SPHERE

Director: Barry Levinson

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson

Scientists investigate a spacecraft that's been found on the sea bed.

Based on the thought-provoking novel by Michael Crichton, Sphere is a curiously bad movie. It’s an intensely psychological drama that singularly fails to impress. The fine cast rarely seem like they’re working together on the same movie, and Levinson frequently works himself into corners he’s unable to escape from. The Region 2 DVD features a commentary track by Hoffman and Jackson which adds a new dimension to the experience, and goes some way towards explaining what went wrong. The dual-layer disc also has a behind-the-scenes documentary that focuses on the special effects, a number of trailers that lack conviction, and extensive production notes. The film is presented in an excellent 2.35:1 transfer on a duel-layered disc, and boasts a superb 5.1 sound mix that conveys a great deal of atmosphere.