SciFlicks.com - Science Fiction Cinema
Home | Sci-Fi Movie Guides | Artists | SQUAD! Forums | Advertise!  
SciFlicks.com > All SciFlicks Guides > Sphere > Review
 
Sphere
 Details
    CAST & CREW
    REVIEW
    FACTS
    SQUAD! FORUM 
 Memorabilia
    POSTERS
    DVD, CD, BOOK
 Miscellaneous
    FEEDBACK
    LINKS
 No Multimedia
    SHOULD WE ADD
    MULTIMEDIA?
SPHERE The Review

Human Rating: 2 / 5 Alien Rating: UFO Sighting
 

I am happy.

An unknown object is discovered at the bottom of the ocean where it has been buried for the past 300 years or so. A special team consisting of scientists is sent to investigate since all indications are that it might be of extraterrestrial origin. The team's composition is determined by a government policy document written during the Bush administration on how any contact with aliens should be handled. The author of the document (played by Dustin Hoffman) is on the team as well and later admits that the report is bogus. After all, he needed the money and how does one write a report on a topic like that? So he cribbed some ideas from science fiction writers like Isaac Asimov and Rod Serling.

This more or less describes the plot behind Sphere (based on the novel by Michael Crichton who also wrote Jurassic Park (1993), its sequel, Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997) and Congo (1995)). Sphere starts off intriguing though: it turns out that the object lying at the bottom of the ocean is actually an American spaceship from the year 2043. What is it doing there? How did it get there? Unfortunately the answers supplied by Sphere to these questions are mundane if you go to the movies a lot. Hint? Sphere starts off as The Abyss (1989), then turns into Event Horizon (1997) and finally turns out to be Forbidden Planet (1956) and Solaris...

If you haven't seen any of these movies, then Sphere might offer you something new. But even then the action is slow and the movie talky. It could have done with an adrenaline injection à la The Abyss (1989). Also, the movie's ending is philosophically bleak when you think about it. It shows Crichton's low opinion of humanity and, while it might be fashionable nowadays to hold such opinions, it is a rather bleak outlook that doesn't really bring us anywhere...

Review by James O'Ehley from The Sci-Fi Movie Page.

 
 
Sphere Discussion Forum   Sphere Discussion Forum  
  Share your thoughts on this flick!
Click here...
 
    Latest topics and reviews discussed:
SeraphYes, its another "star" poll...
[QUOTE][i] Originally posted by Seraph [/i] [B]3 bombs for a great concept, (though I did guess ...
More / Reply
SplendiferousCrap!
Loved the book - still can't get through the beginning of the film. It sends me to sleep every time...
More / Reply
SplendiferousOriginal Movie Poster
I've tried to watch this, I've tried so many times. I've got it on video for a pound, just to make ...
More / Reply
 

 

News
Sci-Fi Artist:
Click here for ANDREW NICCOL
Andrew Niccol
> more... 
Sci-Fi Movie:
Click here for THE MATRIX
> more... 
SciFlicks SQUAD!
SciFlicks SQUAD! Forums
Join Us.

Copyright © 1998-2024 – Popcorn Studios.
All Movie Material and Media Copyright © 1998 – Warner Bros.
All Rights Reserved. For Personal, Non-Profit Use Only. Refer to Legal Notices for Details.
SciFlicks.com - Science Fiction Cinema