Sphere Critique

Sphere

Sphere is an interesting story about a group of scientists from different disciplines who are brought to a super-secret underwater site where the U. S. Navy has discovered a mysterious, glowing sphere. Although the movie was very interesting, a lot of scientific facts, it was just too long and there were parts of the film where I found myself yawning. I give the movie a thumb up for being the movie my teacher chose to show the class. Although the movie was directed by Barry Levinson and starred Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson it would not be a movie I would pick off the shelf and rent for my own interest.

Psychologist Norman Goodman is summoned to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to provide trauma-assistance in what he believes to be a plane crash. When he arrives he is informed that a ship laying fibre optic cables between Honolulu and Sydney had come across an unknown object 1000 feet under the ocean. The navy using SLS side looking sonar was able to detect an aerodynamic fin longer than a football field and longer than any known wingspan. Also using the fusel lodge extra high resolution SLS bottom scan they figured out that the spacecraft was buried under 8 yards of quarrel. Knowing that the pacific quarrel grows at a rate of an inch a year they were able to calculate that the spacecraft crashed about 300 years ago. Also there is a low level hum that the sonar can pick up.

The human contact team recommended in the Goodman report, written for the possible encounter with aliens, are in charge of finding out everything there is to know about the spacecraft. The team consists of a psychologist (Norman Goodman), biochemist (Beth Halpren), mathematician (Harry Adams), and an astrophysicist (Ted). According to the Goodman report a biochemist is needed to assess the physiology of the unknown life form. A mathematician is needed because math would be the common language. An astrophysicist is needed to locate the place in the cosmos. This elite team will be staying in a habitat 1000 feet beneath the ocean. The habitat is handled by two navy personal. The contact team finds a large sphere in the spacecraft that reflects everything but humans. According to Ted if they were to put a micrometer around the sphere it would be perfect to the millionth of an inch. Then when the crew loses contact with the surface because of a storm overhead the team is forced to stay in