6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A group of scientists are taken by the U.S. Navy on a secret underwater mission to explore an alien spaceship. The vessel turns out to be a U.S. ship from the future carrying a golden orb that allows one to manifest their thoughts and fears.
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Coyote, Liev SchreiberThriller | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 77% |
Psychological thriller | 10% |
Mystery | 3% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 2.0
Japanese track is hidden.
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Somewhere between seventh and eight grade I went through an intense Michael Crichton phase, devouring Jurassic Park, Congo, and The Andromeda Strain in quick succession. I have clear memories of staying up much too late with a flashlight and a tattered library copy of Sphere, shuddering at the book’s creepy manifestations and mentally chewing on some ideas that were a bit beyond my junior high mind. And yet, for whatever reason, until yesterday I had never seen Sphere, the movie. Part of it, I’m sure, has to do with Crichton’s spotty film record. Aside from Rising Sun and Jurassic Park, adaptations of his novels haven’t exactly been blessed with the Midas movie touch. So, despite the comforting presence of director Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog, Rain Man) and a solid, unlikely cast of actors—including Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharon Stone, and Liev Schreiber—I was understandably wary going into Sphere. Some fifteen years after reading the book, I don’t remember many details for comparison, but I found the first hour of the film to be genuinely gripping. Unfortunately, Sphere unravels like a ball of yarn in its second half, quickly becoming a tangled mess of unfocused action, vague plot points, and some metaphysical nonsense.
The team discovers a giant Christmas tree ornament.
As a catalog title from the late 1990s, Sphere looks great on Blu-ray, with a clean and detailed 1080p/VC-1 encoded transfer. Nearly the whole movie is set underwater, so the palette is understandably subdued—the interior of the submerged base of operations is almost entirely stainless steel, the inside of the "alien" craft is a darker grey, and the ocean floor segments are awash in deep blues. There are a few vivid colors, like the bright red flashing of warning lights and, of course, the rippling gold sphere, but the overall look is appropriately restrained. Black levels and contrast are well balanced through most of the film, though you'll notice—or rather not notice—a few crushed details here and there. Some of the undersea segments also seem a little washed out, so to speak, though this seems due to the diffuse dust and debris in the water. The print itself is just about spotless—I only noticed one white speck throughout—and there's a thin layer of barely noticeable grain that gives the image a warm and definite filmic quality. The title may not be as crisp as some modern offerings, but this is still a sharp and pleasing transfer, with plenty of detail apparent in facial textures and on-set props. Aside from one or two instances of very minor contrast wavering, there are no real transfer-related problems to report. All in all, Sphere looks better than ever.
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. Sphere rolls onto Blu-ray with a watery Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that suits the film well. You won't notice a huge number of discrete effects, but there's almost always something bubbling up in the rears, whether it's subtle ambience, bleeding score, or aquatic sound effects. Water is obviously a big part of Sphere, and you'll hear it drip, slosh, splash, trickle, gush, and flow frequently in the surround channels. Listen to the plunging, bubbly sounds as the team's submarine first descends to the ocean floor and hear the deep twanging of the hull succumbing to water pressure. Be disturbed by the creepy thumping of something banging on the outside of the underwater station. Warning sirens peel out loudly, hatches seal with satisfying suction, and atmospheric, tension-building sounds roar and throb with low-end presence. Elliot Goldenthal's score is a big, Hollywood affair, with bold, bellowing horns and strings that sweep one moment and screech with staccato stabs the next. There are a couple of stocky sounds, and there's an indistinct quality to some of the bass, especially during the opening scene, but most of the film has a clean presence that's bolstered by clear, front and center dialogue. This track won't necessarily rock your world or rattle your walls, but it provides Sphere with plenty of strong, watery waveforms.
Commentary by Dustin Hoffman and Samuel L. Jackson
When you read "Commentary by Dustin Hoffman and Samuel L. Jackson" you might assume
that the two heavy-hitting actors are watching the film together, trading anecdotes, having a few
laughs, and engaging in a little witty repartee. Well, think again. This is one of those
commentary tracks, where the participants are recorded separately and their comments are cut
'n pasted in accordance to whoever has the most interesting thing to say at the moment. Sam
Jackson is given the most play here, and he manages to have a good time all by his lonesome,
chatting casually about the film and giving some insights into the process of shooting
underwater. Hoffman is a bit more subdued, and it seems like he didn't have as much fun on set
as he did on some of his other films with Barry Levinson. It's a disappointment the two actors
couldn't have recorded a track together, but if you can get past its somewhat disjointed nature,
this commentary is a decent enough listen.
Shaping the Sphere: Art of the Special Effects Supervisor (SD, 14:36)
Special Effects Supervisor Jeff Okun gives an overview of his responsibilities on Sphere,
and takes us through some of the techniques used to create the illusions that sell the film, from
storyboards and concept drawings through scaled miniatures and CGI. The segment ends with
Elkins giving some advice for those who might want a career in the special effects
industry.
Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:21)
Three TV Spots (SD, 2:07 total)
The beginning of Sphere is tense and exciting, but as soon as all hell begins to break loose for the characters, the film itself follows suit, wasting a fantastic premise for psychological terror. The film feels like one of those matinees you'd catch on basic cable on a lazy weekend afternoon, something you'd commit to watching—it's modestly entertaining, after all—even though you don't really expect it to be any good. On the plus side, the film gets a strong high definition treatment on Blu-ray, and fans should feel comfortable trading in their scratched up DVD copies. If you're new to the film, it's worth a rental, if only for the fun cast and underwater cinematography.
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Director's Cut
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Special Edition
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The Director's Cut
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Limited Edition
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