The Hands-Down Scariest Movie Ever

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2004)

Let me be as frank as possible: Event Horizon is the scariest movie that I've ever seen.
Scream? Laughed out loud. Freddy? Kind of a big joke. Jason? Not even in the same ballpark.
I walked in to that theater with ten college friends - a few of whom were football players for a major university - and we all had our baseball hats over our faces like a bunch of ten-year olds trying to protect ourselves from the scary parts. And in case you were wondering, yes, it was a co-ed group.
Here's the deal: *most* sci-fi/horror movies rely on a handful of tactics to build suspense, but the longer a particular series of sequels or franchise builds, the more contrived those techniques seem. After a while, we can't wait to see how Freddy will "hack up" the next punk teenager too stupid to leave town.
Event Horizon doesn't work like that. The characters are not only intelligent, but also very real and too human. Their terror is very real on screen, and when they get into trouble - well, let's just say the word "commiserate" doesn't really cover it.
Everything in the film works the way it should in a horror movie: the lighting and cinematography are first rate - providing a constant sense of eerie dread throughout every step of the derelict spacecraft; the plot draws out the unknown like a long puff on a cigar - it's bitter, but full of flavor that's best when tasted in the mouth and not quickly inhaled; and finally, there are no guarantees regarding the characters. Usually, all you have to do is peg the most beautiful members of the cast who initially act virtuously or compassionately and you know that the mixture of conscience and luck will help them survive the evil in the film. This time though, there is no common denominator with the characters to ruin the plot ahead of time. You will have to keep guessing.
And let me be clear about this: the enemy is sure to scare because it really is evil. Freddy's one kind of evil, and the killers from Scream are the same way - they're evil in a homicidal way. This evil is in a state of anomie: it's simply evil because it revels in being evil and celebrates it with childish glee.
If you're looking for a movie that will scare the snot out of you - this is it. The movie is crucially aware of the use of gore, terror, and mystery throughout. Personally, I recommend that you watch it with a friend, and holding onto a hat to cover your eyes is practically a must on the first time through.