Unseen Triumph: Kevin Bacon's Invisible Man Adaption Astonishes VFX Artists 23 Years On
Hollow Man's groundbreaking CGI continues to captivate audiences even after 23 years, earning high praise from VFX artists for its unforgettable visual effects
The critically panned film Hollow Man, directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Kevin Bacon, has received a positive review from VFX artists 23 years after its release. The film follows scientist Sebastian Caine (Bacon), who invents an invisibility serum and becomes dangerous when he cannot reverse the effects. Despite the initial negative reception, Hollow Man was successful at the box office and received praise for its special effects.
In a recent video by Corridor Crew, VFX artists analyzed various scenes from Hollow Man and praised its impressive CGI. Particularly, they commended the film's tracking and the realistic appearance of Sebastian's muscles during his transformation. The artists also discussed a scene where fire sprinklers soak Sebastian, revealing that Bacon was actually present on set in all black attire, and they were impressed by the transparency effect that allowed objects to be seen through him. Watch their comments in the video below, between the 9:38 to 13:38 time stamp.
Why The CGI In Hollow Man Is So Memorable
The transformation scene in Hollow Man is both terrifying and unforgettable. Sebastian seems to completely dissolve, with the Corridor Crew pointing out the impressive CGI depicting the inside of his body and the movement of his muscles. As his attempt to revert back to normal fails, only his skeleton and internal organs are visible when CPR is administered. Throughout the movie, his body can be outlined when covered in water, blood, or condensation.
The film's CGI was so successful that Hollow Man received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects. Aside from Sebastian's fight with Linda McKay (Shue), another memorable scene occurs when he jumps into a pool to drown Dr. Howard Kramer (William Devane). Leading up to this event, he even briefly appears in the character's cigarette smoke.
A sequel to Hollow Man was released in 2006, but it did not have a theatrical release and received negative reception once again. Despite the criticism of Kevin Bacon's adaptation of The Invisible Man by most audience members, its CGI was noteworthy. It remains to be seen if future films will incorporate similar elements or if a remake will ever be produced.
