H.G. Wells‘ 1897 novel The Invisible Man revolved around Griffin, a scientist who uses himself as a test subject for his experimental serum, rendering himself invisible. He’s unable to reverse the process, though, and he subsequently spirals out of control, resulting in multiple murders. Both the novel and Griffin have inspired countless adaptations since, including Universal Picture’s 1933 classic. Nearly twenty years ago, Hollow Man drew from the original story to create something much more modern and mean-spirited; this big-budget sci-fi spectacle delivered a sleazy central character and one seriously violent finale.
The eponymous Hollow Man is Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon), an arrogant scientist working on an invisibility serum for the Pentagon. Up until the precise moment Caine volunteers himself as the first human test subject, an unethical and illegal move, the film spends some time introducing his God complex. He’s addicted to attention and power, loves materialism, adores defying authority, and he views women as mere objects to be used and discarded. He’s particularly persistent in his attempts to win back his ex, Linda (Elisabeth Shue), not only because they work together, but because he views the pursuit as a challenge. In other words, the “hollow” in the title refers to Caine as a person, long before he’s rendered himself invisible.
That the opening scene shows a mouse horrifically ripped apart by an enraged and invisible gorilla driven mad by the serum sets up two crucial points; the serum affects aggression levels, and this version of the story will end violently. When Caine first undergoes the procedure, he quickly adjusts to life undetected by playing pranks on his colleagues and inappropriately touching the women. When the reverse method fails, he grows increasingly stir crazy.
Eventually, Caine finds ways to sneak off, growing more brazen by his invisibility the longer he’s unable to return to form. That includes the horrific rape of a neighbor he lusted after from afar, and a brutal bludgeoning of an animal test subject. It’s when his colleagues finally realize they need to alert their military employers of Caine’s status that he decides to cut ties and destroy any evidence of his tests, which means destroying both the lab and those in it. Cue the violent slasher-like third act.
Director Paul Verhoeven was aiming for something much more accessible and commercially appealing in his follow up to Starship Troopers. Instead, he wound up helming a feature he’s publicly disowned over the years. In a 2016 interview with Hollywood Reporter, he said, “I can defend Showgirls, but not Hollow Man.” His experience working on Hollow Man also marked the last Hollywood film that the director made. It’s the least Verhoeven feeling Verhoeven film of his filmography and one that feels superficial on a narrative level. Yet it’s very slickly produced with some smart ways of making invisibility visually exciting. So much that Hollow Man earned a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Penned by End of Days screenwriter Andrew W. Marlowe, the biggest flaw of the narrative is the love triangle between Caine, Linda, and Matt (Josh Brolin). Matt is Caine’s perfect opposite, the more grounded and morally pure scientist to balance out Caine’s impulsivity and ego. Linda tells Matt that the concept of Caine is more attractive than the actual person, but there’s still residual attraction leftover. Though on a much smaller scale, Linda’s ambition and loyalty to Caine make her just as much to blame for his villainous turn as he is, his propensity for evil was there from the outset, but she enabled him. Worst of all, though, is that Linda and Matt – as they all are- are paper-thin characters. The actors bring enough energy and talent to propel the chaos forward, but it’s hard to develop a rooting interest for any of them.
Caine and The Invisible Man’s Griffin ultimately share the same arch, but Griffin’s feels more unhinged, tragic, and grander. The confined lab space and Caine’s motivations reduce him to a super-powered rapist and cruel animal killer that can’t let go of office grudges. That’s an oversimplification, but it does feel like a significant wasted opportunity to not bother with scares or tension until the final act. The idea of a menacing maniac lurking nearby, unseen, should feel a lot more dangerous than it does in the Hollow Man.
Bacon fully commits to his vile character, and despite Verhoeven’s vocal disappointment of his film, it does present a uniquely modern take on a classic literary monster. One with a rare blockbuster budget, no less. Slick production values and a fantastically bloody finale make for a fascinating entry in 2000’s horror catalog and a more modern depiction of the corruptive nature of power along with it. Above all, it shows that there’s still plenty of room to explore new horror-fueled takes on The Invisible Man.
