A for Concept, D+ for Execution

Rating: 5/10 (7 February 2000)

Seven years after experimental Spaceship EVENT HORIZON disappears, it reappears at its point of disappearance. A rescue and recovery ship commanded by Lawrence Fishburne and carrying scientist Sam Neil races to the rescue. But WHAT will they rescue?
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
EVENT HORIZON is an experimental ship on on TOP SECRET mission. It carries a Graviton Drive, capable of creating its own "black hole," enabling travel between Neptune and Proxima Centauri (4.7 light-years) in "about a minute." However, instead, the ship's gravity drive had opened a tear in the space-time continium, propelling the ship into another dimension; the dimension of Hell. What returned is a spaceship "alive" with pure evil.
The concept of "Hell" being another dimension is certainly nothing new. However, this is the first time I have seen this concept applied in a science fiction film. However, that is the limit of originality the director and writers have applied in EVENT HORIZON. The movie gets shocking a grisly from the opening scene. I would suggest both writer an director get themselves a stopwatch and sit through ALIEN, THE EXORCIST and THE HAUNTING (1964). They might be surprised to find how long before ANYTHING genuinely frightening or grisley takes place. Shock, violence and gore are not suspense or fright. I'd give
EVENT HORIZON an "A" for concept and a D+ for execution.