Event Horizon

Ah test audiences, if not for you, we would of had a way more disturbing and horrific movie. They pick random people, probably a broad variety, but bland as all get out to help the studio execs gut a director's vision. Probably not even horror fans. What we get is good, but the potential is there for it to be way more disturbing, a horror film that is totally fabricated, but still resonates. Though, this one is good as I so enjoy the supernatural and then to combine it with science fiction...awesome!

The story, a ship, 'Event Horizon' has disappeared and seven years later as reappeared. A crew is set with the task of going to this vessel and discovering if there is anyone left alive and to salvage the ship if possible. On board this crew, a Dr. Weir, who is the man who invented the special engine used to propel the ship forward. Of course, it does this by opening a black hole and we will learn over time that where it leads, no man should go. As they explore the ship, stranger and stranger things keep happening and hampering any chance of the rescue team making it out alive!

I thought all the actors and actresses did good. I knew Sam Neil would be good and so is Lawrence Fishborne. The.visuals are really good too and the film has a very good atmosphere essentially being a spaceship that is haunted. I just think it would have been better with more extended peeks into hell, because who wasn't curious to see what the makers of the film came up with? Unfortunately, they got a squeamish test audience who thought it was too much and us horror fans are left to wonder. Of course, my biggest question is how the heck did a copy of the film with the extra scenes end up in a Transylvania salt mine?

So, I liked this film as I have been trying to watch all the supernatural horror in space I can. Got The Dark Side of the Moon too. Wanted Nightflyers, but that is not even on DVD. The only other one I can think of is Lifeforce which does have some cool visuals, but mainly takes place on earth. This one is probably the best of the ones I know, but could have been even better had they left the deleted scenes in.

A doctor who designed the ship and a crew of rescuers are sent to pick up the crew from the space vessel Event Horizon, off the orbit of Neptune. What the rescuers don't know, however, is that the ship is powered by a black hole and is capable of opening portals to other planets or maybe even dimensions. What might have come through?

It seems appropriate I chose to watch this after "Snow White", the OTHER 1997 Sam Neill horror film (but he's more like the Neill from "In the Mouth of Madness" here than the Neill from "Snow White"). Never a bad time to catch two connected movies back to back.

I can't help but compare this film to other Paul Anderson films such as "Resident Evil" or "Mortal Kombat". There is a distinct look he is good at with technology and particularly the costumes. While I doubt Anderson designed the costumes, you get a sense he likes characters with jumpsuits. If I had to guess who directed this film without knowing, Anderson would be my first guess based on his scenery alone.

Paul Anderson also loves the techno-industrial music in his films (Orbital, The Prodigy, KMFDM) -- he's like a more lighthearted David Fincher in this way. I grew up on industrial music, so this really works for me. But also, I see metal or more specifically industrial crucial to good horror -- to really make the point, see Charlie Clouser's contributions to "Saw II". The whole violence and alienation vibe that is given off by industrial is very appropriate to horror.

The film in general is very likable. Sam Neill is an amazing actor, Laurence Fishbourne (after being Cowboy Curtis but before being Morpheus) is wonderful. And there's a sense of gore that is more hinted at than shown (most of the gore scenes are very quick, leaving an impression on your mind for you to create your own imagery). Many horror space movies are just really stupid (do I need to mention "Leprechaun in Space"?) or follow the same paths, but this one really stands out as unique. It needed both the horror and space aspects to work.

I could compare this to "Doom" (the game or the movie) with the portal to Hell in space... but I won't. Or how about comparing it to "Solaris" (George Clooney's only bad film) with the images of dead friends coming back to life? This is vastly superior, by far. Really, I can't stress enough how awful "Solaris" is.

The inclusion of the tesseract is really great. I don't think they used the word "tesseract", but they used the idea. I grew up with "A Wrinkle in Time" and another book about tesseracts (or, more precisely, wormholes since "tesseract" just illustrates extra dimensions and not so much how to travel through them) and this always gets me pumped. If such things are really possible, the future will be awesome.

Well, anyway, if you're looking for a horror film that's unlike all others you've seen -- but good -- this is a wise choice. Sam Neill cannot steer you wrong, and the elements needed for a good movie are in place here. It's not like the "Citizen Kane" of horror, but maybe the "Jurassic Park" of horror. Check it out.

This film was a lot better than what most people gave it credit for. The cinematography was excellent, and the lighting gave the film a very eerie feel to it. Certainly better than the average sci-fi film. Not only did the film mix two mediums almost perfectly (sci-fi and horror), it completed the union almost flawlessly. Not a perfect movie, but then again, Sam Neill was amazing in this film. Virtually all of the technical aspects in the film were top-notch. While it didn't advance the film industry overall, it did make an impact in the sci-fi genre.

'Event Horizon' is very much an atmospheric sci-fi horror. It does not rely on gore (although there is enough of that) but rather it is the creepy atmosphere that engages the viewer. Andersen successfully creates a tense, depressing, and claustrophobic atmosphere. The suspense and pace are well maintained. It pays tribute to several movies of the same genre (like 'The Shining', 'Aliens' etc). Character development is slightly weak but the actors do a good job and the viewer cares for them. Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson, Richard Jones and Jason Isaacs do a fine job with what they're given. The sets look very unwelcoming and creepy. The special effects and sound effects are good. The cinematography is superb. The plot is a little complex and difficult to follow in the beginning leaving the viewer wondering with what exactly is going on but this becomes easier with repeated viewings. In my view, 'Event Horizon' is an underrated film and perhaps did not get enough recognition because it did not have any stars or enough 'monsters' and 'blood' or perhaps the subject was a little too complex for some to grasp.

This movie doesn't get nearly enough credit. If not for the studio trying to water this movie down, we might be talking about it with the likes of Hellraiser and Alien.

I first saw this in the theater in 97 and it has only gotten better with time. Great sci-fi movie with traditional horror elements. The thunderstorms and fog add to the ambience.

Sam Neil and Laurence Fishburne give fantastic performances that are not reflected in the box office earnings.

I wish we could see the original version that had test audiences fainting but apparently the film has been destroyed due to improper storage.

Highly recommend.