Atmospheric and disturbing. Probably a classic.

Rating: 9/10 (23 July 2002)

Although 'Event Horizon' would certainly not rate as one of the all time great movies, it is, in my opinion, still a classic. You certainly won't forget watching it in a hurry, even if you want to.
This is a rather strange film that really doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Sci-Fi movie? Classic horror? Blatant gore-fest? It's all of these. It doesn't manage to do justice to any of them individually. But together though, it does work.
The acting is reasonable to good, given the tacky script, although there are times when the actors look a little sheepish in delivering their lines. Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill and Sean Pertwee are the most convincing though. The rest tend to look a bit confused on occasions, as if they don't really believe what they're saying.
Visually though, the film does deliver. This is definitely the sci-fi version of a haunted house. Miles from anywhere, cut off from civilisation, thunder and lightning, creepy gothic interiors... Some of the sets are truly unsettling. Especially the medical bay and the gravity drive engine room. Full marks must go to production design for these. I could watch this one with just the sound effects and no dialogue and still get something out of it.
Getting into the mood of the film though, it really does need some more flesh on its bones. As an idea, there is enormous potential to do something very special here. Unfortunately though, it never happens. An extra half an hour, and more depth to the speculation about where the Event Horizon had been, earlier on - maybe between the first Lewis and Clark crew members entering the 'EH' and the ship reacting to them - would've helped pace the story better. As it is, it does tend to head off at a rapid rate of knots towards its rather inevitable and slightly predictable conclusion far too early.
Overall, though? Well, spooky, unnerving, and downright disturbing on occasions, it's like watching a car crash in slow motion. You know what's going to happen and you really don't want to look, but you can't help it.
I can understand why some people didn't like it. There's a lot of schlock without the solid foundations that this sort of film needs to keep it from sliding in its own entrails. But it *is* memorable and it does get a definite reaction from viewers, whichever way they go. It may nod it's head to 'Hellraiser' on occasions. But where Hellraiser was just plain camp, Event Horizon really does scrape it's fingernails over the inside of your skull now and then.
A classic? Yes, I think so.
At the end of the day, I would say, 'watch it'. It's only an hour and a half of your time. And you never know... ...you might be strangely glad you did.
Oh, and I did have some rather weird dreams after watching it. Unusual that. I normally don't have a problem with horror in that way.
Hmmmmm....