Event Horizon

Year: 1997
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson

I remembered watching this with my sister the first time it came out. She was so freaked out after that haha. But then, she doesn't like horror flicks. And I thought it wasn't really that scary. But it is entertaining somewhat.

Set in the future, Event Horizon is about a search and rescue team sent into space, particularly Neptune, to recover the space vessel with that very name. The ship had been missing for years, until now. Apparently, the ship has technology that enables it to jump from one point of space to another through a self made black hole. The ship was designed by a brilliant scientist, Dr William Weir, who is still haunted by memories of his dead wife.

Dr Weir joins the rescue team led by Capt Miller onboard the ship called Lewis and Clark (named after the famed explorers) and heads to Neptune to investigate where the ship has been and look for survivors. Of course, it's never that simple. Once they arrive, they discover that the ship has a life of its own, and it starts picking off the rescue team one by one, in gory fashion.

If there is one thing that impressed me with this movie, it's the set design. Event Horizon (the vessel, not the film) looks real unusual. The architecture of it, both outside and inside is unlike anything I've seen in other space films. The walls, doors, corridors.....all have a dark gothic look. Something you wouldn't normally see in a spaceship. It's like a haunted mansion in deep space.

Character development isn't much, but Fishburne does well enough as the determined Capt Miller, who tries desperately to save each of his crew from the chaos. Neill is equally good as the troubled scientist whose demons finally consume him. So what's the problem then? I guess the actual problem with the film is not being scary enough. Sure, it has its moments but the scare tactics used aren't original. You've probably seen it before in Alien and The Shining. But where it lacks in spooks, it makes up for in gore and violence. Well, I'll let you see it for yourself.

Not a bad film, but if you want something scary, go watch The Ring. (3/5)