Sphere

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Sphere

PG-13

1998

2h 13m

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

13%

Tomatometer

55 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When psychologist Norman Goodman (Dustin Hoffman) wrote a report for the government on how to deal with extraterrestrial life forces, he didn't expect his recommendations to be used. Now that a secret government agency is investigating what may be an alien spaceship that has been discovered partially buried on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, Norman finds that the plan he outlined is being put into effect and that the team he named in his report has been assembled.

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Critics Consensus

Sphere features an A-level cast working with B-grade material, with a story seen previously in superior science-fiction films.

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Desson Thomson

Washington Post

01/08/2018

Ultimately, the explanation we've been waiting for turns out to be just that: an explanation.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

08/05/2008

An empty shell.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

06/24/2006

Three major stars being involved, it all wraps up happily but implausibly.

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

01/19/2023

B-

An undersea, sci-fi, paranoid thriller which packs tension but cannot release the powerful payoff we have a right to expect.

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

01/18/2023

1.5/4

Adding to the downfalls is the unavailable chemistry between the leads, Hoffman and Stone. No sparks seem to fly in this relationship and we don’t feel a kinship to either.

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

08/07/2020

1.5/5

It pays to be incredibly suspicious of a movie where nearly all dramatic tension is drawn from characters standing around bleeping computer screens and commenting on how bad things look.

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Blackbird B

Dec 9

The worst movie I have ever seen. EVER. It is a vast waste of time and resources. The writing is absolutely horrific and the directing is almost as bad if not worse, since the guy didn't even try to save the movie at all. These people should be put in prison for wasting everyone's time. I feel bad for the actors since usually they are excellent...but this film gave them zero hope of making it watchable at all. This movie functions better as a torture device than work of art. It's almost as if they had a similar script as event horizon but just made it worse. 80 million dollars wasted on helping people waste their lives. I am actually quitting watching movies because of this garbage.

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Craig A.

@craigalfredo99 Nov 30

I love movies like this. Abyss, Event Horizon… they are Scripts that fall off the beaten path a little bit, but are genuine and well worth a watch

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Noel L

Nov 6

This film is like 2001: A Space Odyssey meets The Abyss. But take away the level of quality

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Daniel N

Sep 21

Slow burning and feels its age but is worth a watch.

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Mark C

Aug 17

What a waste of 3 great actors! The book should never have been published and movie never made. Hodgepodge of scenes with no meaningful content. Acting was good but even these incredible actors could not save this movie. If there was ever a movie that should have hit the trash early and often this was it. No real science and not much thought went into this disaster!

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Diet Dr. Paul .

Aug 10

An undervalued sci-fi gem! Is it perfect… not by a long stretch, but it has everything you want in a late 1990’s sci-fi thriller—iconic actors, over the top set pieces and incredibly cheesy dialogue wrapped in James Cameron, Abyss-esque VFX. Grab some popcorn and kick your feet up for this one, just don’t expect anything groundbreaking or revolutionary!

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Barry Levinson

Director

Dustin Hoffman

Dr. Norman Goodman

Sharon Stone

Dr. Beth Halperin

Samuel L. Jackson

Dr. Harry Adams

Peter Coyote

Captain Harold C. Barnes

Liev Schreiber

Dr. Ted Fielding

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Synopsis

When psychologist Norman Goodman (Dustin Hoffman) wrote a report for the government on how to deal with extraterrestrial life forces, he didn't expect his recommendations to be used. Now that a secret government agency is investigating what may be an alien spaceship that has been discovered partially buried on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, Norman finds that the plan he outlined is being put into effect and that the team he named in his report has been assembled.

Director: Barry Levinson
Producer: Michael Crichton, Barry Levinson, Andrew Wald
Screenwriter: Michael Crichton, Kurt Wimmer, Stephen Hauser, Paul Attanasio
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Punch Productions, Constant c Productions, Baltimore Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Startling Images|Sci-Fi Action)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 13, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.0M
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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