At a top secret military lab, a group of brilliant young scientists have just unlocked the secret of invisibility. In ``Hollow Man,'' the provocative new suspense thriller from the mind of controversial director Paul Verhoeven , the team's arrogant leader, Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon), ignores the risks and decides to test the dangerous procedure on himself -- only to discover his fellow scientists are unable to reverse the effect. Working around the clock, Caine's colleagues struggle to devise an antidote. But Sebastian's intoxication with his new-found power is growing, and he's come to believe his colleagues may be a threat to his very existence. ( Columbia Pictures official press release excerpt. )

Review: First off, let me express my concern for Paul Verhoeven's credibility as a talented director of sci-fi schmaltz (ever see Robocop? Total Recall? Starship Troopers?). After being subjected to "Showgirls" (also directed by Verhoeven), I thought he had purged the 'bad movie blood' from his system. But, it seems the infection is getting worse and Hollow Man is definitely a symptom.

Kevin Bacon turns in an over-the-top role as Sebastian Caine, the genius military researcher who is the first human being to turn invisible. After his banal and cliché benefit-the-human-race speech, the movie swiftly degenerates into a fourth rate voyeur/monster flick. Elizabeth Shue and Josh Brolin are the players pitted against Caine, whose God complex drives him just a little over the edge!!

This sad excuse for a movie is almost saved by the special effects (which are some of the best I've ever seen), but the poor plot and virtually non-existent characters sink this film into the muck. Good to see Verhoeven's 'video screen fetish' hasn't disappeared with time though!

Final verdict: Somebody would have to pay me to see Hollow Man again.
Reviewed by Neil Kipling