Review: SPHERE Directed by: Barry Levinson Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Liev Schrieber, Petere Coyote Approx Running Time: 135 min. Based on the novel by Michael Chricton
Sphere, "Busy" Barry Levinson's latest project, dances between so many genre's it's hard to keep up. But in the end, it is only the cast that makes this a watchable, occasionally interesting film.
Hoffman, Stone, Jackson and Schreiber play a group of scientists, and professionals who are chosen to explore an undersea, unexplained extra-terrestrial phenomenon. An other-worldly ship apparently lodged itself at the bottom of the Pacific ocean nearly three hundred years ago.The group soon discovers that they aren't the first people to explore the it, and they begin to wonder if it may be a man made vessel. We are a bit curious too, as a matter of fact, but that curiosity goes away when other things cloud the picture and lead us to other unexplained events.
Though some of the screenwriting (by current Oscar nominee Paul Attanasio) is witty and amusing (and some hackneyed and clichèd), Sphere can't help but drown itself (you should excuse the pun) in psychological, flat thrills. None of the bizzare events that unfold are logical, and they don't have the punch of those you might find in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Sadly, Sphere misses with it's storyline.
This film could have been saved with a satisfying finale, but alas, it will end up in the "Bad Ending Hall of Shame". Chrichton seemed unable to find a suitable ending, so he came up with this one on a really bad day.
What's surprising about Sphere is that it was directed by the marvelous Barry Levinson, who brought us Good Morning Vietnam, Wag the Dog, Sleepers and Rain Man. Here, he is totally out of his element. The fact that he is trapped under water in a strange ship really confines him -- he is a director who needs physical space to explore. With Sphere, he is resigned to deal with special effects and good actors to keep it afloat. (I'm sorry, I can't help it.)
Sphere is enjoyable in a few respects. Jackson is not in top form, but Hoffman and Stone are. There are some amusing scenes, and nothing is funnier than a group of talented actors in a small room, high on helium. It's main fault, though, lies in its ill-conceived story and never-explained developments.I couldn't help but ask, "but why....?"
Two out of Four stars Copyright (C) 1998 Nick Amado ******************************* Questions, comments? More water jokes? Email me at namado@concentric.net
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