Actually Scary

Rating: 9/10 (31 July 2001)

You shouldn't go in expecting classical sci-fi when you go into this movie. It really is a horror movie, set on a misbehaving, damaged spaceship orbiting the planet Neptune. The thing is, space really is pretty damn scary; this movie portrays that really well.
I must confess that this movie didn't begin promisingly--basically, it makes you think it will be a standard B sci-fi flick with cookie-cutter characters, a few not-terribly-original tech ideas, and all the rest that comes with that genre. I watched this alone late at night, scoffed a bit, but then...
A certain scene made me think "whoa, that's pretty freaky" ... "and that too!" I was starting to feel strange watching this B-grade Sci-Fi movie. And then it hit me: I was actually scared. I can't quite explain it, but there it was: for the first time since I can remember, I was frightened by a movie.
For maximum effect, I suggest you duplicate these conditions: watch this movie alone (not a good "girlfriend" movie), late at night, turn off all lights and blast the sound. If you have neighbors, use good headphones. Be charitable with your suspension of disbelief. In this case it actually pays off.
This movie is underrated here because I think it advertises itself in a misleading way. Make no mistake: it's a horror movie, and a pretty good one. If everyone who rated it would have followed my instructions above, I'm sure its ratings would have hovered around the 8. Well, maybe 7.5. Still, if you have a free Friday night alone, you won't regret renting this DVD.