Joseph Conrad's remarkably prescient novel of terrorism and espionage comes to life, so to speak, in this adaptation starring Bob Hoskins, Patricia Arquette and Gerard Depardieu. Hoskins plays a spineless double agent coerced by his Russian contact into attempting to blow up the Greenwich Observatory; his bungled attempt sets into motion an exploration of the dark underworld of Victorian England. The decision to retain Conrad's unique vision of sabotage and spying as unglamorous, often cowardly work should be lauded, but what makes for an excellent novel adds up to a fairly tedious film. Despite good performances by all involved, the film only really comes to life during Robin Williams' unbilled role as The Professor, as chilling a presence here as in Conrad's book. If the film had managed to extend the amoral energy of this character into its other portrayals, it could have become more than just the adequate adaptation that it is.