A blast

Rating: 8/10 (1 September 2009)

As the years roll by, EVENT HORIZON keeps looking better and better, much like the initially maligned BLADE RUNNER and JOHN CARPENTER'S THE THING. A rescue ship arrives near Jupiter to find a long-missing research vessel empty, the crew nowhere to be found. But is Event Horizon really empty? Turns out it's haunted, after going into another dimension and returning not quite right. The rescue crew gets picked off one by one by unseen forces. A great cast and terrific set design keep this baby moving along to its shocking conclusion. A variation on SOLARIS and every haunted ocean vessel movie, EVENT HORIZON is a Halloween-oriented masterpiece of scares and thrills. The second half flags a bit, but the first half is about as scary a cinematic ride as you're likely to take in this lifetime. Paul Anderson definitely came up with a winner here, and the movie was clearly ahead of its time when first released -- just like BLADE RUNNER and THE THING. The ending is open to interpretation, which actually works in its favor. This movie will grow on you with repeated viewings. In 1994, Sam Neil had starred in JOHN CARPENTER'S IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS, which makes an excellent companion piece to EVENT HORIZON. Both feature Lovecraftian "lurking at the door" themes.