There's something really special about this movie, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's the combination of sci-fi and horror, which create a very distinct atmosphere that you can just feel throughout the entire flick. Maybe it's the idea of a hell-dimension, accessible through a black hole, something so far away yet so close-by that gives me the creeps. Even though you don't see anything of this don't-wanna-be-there-dimension, the effect it has on the crew just says it all. The plot maybe quite simple, but the film doesn't dwell too much on it, it does not imply it is a mind-blowing idea. You won't hear Laurence Fishburne saying: 'Oh, my God! A hell dimension! How is it even possible?!' Nothing in the movie is scarier than stuff I've seen before, still the scariness of Event Horizon isn't in the gore, nor in the shock and awe moments. No, it's in the atmosphere. It's in the ominousness which somehow grabs you and doesn't let go. It's in the gut-feeling. Event Horizon is a gut-movie. Maybe that's the thing I couldn't put my finger on.
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wouterbrugge27 April 2005
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Aaron137513 October 2021Ah 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. -
rparham2 October 2004At first glance, Event Horizon would appear to be a science fiction film through and through. It's set in the future, features spacecraft and the men and women who fly them, and is about a rescue mission to another spacecraft. Yet, before long, it's quickly obvious that Event Horizon is, in fact, a horror film set in space, and a surprisingly effective one at that. While not a masterpiece, it is a reasonably disturbing film.
Event Horizon opens in the mid 21st century, where man has attempted faster-than-light travel. The vessel built for this was the space ship the Event Horizon, and it contained at it's heart an artificial singularity, a miniature black hole if you will, that will open a door to another part of the universe. Upon first test of the engine, the ship disappeared, not to be heard from again. Seven years later, it reappears in orbit over Neptune and a rescue ship, the Lewis & Clark, is dispatched to determine if there are survivors, and what happened to the Event Horizon. Along for the ride is the ship's designer, Dr. Weir (Sam Neill), whos going through a strong trauma in his life after his wife has recently committed suicide. The crew of the Lewis & Clark, commanded by Captain Miller (Laurence Fishburne), listen to Weir's explanation of what happened to the Event Horizon and then receive a transmission from the ship that is garbled but seems to suggest a not so pleasant fate for the crew. The Lewis & Clark crew dock with the Event Horizon and begin investigating the ghost ship, but find strange happenings occurring throughout, with different members of the crew seeing strange things: Miller sees a man he left for dead on an exploding vessel, medical officer Peters (Kathleen Quinland) sees her crippled son, and the ships engineer, Justin (Jack Noseworthy) looked into the singularity engine and is put into a state of shock and Weir begins seeing visions of his wife.
It quickly becomes apparent that the Event Horizon has been somewhere other than another part of the galaxy, and it has brought something back with it.
Event Horizon is not a groundbreaking entry in the horror genre, that's for sure. Many aspects on display have been utilized in countless other films. And yet, director Paul Anderson manages to give us the requisite chills and leave us on the edge of our seats. A primary element that helps the film is the Event Horizon itself. Designed with a very Gothic look in mind, the ship just looks and feels scary. It is place I can't imagine anyone ever being comfortable being in. The dark, empty hallways and rooms are menacing themselves, and that helps ratchet up the tension. Anderson also does a good job of crafting suspenseful scenes involving the character's visions. Almost every one of those sequences will leave you unsure of what you will see and that keeps the audience in a state of unease.
As the film progresses, there is an increase in make-up effects grusomeness, so I would agree that it makes it a difficult film to watch as it goes on. However, most everything in the last half-hour is payoff to the setup, so while it's not always pretty to watch, it makes it all the more effective.
Acting wise, Event Horizon is decent, but nobody will be well remembered for their work. Sam Neill is probably the most memorable as the slowly disintegrating Weir, tumbling to madness before our eyes. Laurence Fishbure is effective as the hard-nosed captain, and everyone else gets the job done.
A lot of people gave Event Horizon flack upon it's release, and again, it's not the most original horror film made, but it is one of the more disturbing I saw in the mid to late '90s, and I would give it a recommendation, just be careful watching it by yourself. -
ctoguy16 July 2006This is actually one of my favorite horror movies. It is smart, scary, and yes, even a little disturbing at times. While some of the ideas behind the science are absurd, that is why it's called science-"fiction".
The cast does a good job in their roles, and the setting for the movie is dark, creepy, and perfectly done.
I have read several bad reviews in these comments, and I have seen basically two categories of such. One is that the science involved is ridiculous. This is a movie. A horror movie. A horror movie on a spaceship in the future. I think it's time to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the movie.
The second complaint I have been reading is even worse. That the movie is too scary and disturbing! I don't think I have EVER sat down to watch a scary movie and been upset that it was...scary. Perhaps the movie was accidentally placed in the children's section.
Regardless, the movie is fun and scary. Exactly what most people look for in a scary movie. I highly suggest renting this gem and enjoying it for what it is: One of the better horror movies of the late 90's. -
Agent107 May 2002This 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.
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Unfairly dismissed as a combination of Alien and Hellraiser, Event Horizon is one of those films that should be ranked among the classics of it's genre yet has somehow fallen by the wayside to be revered by movie geeks and horror aficionados but ultimately ignored by the mainstream. What's especially surprising is that this excellent film came from the directing skills of Paul W Anderson who was also responsible for such tragic misfires as Resident Evil and Alien Versus Predator and shows that there is more to Hollywood's Generic Director For Hire than first imagined.
Set in the year 2047 the story concerns the sudden reappearance of a prototype spaceship (the Event Horizon of the title) which vanished on it's maiden voyage seven years previously. A salvage ship called The Lewis And Clark is sent out to investigate and brings along Dr William Weir (Sam Neil), a physics expert originally responsible for the ship's creation. They dock with the Horizon but find no signs of life and as they set about making repairs, the crew begin to experience hallucinations and sense that they are not alone...
So far so very familiar but this is far, far more than a rip off disguising itself as a 'homage.' For one thing there is no predatory alien hunter on the loose and instead the horror is far more psychological. Not that there isn't a fair amount of violence and gore but the gradual sense of unease that builds up to it is crafted more on the crew's growing sense of anxiety and paranoia. Plus, there is no definitive explanation given for what they are experiencing. Just what are these Ghosts from their pasts doing on this ship? And what exists on the other side of the black hole? Another dimension where mankind was never meant to go or as the movie itself suggests but doesn't confirm, the very depths of hell itself? Couple this with the excellent set design - the ship is modelled on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris - and the pulse-pounding moments in the latter half when the chaos sets in and you have one tremendously enjoyable horror film. Best watched alone at night with all the lights off where you can properly get swept up in it's claustrophobic atmosphere, you'll never need eyes to see again. -
Maarten198513 August 2006EVENT HORIZON is a pretty good sci-fi/horror movie which you'll either love or hate. It's a very dark and depressing movie which completely justifies the 'terror' in the tag-line. Perhaps the continuing terror is why some people probably dislike it.
As far as I know, most horror movies lack a decent story or decent acting or character development. That's why I'm not into horror movies that much. But Event Horizon has an interesting story that is an ideal and most of all original environment for a horror movie. Even though character development is limited, as the film progresses you'll get to know most of the characters better. Especially Sam Neill's (Dr. Weir) and Laurence Fishburn's (Cpt. Miller) characters.
The acting was done very well by most of the cast, most notable Laurence Fishburn and Sam Neill who did a good job. The sets on the other hand are brilliant and creepy at the same time. I would not feel comfortable walking around in any of those rooms, especially the engineering room featuring the Gravity Drive (sphere with 3 magnetic rings within a room filled with deadly spikes on the walls and ceiling). This adds more tension than there already is to the movie which makes the experience only better and worthwhile.
The special effects in this movie are quite a treat. Ranging from an external view of the gigantic Event Horizon around Neptune to Dr. Weir and his 'HANDywork' with his eyes.
In my opinion, this is a good but underrated sci-fi horror movie with lots of freaky moments that will keep your heart racing. If you like the depressing endless terror, you'll like this movie quite a bit. If you rather have happy endings and laughs, you'll probably dislike it.
For the best experience, watch this movie in a dark room at night or even past midnight with the volume turned up a bit over the normal setting.
Rated 7/10 on IMDb, but I personally would give it a 7.5/10. -
Mash-the-stampede2 June 2010To this day, "Event Horizon" is THE scariest horror science fiction film i have ever witnessed!
I was 14 years old when I first watched this film on video and to put it lightly...it scared the shiz out of me! I loved it!!! Now 12 years later a finally purchase the film on DVD (ordered from the states as I can't find it anywhere in New Zealand) and I watched it with a couple friends who have never seen it before. Suddenly I was 14 again! A scared child, too frightened to look away from the screen. Caught in an icy grip of fear and excitement! A feeling I haven't felt since the first viewing of 'Event Horizon'. Brilliant! I jumped in all the same scenes I jumped in 12 years ago and i was so absolutely absorbed in this film. My friends felt the same way i did and we all sat on the same couch with the lights off while this film quietly terrified us!
Now I'm not exactly a huge horror movie enthusiast as i find most horror films to be stupid, cheesy and just not scary in the slightest. Horror films now are especially ridiculous as that "Saw" series (when will it end?) is just silly and repetitive which is a shame as the first film is a pretty descent thriller, which seems to be another problem for horror films is that there are too many sequels with each film becoming further and further detached from the original making the whole premise and idea of the film pointless and boring.
Which is exactly the reason "Event Horizon" works. It is a stand-alone film. No sequels. No actual killer as such...it is the presence of an unseen evil which corrupts the characters into becoming warped and ultimately the cause of their own demise. For a horror film the kill count is surprisingly low and no one actually dies during the first hour of the film. It's the suspense of the film and the actual idea behind it which is so un-believable frightening that you find yourself absorbed and un-able to look away from the screen....gripped in fear. That's why this film is so brilliant. The cast is great. It's not overly convoluted. It's scary beyond belief. The story is good enough to keep the viewers attention and adrenaline pumping and the special effects have held up surprisingly well for a film that was filmed back in 1997.
I really wish there was a Director's cut edition of this film.
If you've seen this film and you were not frightened...you are either really warped, lying, or talked all the way through it. i suggest a re-watch by yourself with the lights off and all other distractions (laptop, cellphone) switched off as well and just sit and watch...I guarantee fear will gnaw at you eventually.
And if you enjoyed this film, you should also check out "Pandorum" as it is also fairly good, though not quite in the same league as "Event Horizon".
"Liberate tutame...ex inferis." -
FlashCallahan6 May 2012The year is 2047 and a ship named the Event Horizon has re-appeared after disappearing 7 years prior, in experiments for faster than light travel.
A rescue hastily speeds to the returned vessel after a transmission was picked up from the ship, garbled, but vaguely resembling a human voice.
As the crew reach the ship, and spend longer on it, it appears that someone or something is toying with them, and more, the question is what has the Event Horizon become?....
The first thing you notice is that this is the Shining in apace, but with added effects and obviously more space and loud noises to make you jump. And for the most part, it works very well.
But the script is very bad, and the inclusion of Jones as Cooper is an awful inclusion as he he is just there for comic relief, and feels really out of place in this sort of film.
Fishburne and Neill do the norm and are as watchable as ever, but it's the supporting cast that really surprise in this. Issacs and Pertwee are really good, and show that they are as reliable as always.
Visually it's very impressive, and the build and maguffin are quite unsettling, but after a while, it turns into a film about people walking down a corridor and trying not to look into a spinning ball.
The final act, which should have been shocking and macabre, is daft and way over the top, and although it's action packed, it's pretty boring in the end.
So it's a fun set up, which is quite eerie in parts, but the ending lets it down, becoming ridiculous and killing of characters as quick as the makers can.
Hello to Jason Issacs -
Chrysanthepop4 February 2009'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.
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ssm-326 June 1999The film starts well, and is enjoyable up until right after the crew boards the Event Horizon.
After that, it degenerates into a bad copy of several well-known horror films, which all have better gore scenes. The plot disappears in quasi-religious babble, and the impression of a good sci-fi movie disappears.
While the first part of the film was good, I was very disappointed by the conclusion. -
Mrbigham1331 May 2023Edge of your seat from start to finish. Excellent cast and score. I heard about this from multiple friends and it definitely didn't disappoint.
Event Horizon is a horror sci-fi goldmine. Sam Neil and Laurence Fishburne bring the heat in this one. The cold, calculating, tough captain vs the conniving doctor of evil. The supporting cast is excellent as well. Jason Issacs is always a treat and Joely Richardson was an impecable addition.
The atmosphere in this one is everything. They pulled no punches in creating some believable space ship tech. I can't imagine how hard hitting this was in the 90s. Makes me wanna give "Alien" another go just out of horror sci-fi nostalgia.
All in all this is a real piece of 90s gold. It holds up well even today. You really can't miss with a solid sci-fi scare. None of us have been in space so it's easy to let the imagination run wild. Event Horizon is sure to cover any and every fear within the final frontier. Give this one a launch! -
Scoopy20 April 1999Once upon a time there were two movies, both considered masterpieces of their genre.
One was callied "Alien", the brilliantly realized SF/Horror film from Ridley Scott, about a deep space mission that brought back an unwanted predatory visitor from the imagination of Giger.
The other film was called "Solaris", about a deep space mission that caused the crew to exhibit psychotic behavior and keep living out scenes from their earth life. Solaris, an intellectual film from the Soviet-era genius Andrei Tarkovsky, is the more complex film. It does not attempt to explain whether the hallucinations are caused by an external force, space fever, passage into a time-space warp, or just the fact that you can't ever run from yourself, not matter how far you go. No monsters.
"Event Horizon" is a cross breed between these two legendary deep-space films. The monster is there, but it inhabits the minds of the crew, learns everything about them, every fear, every memory, and causes their insanity. Solaris with action, and an identified external cause. The idea was pretty damned good, the special effects and visuals were brilliant, and they hired a good cast. Some of the moments will scare the beejeepers out of you.
But they went over the top in some ways. Too many explosions. A fist-fight with the monster, what's that all about? Too many empty-headed discussions about what man was or wasn't meant to know. Ultimately too little really original. Reviewers were sharply divided on this film. Some said it was a truly brilliant scare-fest, others thought is was a zero-star waste of their precious time. I don't know. It isn't Alien or Solaris, but it has a lot of positives and I enjoyed it, but I don't plan to watch it again. -
CrackDima18 February 2014When I first saw this in the theater, i left feeling let down. I love the genre and any plot where someone goes to find out what happened at an abandoned ship/planet/base is alright in my book...but this movie had me audibly saying "what?" over and over. The ship has seen things! "What things?" Terrible things! "What terrible things?" Blood dripping down the walls! "Why?" Soon you will see where the ship has been! "No, no you will not" I'm willing to go along with any plot as long as it creates rules to abide by. But this is space. Show us where the damn ship has been. Show us what the evil life form is. An evil spirit from hell is the worst idea ever! The rest of you who give this 10/10 should stop reviewing movies please
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Danny_G1311 February 2003Event Horizon is a decent movie. There's no question it's never going to win awards for originality, or anything else, frankly, but what it does it does well. It's based on the idea of a space ship, which disappeared just under a decade ago, reappearing mysteriously, prompting a search and rescue vessel to go in and investigate. Telling more would spoil the premise, so no more will be said. It is all set in the future, as much sci-fi is, and deep in outer space, of course. The performances are as polished as you'd expect from Sam Neill, as the doctor, and Laurence Fishbourne, as the scout ship captain, so there are generally no complaints there. The gore levels at times are not for the squeamish, but what else would you expect from an 18 (UK) rated movie? There are a fair number of predictable moments, and cliched lines, but the overall production is more than decent and able to keep your attention focused on the plot. A good effort all round, and the overall 5.5 rating it received here is a touch harsh. I'd say 7.
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gavin694211 March 2007A 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. -
gothic_a66627 May 2005**contains spoilers*
It is a well known fact, to most horror fans, that horror and sci-fi hardly ever manage to come together in a coherent way. The tendency is to let the plots slide into cartoonish "it's the creature from out of space-here-to-gobble-us-all". One genre ends up imposing its own clichés upon the under, making the ship sink.
Event Horizon is not the case. Not even remotely. First of all, as already been pointed out, what matters most about this movie is the atmosphere. It is dark, the angles are odd, all the gore attests to a level of insanity and mindless violence that really IS hell.
Instead of re-creating a whole new world or a completely different society as a standard sci-fi would do, Event Horizon takes us to the heart of every day human existence when submitted to endure the horrors of space. And these are Hell.
It is psychological horror in that, in a very factual sense, the character's fears end up being their own perdition. The sphere itself may be responsible for some of the most awful sounds ever to star in a horror movie. It reminds me a bit of nails scratching glass only warped out to get under one's nerves. That it truly accomplishes.
Event Horizon closes the characters within themselves and once they are trapped, there is no escape. That is also a key element of this movie's power...it's ability to present a ending that opens to a never-ending cycle of suffering in a way that differs from the obvious (you know, shark movies that end with ominous shark tale looming in the distance; haunt-stories that finish with some object being moved around; whatever hero/villain gathering strength from the ashes, all the way to the famous classic The Bulb).
I once read a book about the Gothic ethos of horror romances in which it was explained that one of the major sources of fear is morbid reiteration. This movie is a clear proof of that.
Disturbing. -
This is without a doubt one of the greatest horror films ever made! I wouldn't classify it as sci-fi even though it does pay homage (or some would say rip-off) to many of the greats, such as Alien and The Black Hole. This is a pure horror film and also has a b-movie charm. This is the kind of movie William Castle would be directing if he was still alive today, but much better! It is the best haunted house movie of the lot, but its set in a spaceship.
OK, the movie doesn't have the most complicated plot or character development, it works because of the atmosphere and Paul Anderson has pulled off a one-trick pony here. The atmosphere in this film is so friggin brilliant that you forget you're watching a movie and it physically affects you! James Cameron and Ridley Scott reached this level of brilliance in the Alien films and David Fincher with Seven.
I've seen this movie over 20 times. It is incredibly entertaining, with fine performances, amazing special FX, one of the best and creepy music scores ever, the best space production design ever, the best subwoofer explosions, the best cinematography, energetic and brilliant direction...I could go on....
It's also become a bit of a cult classic nowadays. I've loved the film since it was first released and every friend I show it to agrees and considers it a sleeper. It is also one of the only films I know that induces fear into the audience and provokes them to curse in awe. Every time my mates and I watch it, we are gobsmacked in its craziness! 10/10 - Easily in the top 10 horror films of all time! One of the most entertaining movies ever made. Paul Anderson has never surpassed this film and it will be the one he is remembered for. -
Mr-Fusion10 September 2022For context, I'm not a big horror guy, so I usually stick with the older movies; the effects tend to be a bit old-fashioned and it diminishes the shock value. That didn't help a whole lot with this movie though.
It's all fun 'n games and '90s sci-fi until the crew actually reaches the Event Horizon - not so much a derelict as it is a demonic spacecraft. After that, it kinda feels like being trapped in an asylum. I don't care who you are, you're never really ready for the sight of a human being with no eyeballs (hats off to the makeup department on that one). To that end, who among us ever thinks "terrifying" at the mention of Sam Neill? Well, he certainly is here!
I think the real surprise (for me) was the extent to which self-harm was a real scare factor. To be blown out of an airlock or hunted by a creature, yeah those are expected hazards of deep space. But all of the cutting really bothered me.
The movie's twenty-five years old and it had me rattled. That's impressive. -
the_tewsons7 August 2006I tried to remember the last time I found myself scared or disturbed by a movie. It was so long ago in fact that I simply couldn't recall. I was 35 when I first saw this movie; after it had finished I felt like I was 10 years old and had just finished watching an old scratchy B&W werewolf flick.
It had been so long since I had truly been disturbed in a scared way I'd almost forgotten what it felt like. Schindlers List troubled me, but not in this way, this was a true feeling of shock and horror. Four or five minutes after the screen had gone blank and the music faded, I'm still staring at the TV screen in a nicely terrorized state. I had to shake myself to snap out of it. Fabulous!!!!!
I love seeing peoples faces after I have told them to watch this film. They give me that, "Oh my God!!!!!!" look and breath in deeply at the same time. They too have been truly traumatized for a short while. When they discover the nature of the garbled video message is a great recoil moment within the film and one I can still remember some 5 years after seeing it. If you're easily scared don't watch this movie, you'll have a heart attack. If you haven't been scared in a while then be prepared for how marvelous that feeling is.
YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!!!!!!!!!!! -
Leofwine_draca10 February 2014Originally conceived as THE SHINING in space, by the end I think EVENT HORIZON has become more like HELLRAISER in space, although of course one of the later HELLRAISER movies was just that. This is an intriguing and interesting sci-fi/horror movie that initially feels like an ALIEN clone before becoming something else quite different.
The problem is that the story is sadly flawed, spending too much time on all-too-familiar situations and not enough time on the true horror envisaged by the screenwriter. It seems to take the crew an age to get to their destination, and even when stuff is finally happening, the ending is quite choppy. Apparently, 20 minutes of violent footage were excised after a poor reaction from the test audience, which I think is a real shame.
Another problem lies in the choice of director Paul W. S. Anderson, who is and has been one of the worst directors working in Hollywood in recent years. This and DEATH RACE are the only films I truly like of his, and even in these two movies his direction is poor and over the top. The laboured comic relief is particularly noticeable here.
It's a pity, because the story has real potential, with undertones of Clive Barker and H. P. Lovecraft on occasion. The cast is decent too, with nice performances from the reliable Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill, as well as turns from the underrated Sean Pertwee and Jason Isaacs. I hope that an extended director's cut may surface one day and add more to the experience. -
quinimdb20 October 2016"Event Horizon" was apparently pitched as "The Shining" in space, and maybe that would've been a good movie, but that is not the one I watched.
The film begins and it's other obvious influence of "Alien" (and "Aliens" for that matter) also shows, only these people don't feel like real, working class people like the ones in "Alien", they feel like movie characters, and this continues throughout the film. They pause during dramatic moments, they are sometimes seemingly unfazed by the chaos around them. The choppy editing, pointless Dutch camera angles and crash zooms, and the constant, cliché score take a lot of the tension out of the film, and each jumpscare is incredibly predictable and ineffective. Unlike its supposed influences, it does not create a sense of tension and dread through silence, but rather only uses silence for a few seconds before each jumpscare. Not to mention the incredibly cheesy special effects that attempted to use CGI, and failed horribly, looking far worse than "Alien", "The Thing", "The Shining", and it's many other much older influences.
Paul W.S. Anderson wanted so badly for this to be like the movies he loved, but forgot entirely what made them so great. -
BradleyUK20 June 2003Its not the best film I've seen yet this was the best experience I've had in a cinema. After getting lost & sh*t scared driving around dark English country lanes I arrived at the cinema already in quite a state. And from the moment I heard the rocking Orbital opening track I was transfixed. I was in the perfect mood to watch this film and it delivered more than I could have hoped in a cinema experience. After repeated home viewings it does lose its shock factor yet it is still a great film, though I have to add it really was meant for the big screen. The sets are great, the gore is shocking & the ship design is truly beautiful. Admittedly the Event Horizon borrowed its look from '2001' yet they took that long majestic shape & gave it a more modern gritty feel. A few bits of ham acting (listen to when Richardson says "the hulls been breached") didn't detract from this excellent Hellraiser Vs 2001 style flic. Watch it with the lights off and the sound up.
10/10 for the Cinema experience.
8.5/10 as a complete film -
stevelivesey673 May 2021Spooky in places, looks good but makes no sense at all.
There is 30 mins missing somewhere. Pray for the directors cut to Come out. -
dimkart-129 August 2021A good example of how an interesting idea and a solid cast can be completely ruined by incompetent writers. The most frightening part of this "horror" movie was how fragmented and nonsensical the story was, and the cliche dialogues written by 10-year old children.