← Back to results
Sphere
1998 134 min United States of America PG-13 18+
★5.4
Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Barry Levinson
🎭 Based on
«Sphere»
byMichael Crichton
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A spacecraft is discovered at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, presumed to be at least 300 years old and of alien origin. A crack team of scientists and experts is assembled and taken to the ocean floor to investigate. However, the ship is not as it seems and when a giant perfect sphere is discovered in the cargo bay, things begin to fall apart.
Budget:
$80M
US Gross:
$37.02M
Worldwide:
$37.02M
Starring
Dustin Hoffman
Actor
Sharon Stone
Actor
Samuel L. Jackson
Actor
Awards
3 nominations total
Key opinion
Sphere is a polarizing sci-fi thriller that is frequently praised for its tense, atmospheric first half and intriguing philosophical premise, but often criticized for a disjointed second act and an underwhelming resolution. While the ensemble cast is star-studded, opinions are starkly divided on whether their performances elevate the material or fail to rescue a messy script.
| Direction | The film establishes a highly effective, claustrophobic atmosphere during its initial underwater mystery | |
| Theme | The core concept of a mysterious artifact that manifests human fears offers an engaging and thought-provoking philosophical premise | |
| Pacing | The transition from a compelling setup to a faltering, unfocused second half leaves the narrative structure feeling broken | |
| Ending | The finale is widely regarded as anticlimactic and fails to provide a satisfying conclusion to the setup | |
| Acting | The high-profile cast is seen by many as underutilized or miscast, failing to create a strong emotional connection with the audience |