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(About Our Ads) "HOLLOW MAN" (2000) (Kevin Bacon, Elisabeth Shue) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Extreme Extreme Extreme Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Mild Extreme None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Minor Minor Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Sci-fi/Thriller/Horror: Things go terribly wrong when the experimental serum used by a researcher to render himself invisible can't be reversed and inexorably turn him into a psychotic killer. PLOT: Sebastian Caine (KEVIN BACON), his ex-girlfriend, Linda McKay (ELISABETH SHUE), and her new lover, Matthew Kensington (JOSH BROLIN), are running a top-secret government research project hoping to unlock the keys to rendering someone invisible and then returning them to their natural state. Working under the direction of Dr. Arthur Kramer (WILLIAM DEVANE) who heads a Pentagon committee overseeing the project, and aided by veterinarian Sarah Kennedy (KIM DICKENS), lab technician Carter Abbey (GREG GRUNBERG), and data analysts Frank Chase (JOEY SLOTNICK) and Janice Walton (MARY RANDLE), the team has succeeded in making a gorilla invisible and then visible again. Despite the inherent medical danger of doing so and without Kramer's permission or knowledge, Sebastian decides it's time to move on to stage three which involves turning a person invisible. Ever the brilliant egomaniac, Sebastian decides to be the human guinea pig. Their experiment is successful, but after several days of testing, data collection and pranks courtesy of the invisible man, the team realizes that they didn't make the correct calculations to return Sebastian back to visible form. As they race to do just that, both the effects of the serum and the fact that he's isolated in their underground lab begins to make Sebastian mentally unbalanced. Realizing they have to pull the plug on the project and get Sebastian outside help, the team sets into a motion a series of events that will ultimately endanger their lives as the progressively unstable Sebastian loses his sense of morality but gains a warped sense of limitless power and will do anything to stop the others. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? The cool special effects, basic storyline and members of the cast may just draw a number of teens who will want to see this picture. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R As of the writing of this review the reason was not available, but we'd guess that it's for profanity and other language, violence and gore, and nudity and sexuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: KEVIN BACON plays a gifted, but egotistical researcher who's discovered how to make people invisible and then reappear again. Without permission, he tests the invisibility serum on himself, but then discovers that he's stuck that way. After some pranks and eavesdropping, he eventually becomes completely unhinged and begins killing many people. He also uses strong profanity. ELISABETH SHUE plays his ex-girlfriend but still current research partner who tries to help and then stop Sebastian once he gets out of control. She also uses strong profanity and fools around with her boyfriend. JOSH BROLIN plays that man who likewise fools around with her and wants to help and then stop Sebastian. He also uses strong profanity. WILLIAM DEVANE plays a man who heads a Pentagon committee overseeing the invisibility project. KIM DICKENS plays a veterinarian who objects to Sebastian's testing of his serum on lab animals. GREG GRUNBERG plays a lab technician who occasionally reads through porno magazines and cusses, while JOEY SLOTNICK and MARY RANDLE play two data analysts who also work on the team. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated sci-fi thriller. Violence is rated as extreme due to several people (and a dog) being killed, often with extremely bloody results. Those scenes, as well as plenty of "cat and mouse" moments that fill up the end of the proceedings and a related musical score make for a rather suspenseful and tense film. In addition, the sight of a human (as well as a gorilla) slowly appearing from or disappearing into invisibility (and looking as if their skin is deteriorating and thus showing all of their internal organs, muscles, nerves, etc.) may gross out and/or be unsettling to some viewers. Profanity is also rated as extreme due to nearly 50 uses of the "f" word, while plenty of other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Male and female nudity is present (bare butt and infrared and "skinned" views of a penis for the former, with bare breasts and partial bare butts for the latter). A couple fools around a bit in bed but we don't see any explicit activity, one character tells a dirty and graphic sexual joke, and some other sexually related comments are made. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (particularly the protagonist who becomes a deranged killer), while very brief drinking and smoking occur. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone in your home who wishes to see it, you can always take a look at our detailed content listings for specific examples of what occurs in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE The team celebrates with champagne. BLOOD/GORE An invisible creature (presumably a gorilla) picks up a rat and then squeezes/pulls it apart until it literally explodes in a bloody mess (with the blood partially outlining the creature's face). That invisible gorilla then bites Matthew on the hand (we see blood come out). Attempting to make an invisible gorilla visible again, the team injects a serum that we then see traveling through the gorilla's circulatory system, making its parts visible as it does so. Other internal parts of the gorilla then become visible (organs, muscles, bones, nerves) - giving the living creature something of a partially dissected look that's somewhat gory (in an anatomy type way). Sebastian begins convulsing and slowing disappearing (in the same, medical dissection way as the previous gorilla - with holes first appearing in his skin, exposing tissue, organs, and muscles, etc. underneath). We hear Janice urinating as we see her sitting on a toilet. As the team attempts to make Sebastian visible again, they inject the serum in his arm and we pretty much get the same results as with the gorilla scene listed above. We hear Sebastian vomit, but don't see the invisible stomach material that splashes in the toilet. We see a dead body fall out of a locker. Sebastian drops a person who strikes their neck on something that cuts it open, spilling a great deal of blood (from the neck and their mouth). Another person then has blood on their hands from tending to that bloody person. Moments later, we see even more blood coming out of that person's neck and a lot of it around his body on the floor. Hoping to spot where Sebastian is by his footprints, one person throws a great deal of human blood (from medical bags) onto the floor in front of him. An otherwise invisible Sebastian is partially covered in blood (that outlines his form) and he then smears blood on his latest victim's face. Sebastian drives what looks like a large crowbar completely through a person's body (with bloody results) and then hits another person with it in the gut (creating a bloody hole that another person then tends to - and briefly puts their fingers inside). That second person is then very bloody. A person uses a makeshift flamethrower to attack another person, catching him completely on fire (and burning much of his skin that then flakes off in ashes). A person has some blood on their head and later a bloody gash (seen from a distance) on their shoulder. We see Sebastian again and he essentially looks like a person with no skin. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Some viewers may object to the testing of the experimental drug on lab animals. After Frank jokingly acts like the voice of God over the P.A. system, Sebastian says, "How many times do I have to tell you you're not God, I am." Sebastian lies to Dr. Kramer about their success (or supposed lack thereof), so that they can continue experimenting. He then does the same to the rest of his crew (beyond Linda and Matthew who know the truth but remain quiet), telling them that they got permission to proceed to do human testing. Once invisible, Sebastian takes advantage of other people, including Sarah whose breasts he caresses/manipulates while she sleeps, and a woman who lives across from his place whom he spies upon and briefly terrorizes (although we don't know to what extent). Sebastian eventually becomes more deranged and homicidal. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and "Blood/Gore" may also be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to some viewers (particularly young kids if they're allowed to see it). An invisible creature bites Matthew on the hand and then escapes from its cage with Matthew and Sebastian then trying to find and tranquilize it. Attempting to make an invisible gorilla visible again, the team injects a serum that we then see traveling through the gorilla's circulatory system, making its parts visible as it does so. Other internal parts of the gorilla then become visible (organs, muscles, bones, nerves) - giving the living creature something of a partially dissected look that's somewhat gory (in an anatomy type way). As this occurs, the gorilla begins to convulse and writhe about under its constraints as it goes into medical distress and must be saved. Sebastian begins convulsing, screaming in pain and slowing disappearing (in the same, medical dissection way as the previous gorilla - with holes first appearing in his skin, exposing tissue, organs, and muscles, etc. underneath). As his medical condition deteriorates, the team tries to save him. Later, when they try to make him visible again, he begins to have medical distress again, but not before becoming violent with some of his team in a several minute sequence. Visiting the woman who lives across the way from his home, Sebastian (who's invisible) moves her mirror around like a ghost and then suddenly grabs the woman and throws her to her bed (but we don't know if he does anything else to her or not). From the point that the team realizes they're trapped in their lab and must contend with a homicidal Sebastian, the suspense and tension mount and don't let up until the end as everyone gets involved in a deadly game of invisible cat and mouse (that goes on for many minutes and involves many close calls as well as people being killed with bloody results). GUNS/WEAPONS Rifles: Carried by guards in a few scenes. Tranquilizer pistols: Used to tranquilize the lab animals as well as by some humans against other humans. Crowbar: Used to wound and kill people. Explosives: Created out of sulfuric acid and other ingredients and used as a bomb to blow up part of the lab. Makeshift flamethrower: Used to attack and engulf someone in fire. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck you," "What the f*ck just happened in there?" "What the f*ck was that?" "You're a f*cking moron," "What the f*ck do we do now?" "F*cked up," "Get the f*ck away from her," "Bullsh*t," "Sh*thole," "I don't give a sh*t," "Don't be a d*ck," "Horny," "Sorry ass," "Cocky," "Bastard," "Nuts" (crazy), "Take a piss," "I don't give a rat's ass," "Jeez," "Where the hell have you been?" "Pissed," "What the hell is your problem?" "Bitch," "Screw up," "Shut up" and "Go to hell." JUMP SCENES A window suddenly breaks. An invisible Sebastian suddenly shows up right in front of someone. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays during the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 48 uses of the "f" word (used three times sexually and twice with "mother"), 22 "s" words, 1 slang term using male genitals ("d*ck"), 1 slang term for female genitals ("p*ssy"), 1 slang term for breasts ("t*ts"), 6 asses (4 used with "hole"), 6 hells, 3 damns, 1 S.O.B., 14 uses of "G-damn," 6 of "Oh my God," 4 of "Oh God," 2 of "Jesus" and 1 use each of "Christ," "For Christ's sakes," "God," "Jesus Christ," "Oh Jesus" and "God forsaken" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY Sebastian spies upon a woman across the way from his home at night. As such, we see her begin to undress until she's in her bra and panties. She then removes her bra and we briefly see her bare breasts before she closes her blinds. We see that Matthew is sleeping in Linda's bed (but don't see any activity or nudity, although we briefly see him in his boxers). We see Linda and Matthew in bed together with her sensuously kissing down his bare chest. While she's acting aroused, he wants to talk shop and she replies, "I'm trying to make love to you." He then says, "Let me ask you another question" and she wonders if it's going to be about "who's on top" (but he doesn't respond to that query). Sebastian tells a joke about Superman and Wonder Woman. He begins by saying that Superman is "horny as hell" and spots Wonder Woman sunning herself on the roof of the Justice League building. He continues, "I mean, she's lying there buck naked, spread eagle, like she wants to be f*cked. So Superman, he says to himself, 'Oh my God, I gotta get myself some of that wonder p*ssy.'" He then continues then Superman realizes he could fly down, "do a little fast pumping" and be gone before she even realized what happened. He then finishes the joke by saying that Superman swoops down, "f*cks her" and Wonder Woman sits up and asks, "What the f*ck was that?" He then adds that the Invisible Man replies, "I don't know, but my *ssh*le" is killing me." We see Sebastian's bare butt as he prepares to receive the invisibility serum. Once be begins to convulse from it, we see various shots of his bare butt as he rolls around, and once all of his skin has become invisible, we briefly see his skinless, flaccid penis (along with every other part - internal and external - of his body). Although we obviously can't see it, whenever Sebastian is invisible, he's thus also completely nude (and walking around that way and interacting with others). We do, however, clearly see his penis in an infrared shot of his body (that displays his body as varying degrees of heat). As Sarah sleeps in her lab chair, Sebastian, who's invisible, starts to unbutton her blouse. We then see her entire bare breast as well as the effects of his invisible hand manipulating it (caressing, squeezing and pulling on the nipple). She then wakes up and he stops. We see the side of Janice's bare butt as she sits down on a toilet to urinate. Sebastian confronts Linda up close and personal and then tells her to relax and that he thought that since this is his last night being invisible, that they'd try one more experiment (sexual connotations). He then kisses her and asks if she wonders what it's like to make love to an invisible man. She replies that it would be just like old times since he was never there beforehand in their relationship. We then see her skirt being lifted up, but she stops him and leaves. Carter looks through a porno magazine and we see (from somewhat of a distance) a small picture showing a bare-breasted woman. Later, however, we see a larger image of a different, bare-breasted woman and Carter comments that he'd squeeze her "t*ts." Sebastian sees the woman across the way from his place undressing again (we see her in her bra). He then goes over to her place (being invisible) and sneaks in after she opens the door to see who's there. We then see her reflection in a mirror and as her robe comes open, we see her bare breasts. As Linda sleeps, we see the covers being slowly pulled off her bed (revealing her in her panties). We then see her top being undone and those panties slowly being removed (showing the side of her bare butt in the nighttime shadows) and then her legs quickly being spread (no nudity), but she then wakes up from what turns out to be a nightmare. Sebastian tells Linda that while he's stuck "in this sh*thole, you're at home f*cking your boyfriend." He then kisses her on her neck and there's some heavy breathing but nothing else happens. Sebastian (still invisible) spies on Linda (who's in her bra and jeans) in her place and then sees Matthew show up. She undoes her jeans, partially pulls them down (we briefly see part of her bare butt in her thong bottom), jumps up around his waist (her legs around him) and tells him that she nearly started without him. They then fall onto her bed with him on top of her, but they're interrupted before anything else happens. SMOKING Dr. Kramer briefly smokes a pipe. TENSE FAMILY SCENES A wife finds her husband drowned in their swimming pool. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Whether the quest for true invisibility is physically possible, and if so, what it would be like to be invisible and what you would do if you were invisible. In addition, would people still have morals if they knew people couldn't see their behavior and actions? The testing of experimental drugs on lab animals. Sebastian's statement that one doesn't make history by following rules, but instead by seizing the moment. VIOLENCE An invisible creature (presumably a gorilla) picks up a rat and then squeezes/pulls it apart until it literally explodes in a bloody mess. That invisible gorilla then bites Matthew on the hand (we see blood come out). Adversely reacting to the serum injected into him to restore visibility, Sebastian pushes Carter backwards into some equipment and then kicks Matthew in the face. Sebastian throws a chair across the lab. Visiting the woman who lives across the way from his home, Sebastian (who's invisible) suddenly grabs the woman and throws her to her bed (but we don't know if he does anything else to her or not). Sebastian breaks a window. Sebastian grabs a yelping, invisible dog and violently slams it against the side of its cage, killing it (we see the impact in the infrared monitor). Sebastian grabs and throws a man into a swimming pool and then proceeds to drown him (after a brief struggle). Sebastian kills a person (apparently by strangling them). We see that Sebastian has lifted up a person by their head/neck toward some piping running along a ceiling. He then drops that person who strikes their neck on something that cuts it open, spilling a great deal of blood. Sebastian pushes a person back against a wall. Matthew tries hitting Sebastian with a fire extinguisher. In turn, Sebastian punches and kicks him in the face. Sebastian punches a person who then struggles with him on the floor over a tranquilizer gun. They lose as Sebastian shoots the dart into their chest and then breaks their neck. Sebastian drives what looks like a large crowbar completely through a person's body (with bloody results) and then hits another person with it in the gut (creating a bloody hole that another person then tends to - and briefly puts their fingers inside). Sebastian throws a homemade, chemical bomb across the room where it explodes. He then snaps a keyboard in half over his knee. A person uses a makeshift flamethrower to attack another person, catching him completely on fire (and burning much of his skin that then flakes off in ashes). Sebastian punches and grabs a person by their hair and then smashes their head against a pole. He then pushes down on their neck with his foot. A person hits another person with a crowbar. A person is seemingly electrocuted to death. A huge explosion rips through the lab with the resulting fireball nearly hitting two people. A person struggles with another person. A person falls to their presumed death (landing in a fireball). Reviewed July 31, 2000 / Posted August 4, 2000