Where to watch Hologram Man
3 Stars
Five years after the mad terrorist Norman Galagher was sentenced to holographic stasis, he is given a parole hearing. But an equipment failure engineered by his cronies transforms the criminal into a living hologram with god-like powers. Now, stopping him is up to Kurt Decoda, the man who as a police rookie was responsible for arresting Galagher.
When Cannon Films went bankrupt in the early 1990s, PM Entertainment took up the mantle of B-movie maestros. Their formula of minimal budgets, recognizable stars, and maximum action became an often repeated mix that reaped a major return on investment for producers Joseph Merhi and Richard Pepin throughout the decade. Hologram Man is an exciting action-packed sci-fi tale that is the first to feature the screen pairing of (the late) Joe Lara and Evan Lurie, both of whom were under contract with PM Entertainment, and this makes for an effective combo. Hologram Man liberally borrows from Demolition Man, Virtuosity, and Robocop, to name just a few of the obvious influences on the creative team behind this production.
Both Lara and Lurie are attractive beefcakes. Their prenning and model posturing with the long hair add to the Ninties vibe of the piece. In the acting department, Evan Lurie delivers an energetic and intense performance that makes Joe Lara seem flat in comparison. Lurie is the villain of the piece; it’s a juice role, one that gives him opportunities to go over-the-top with the character, while Lara is saddled with portraying the low-key straight-arrow hero. Director Richard Pepin moves the story along quickly and stages his scenes using authentic Los Angeles locations. All of the above-listed elements come together, adding up to an explosively (and mindlessly) entertaining excursion into the land of the straight-to-video action thriller.
Directed by: Richard Pepin
Written by: Evan Lurie (screenplay), Evan Lurie (story), Richard Preston Jr. (screenplay)
Starring: Joe Lara, Evan Lurie, Michael Nouri, John Amos