Ultimately a Hollow Film By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, August 4, 2000

Elisabeth Shue and Josh Brolin contribute to Kevin Bacon's transformation into "Hollow Man." (Sony Pictures)

Footnote: But not always completely invisible. Shield your eyes, Grandma!

The movie is "Hollow Man," directed by Paul Verhoeven, the man who gave us "RoboCop." And it's the usual horror-film admonishment against playing God. Bacon is Sebastian Caine (now there's a name of murderous foreboding), the leader of a cutting edge research team (financed by the Pentagon) who has discovered how to render animals invisible. He's done rats. He's done primates. Now it's time to move on to Phase Three which is, of course, making humans invisible.

In his arrogant quest for glory, Sebastian volunteers himself as the first guinea pig, the first human being to achieve invisibility. Surrounded by his subordinate researchers, including ex-lover Linda McKay (Elisabeth Shue) and Matthew Kensington (Josh Brolin), he undergoes the injection.

The transformation is far from smooth, shall we say? And when he does finally reach the desired invisibility, Sebastian becomes a bit of a head-case problem. And eventually, so does the movie.

The movie's ultimate self-destruction is unfortunate; the premise is irresistible, and the special effects terrific. Verhoeven, whose "RoboCop" was one of the more inspired science fiction fantasies of the 1980s, really earns his spectacle-producing money at times. There's an extraordinary scene in which a lab ape named Isabelle lies invisibly on the operating table, as an injection (the one that will restore visibility) is applied to her blood system. We see a dendritic line of red, as the fluid follows her veins. Then, as the red stuff fills her entire blood system we get the whole sense of the animal. Gradually, body parts become visible, organs, brain, spine. And as this occurs, we get a palpable sense of the wonders of physiology, the mysteries of nature tapped. There's a kaleidoscopic riot of color, as Isabelle becomes flesh.

The restoration of Isabelle is mirrored by the opposite process as Sebastian is rendered invisible–another inspired moment for the special effects department.

Unfortunately, after taking us into this thrilling zone of meta-existence, "Hollow Man" (scripted by Andrew W. Marlowe, no poet he) takes a quantum leap into foolhardiness. We find ourselves nestled among "No Way Out," "Dressed to Kill" (or "Undressed to Kill") and "Alien."

Instead of exploring the moral issue–i.e., what should humankind do with the power of invisibility?–the movie's deepest question is: What would an inexplicably nutty Kevin Bacon do if he could run around naked and unseen?

To add insult to narrative invisibility, "Hollow Man" degenerates into a gruesome bloodfest, in which we watch character after character, well, getting it. (I don't think I'm giving anything away here.) The movie is so busy making us watch these grisly sights, it forgets to wrap up an earlier killing, possibly the worst of all. After being forced–Hitchcock style–to watch as the victim (a woman) is stalked, then surprised in her bedroom, we're never privy to what happened. Maybe, like anything else that would make sense to us, her fate and aftermath were left on the cutting room floor.

Too bad Verhoeven didn't go for the more tongue-in-cheek quality of his own "RoboCop." He might have saved his movie from ridicule by taking part in the mockery himself. But no such luck. Aside from the wonderful effects, "Hollow Man" is a series of unintended howlers, including the goofy idea that humanity is threatened by the star of "Footloose."

HOLLOW MAN (R, 113 minutes) – Contains nudity, sexual scenes, urination, obscenity and disturbing violence.