SPHERE
RATING: 6.5 / 10 --> So-so
Review
Date:
August 16, 1998
Director:
Barry Levinson
Writers:
Kurt Wimmer (adaptation of Crichton novel) Stephen Hauser and
Paul Attanasio
Producers:
Barry Levinson, Michael Crichton and Andrew Wald
Actors:
Dustin Hoffman as Norman Goodman
Sharon Stone as Beth Halperin
Samuel L. Jackson as Harry Adams
Genre:
Science-Fiction
Year of Release: 1998
Three big name actors, Hoffman, Jackson and Stone,
one big name author, Michael Crichton, and one big name director,
Barry Levinson, get together and create an underwater
science-fiction movie called SPHERE. Just imagine THE THING
(8/10) meeting ALIEN (7.5/10) in THE ABYSS.
PLOT:
Underwater spacecraft in uncovered by the U.S. government, and
four relevant experts in their respective fields are sent down to
investigate the unknown entity. Once beneath the ocean, the group
makes contact with a source from within the vessel, and attempt
to piece together the mystery that is the sphere inside the
unexplained discovery.
CRITIQUE:
Cool premise and eerie buildup from the first hour, ultimately
downshifts into an unsatisfying film that drags long past its
bedtime, and turns into a gobbledygook of psychological head
games and illusions. Add to that the loss of coherency about
halfway, and a major anticlimactic ending, and I can't really say
that I thoroughly enjoyed this two-hour plus piece of celluloid.
Which is all too bad, because I really liked the first hour,
especially the whole claustrophobic feel of the group underwater
with the unknown swimming all about them.
The actors all play their cards real well, with Schreiber pulling
off a good performance as the egghead astrophysicist, and Sam
Jackson coming through as the hairless mathematician with the
uneven glimmer in his eye. Stone was also pretty good, but
nothing special could be said about Hoffman's by the numbers
"nervous dude" character, whose umpteenth performance
he seemed to be calling in from his home. And despite Levinson
creating some real suspense early on, the overall feel of the
picture was quite uneven, along with the absence of a gentleman
by the name of style.
Overall, this movie did offer some suspenseful and potentially
potent scenes early on, but by the end of this overly long
picture, I just felt like a kid who'd been staring at a nacho
plate all evening, only to have it taken away at the last minute
by a grumpy old man with a crutch. The ending is lame and
confusing, the payoff from the early decent premise never really
comes through, and the clock ticks at least thirty minutes past
its due time. Having said that, the performances are decent, and
the early tension and suspense of the film is enough for me to
recommend it for at least one night of dark, moody strangeness
and confusion.
Note to nacho-platers: Don't waste your salsa on this one. Slap
some sour cream on the side, and you should be okay.
Little Known Facts:
In the 1970's, Barry
Levinson wrote for "The Carol Burnett
Show", and won two Emmies in three years. Levinson also
co-wrote the script for Norman
Jewison's Al Pacino vehicle ...AND JUSTICE
FOR ALL with his then-wife Valerie Curtin. Interesting to note
that in all of his films, Levinson has featured character actor
Ralph Tabakin in a small role.
Did you know that Sharon
Stone's IQ is 154, and that she is a member
of MENSA? In 1986, Sharon was in a TV commercial for Seagrams 7
Golden Wine Cooler with fellow struggling actor at the time, Bruce Willis.
Sharon also appeared on TV's "Star Search" as a
contestant in the spokesmodel category in the mid-80's. Her
payday for her breakthrough hit BASIC INSTINCT (7.5/10) was
$750,000.
Dustin Hoffman stands 5"5, and made $17,000 for his breakthrough
performance in THE GRADUATE (6/10).
Peter Coyote's real name is Peter Cohon.
(c) 1998 Berge Garabedian
Movie Reviews by Berge Garabedian