Paul W.S. Anderson's Best Movie

Rating: 8/10 (22 November 2009)

You know what I find most admirable about this film? It proves that Paul W.S. Anderson can create films that aren't mediocre (ALIEN VS. PREDATOR) or crap (MORTAL KOMBAT). I was never a fan of Anderson's films (though I admit DEATH RACE was some mindless fun) but this is the exception to the rule. In the film, a long-lost starship created for faster-than-light travel reappears mysteriously in orbit above Neptune. A rescue crew is dispatched with the ship's creator to recover any survivors and bring the ship home. Once they've arrived, they discover the crew is dead and the ship has returned from a dimension of unknown origins with a dark secret. The film is reminiscent of previous science fiction/horror such as ALIEN, with it's ominous feeling of danger in the isolation of deep space.
A good sci-fi/horror is one of my weaknesses. This film has a decent blend of intriguing back-story combined with gore effects that continue to look impressive more than ten years later. Even now, the effects in the film are enough to churn my stomach at points. As a nice change of pace, the film even boasts a decent story, as the crew members of the rescue shuttle fight to escape a ship that's determined to keep them. There are a couple of cheap scares but there is also plenty of intrigue as the Event Horizon's original destination becomes clear.
Sam Neill is wonderful as Dr. Weir, the original creator of the Event Horizon who feels himself drawn back to his brainchild inexplicably; Neill is a great actor in my opinion and it was interesting to see him in such a dark role. Laurence Fishburne is a powerful presence as Captain Miller, head of the rescue operation, and there are some strong supporting characters in the form of Joely Richardson and Jason Isaacs. In the end, though, my favorite character would have to be the Event Horizon herself and the evil presence it's taken on with it's return. I've got to give Anderson and his producers credit, as this is one of the best movies he's been attached to. If you're searching for an atmospheric, violent science fiction film, I'm happy to say Anderson's film may, for once, be something worth recommending.