Reviews

Before I state my opinion, a little background.... I like special effects. I like plots. I like movies with one, the other, or both.

But..... I don't like being misled, and I don't like when a movie trumps itself up as something it's not.

Hollow Man. It's amazing the things you can do when no one can see you. It's amazing the things you can do when you don't have to look at yourself in the mirror.

It's amazing how the potential of such statements was wasted in this farce of a film.

Spoilers follow, but of course it's hard to spoil Hollow Man any more than it naturally is.

Can a creature be quantum phase-shifted so as to appear invisible? Sure, I'll buy that.

Can an egomaniac deceive his bosses about his progress? Sure.

Can anybody explain, however, why.... a) The psychological manipulation by the invisible Caine is limited to groping his coworkers, spouting a joke which was old when I first heard it 5 years ago, raping a neighbour, and blowing people's hair? or, b) The potential for mayhem in 'the outside world' is sacrificed for a conventional 'oh golly, we're trapped in an underground complex with a homicidal maniac, I sure hope I'm one of the main characters' scenario? or c) Seemingly intelligent (brilliant, actually) people don't clue in that they should wear their infrared goggles *before* they leave a secure room? or d) When specifically told to stay together after a straggler has been offend, the aforementioned brilliant people need to split up to make themselves more convenient targets? or e) How the 'bad guy' can be torched with a flamethrower, electrocuted, smashed over the skull, engulfed in a firestorm, and still catch the 'main character good guys'? or f) etc., etc., etc.

Awesome special effects. Just nothing to hold them together. Same problem with The Cell. With Armageddon.

When a movie sets the bar for expectations and then fails to even come close, be prepared to be grossly disappointed. That's Hollow Man.

You want to blow a bit of cash on a movie that is just as inane, but more enjoyable just because you know what to expect? Try Howard the Duck, Ishtar, or Mystery Men. All of these have silly plots in the extreme, make fun of themselves and their genres, and leave a far better taste in the mouth than this waste of film.