworkers into the lab, then disable the security devices and imprisons them all in the research complex. Sebastian then begins his reign of terror by stalking and killing those who made him the hollow man!

This film should have been called SHALLOW MAN. Besides smacking of several million dollars of fancy digital effects, HOLLOW MAN is a pastiche of typical soulless Hollywood cliches. You have your prettyboy scientific genius (because in real life all geniuses look like buff Hollywood babyfaces, right?), your TV movie plastic supporting cast (Josh Brolin fans will be ecstatic), and your unoriginal Hollywood blockbusters that don’t have a single original idea in them (MISSION TO MARS, SUPERNOVA, SPIECES, etc). You know all those movies that rip-off the stalking scenes from ALIENS and T2? The ones that have multiple fake endings where the menace gets killed yet keeps coming back when you least expect it. Yes, HOLLOW MAN has all that and more. If I see another film where the survivors are chased through a corridor or elevator shaft being chased by a expanding firecloud, just to make it out in the nick of time, I’m gonna be sick.

It’s a shame really, because a modern, intelligent exploration into the power of invisibility has been a long time coming. The only film that ever attempted this was James Whale’s THE INVISIBLE MAN, dated as the picture may be. With inept storytelling like HOLLOW MAN and MEMOIRES OF AN INVISIBLE MAN, that ideal film will probably never be made. If the power of invisibility were a reality, think of the God complex that would develop in the subject. HOLLOW MAN barely explores any of these concepts and instead the Hollow Man uses his powers to spy on naked women, in true Paul Verhoeven fashion (Kevin Bacon spies on Hollywood body double performer, Rhona Mitra). Kevin Bacon does a good enough job as his character, Sebastian Caine, but the character is purposely written as an asshole right from the opening moments. Yet there are moments early on where he is depicted as a misguided, brooding thinker. This sense of schizophrenia runs throughout HOLLOW MAN. Elizabeth Shue’s character is written as an intelligent scientist who fears the unknown. But by the end, Shue is trotting Sigourny Weaver territory. The scientific mumbo jumbo in HOLLOW MAN is paper-thin, and a bad episode of E.R. has more reality to it. Especially amusing is Sebastian’s failed romance with Linda that provides the film’s only psychological aspect.

Despite the shortcomings, HOLLOW MAN is unmistakably a Paul Verhoeven movie. The film has a voyeuristic, sleazy streak that Verhoeven is famous for (BASIC INSTINCT, SHOWGIRLS). The film is downright nasty at times and very misogynist. HOLLOW MAN could be a sequel to STARSHIP TROOPERS in terms of soulless storytelling. What’s a Paul Verhoeven sci-fi film without billion dollar special effects? This is the only bright spot in HOLLOW MAN. This movie has everything from expensive, complex digital effects, to the classic man-in-a-gorilla suit. These effects make the human body completely translucent depending on the progress of the experiment. In some scenes, the Hollo Man looks completely invisible, in other scenes only his skin is invisible and you see only his muscles. Then you see only veins. Then you see only bones. Truly disturbing and effective digital (and some analog) effects, courtesy of Phil Tippett’s effects house.

This DVD is a perfect example of the supplements being better than the movie. From the Special Features menu, you can read the talent bios for Paul Verhoeven, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Shue, Josh Brolin, Joey Slotnick, and William Devane. You can also view the fluff documentary that originally aired on HBO called HOLLOW MAN: ANATOMY OF A THRILLER (FF, DD 2.0, 15:03). There is 3 deleted scenes complete with commentary by Paul Verhoeven, who points out why these mostly exposition scenes were cut out:

• WAS IT A DREAM (1.85.1, DD 2.0, 1:19)
• SEBASTIAN ATTACK (1.85.1, DD 2.0, 1:18)
• SEBASTIAN’S ON THE PROWL (1.85.1, DD 2.0, 4:46)

There is also the VFX Picture to Picture comparisons, which shows how the effects were achieved by using blue screen effects, with the actual shot used in HOLLOWMAN in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Here are the data on these comparisons:

• KRAMER’S DEATH (1.85.1, DD 2.0, 1:03)
• SPRINKLER ATTACK (1.85.1, DD 2.0, :52)
• SEBASTIAN’S DEMISE (1.85.1, DD 2.0, 2:20)

Then there is the FLESHING OUT THE HOLLOW MAN series of mini-featurettes which provide information about all facets of the production, the talent, and mostly the awesome special effects. Inside the FLESHING OUT THE HOLLOW MAN menu, you can access some other Easter Egg type extras which we won’t go into so as not to ruin the surprise. Also included is the original theatrical teaser (1.85.1, DD 5.1, 1:58) and trailer (FF, DD 5.1, 1:58). Also are trailers for STARSHIP TROOPERS (FF, DD 5.1, 2:01), A FEW GOOD MEN (FF, DD 2.0, 2:59), and Columbia Tristar’s upcoming summer blockbuster, FINAL FANTASY (1.85.1, DD 2.0, 1:41). Columbia Tristar also includes one of my favorite features on any DVD, an isolated musical audio track which showcases Jerry Goldsmith’s dynamic score in Dolby Digital 5.1 (fans don’t have to rush out and purchase the soundtrack).

HOLLOW MAN is classical Paul Verhoeven, but without some of the more positive traits that have made the director’s best films special (like ROBOBCOP and TOTAL RECALL). HOLLOW MAN is shallow eye-candy and is barely a step above SHOWGIRLS. But the movie is never boring. Columbia Tristar’s DVD is a truly worthy effort, with reference quality video and a powerful Dolby Digital 5.1 EX soundtrack. There are plenty of worthy extras that together with the film add up to several hours of potential entertainment value. Now, if only we could get Hollywood to produce some good genre fare…

HOLLOW MAN is available at DVDEmpire

 HOLLOW MAN SUPERBIT DELUXE is available at DVDEmpire

- Luther Manning

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