Event Horizon (1997)
Written By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Producer: Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, et. al.
Screenwriter: Philip Eisner
Date Released: August 15, 1997
Cast:
Laurence Fishburne as Captain Miller
Sam Neill as Dr. William ‘Billy’ Weir
Kathleen Quinlan as Peters
Joely Richardson as Lieutenant Starck
Richard T. Jones as Cooper
Jack Noseworthy as Ensign Justin
Rating = 4/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
A rescue crew is called to the task of retrieving a ship called the “Event Horizon” along with the former crew. The Event Horizon has been missing for many years and the whereabouts of it were unknown. When the crew finds the ship, an eerie presence lurks on board. The crew soon realizes that not only does the Event Horizon have the ability to travel through dimensions, but also creates each crew member’s worst nightmares. What started as a rescue mission, soon becomes a fight for survival.
Gore Factor
Event Horizon has many similarities to films such as Hellraiser. One of the goriest scenes in this film is when the ship logs from the previous crew is played back. Images of tortured individuals and cannibalistic tendencies are displayed to the audience. In addition, there is also a scene where one of the crew members’ skin is pulled through a series of chains making for a very grotesque image. The blood splatter is done quite well and not overly done. The gore is implemented at the appropriate moments of the film. Overall, this film brings enough gore and blood for all gore lovers.
The Grave Review
This a fun movie and conceptually easy to follow. The pace of the film is not too slow. However, the story line could have been developed a little more. More specifically, I would have liked the characters to have been more developed and to see more of each crew members’ history and backstory. But, for the common horror lover, you are bound to find an aspect of this film which is appealing.
Event Horizon (1997) houses an amazing cast which stars Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) as the captain of the crew, Jason Issacs (Harry Potter) as a trauma technician, Joely Richardson (The Patriot) as the lieutenant, and Sam Neil (Jurassic Park) as Dr. Weir. The entire cast has had successful careers and it is interesting to see a film where their careers began. As a fan of Sam Neil, he’s a movie legend, and a staple of horror movies from the moment he took on the role as Damien in Omen III. Sam Neil’s performance as he is consumed by the demonic force possessing The Event Horizon is terrifying. The chemistry between the actors is also exceptional and each cast member brings their own unique sense of style to this film.
Keeping in mind that this film was made in 1997, it is important to be mindful that CG technology was not what it is today. However, upon first entering the Event Horizon Ship, the ship’s eerie persona and dark settings set the tone for the film. Throughout the film, images are flashed into the audience’s mind similar to films as Hellraiser and the suspense of Alien. In addition, I love the similarities between this movie and video games such as Doom and Dead Space. Overall, the scenery of this film was spot on.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Event Horizon (1997) four graves out of five graves.
What did you think of Event Horizon?
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