MovieChat Forums > Sphere (1998) Discussion > For all the build up

For all the build up


Which I admit was pretty cool in the beginning. It's amazing how much this movie sucks

reply

I agree. The set up was good, but the narrative just doesn't play out that well and the characters themselves, aren't all that appealing. We therefore don't end up caring all that much.🐭

reply

Other people have highly recommended its novel by Michael Crichton.

You're gonna need a bigger boat.

reply

I read the book first and found the movie adaption rather weak considering the A-list cast. They also left out some important elements to the space ship and its crew and instead focused on the alien/craft and its abilities but even then they didn't go into the details of its powers. The ending was ridiculously stale.

reply

Yeah totally agree ! ... really couldn't wait for it to end despite a promising beginning !

Def could not recommended this one :(

reply

Honestly its one of my favorite books when i was a kid, read it 3 times between ages 11 to 15. The movie adaptation just does not do it justice. The set up and characters I think they did good with in the film. The first 30 minutes or so was good but everything until the last 10 minutes was rather bad and because they removed some of the subtleties like Norman finding the picture of Ted's car in his pocket after they had already 'forgot' the incident. It was little moments like this that really hit the tragic tone well.

Also the neglect of the power the sphere gives them, the impact it has on their minds and psychologies, instead focusing on the manifestation of their fears really took away from the more interesting elements of the story.

But then it is because the book is written in a POV perspective we actually read the character's thoughts; it is not possible to do this in a film without voice over and that would be silly in such a film. Also the film needed to be simplified to reach a 'wider' audience. But in my opinion this is not the type of story to simplify for a film.

reply