Kula

An unexpectedly average affair. What does it matter that the premise is priceless and the cast includes one stellar name after another, when the end result is a film with absolutely nothing to bring it even close to the genre's elite? And what is saved by the actors, the impressive visuals or the excellent soundtrack, is brought back to its knees by an uninteresting script and a significantly excessive runtime. It's certainly not a dud, but if I have to choose an underwater adventure, I always prefer Cameron's The Abyss, which is much more colourful and complex, not only cinematically but also emotionally. (25.04.2013)

The psychology, the suspense, the depressing feeling of isolation... all of it, including the final idea, is half-baked, running tiredly at half-throttle. A group of exceptional people came together to do a well-paid job. Give them a bonus to demolish the cold approach and routine nature of this film, and the result of their “efforts” might have looked different. (23.01.2004)

I love films from underwater backgrounds, and Sphere is like a rendition of a fascinating nightmare for me... Alone in the depths of the oceans. I get goosebumps from the film, although Crichton's great story is shot in an extremely chaotic, confused way and at the end it is heedlessly slapped together. Moreover, with the exception of the mysterious mathematician Adams (Samuel L. Jackson), the characters were not successful - it seems that some of the stars came to the square to see the catering and forgot to find out who they were actually playing... But I can't give less for the atmosphere than I give. (25.01.2004)

It is not explicitly a bad film. Strictly objectively speaking, it is a slightly above-average genre affair that in a different case would deserve a weaker four stars and relatively friendly reviews. The problem with the film is that it was based on a very high-quality science fiction novel, and back when it was made it was a film with great ambitions, budget, and a star cast. However, the result simply does not correspond to all of that. The screenplay does not match the quality of the source material, but the main problem is the unremarkable direction, which at times makes the high-budget film feel almost like a television film. The actors themselves cannot save it. Dustin Hoffman and Samuel L. Jackson act quite decently, but they are hardly half as good compared to other films they are in. Unfortunately, the plot is mostly predictable, as well as who will survive. This novel deserved a more dignified film adaptation. Overall impression: 55%. (02.12.2006)