Cult Films: Event Horizon (1997)

By Jason Haskins

Event Horizon was a movie that has, more or less, been forgotten from public consciousness since its released back in 1997. Is it deserved? While most would write this off as another bad sci-fi movie from the nineties, it's surprising to note that it actually holds up fairly well and is quite entertaining for what it tries to do. It's not necessarily an original Event, per se, but it's familiarity is strangely comfortable.

Sam Neill (In the Mountains of Madness, Jurassic Park, Dead Calm) plays Dr. Weir, who’s commissioned to investigate the Event Horizon—a ship he helped build years prior which had vanished without a trace. Along with a new crew featuring Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson, and Laurence Fishburne as the captain they find the Horizon seemingly deserted with remnants of blood and destruction they can’t explain.

The longer they stay on the ship hallucinations start plaguing the crew: particularly Weir, who’s haunted by the sudden death of his wife and they begin to uncover what really happened to the ship and her crew—involving the mysterious black hole device it uses to fold time and space for quick travel, it’s big hoopla. As the ship starts revealing itself, the crew search for ways back home after events occur and ultimately it’s a survival story of what happens when you mix supernatural elements with outer space.

It’s no never mind that the film’s plot takes its roots from movies like Alien, Hellraiser, and many others, but somehow this didn’t distract me too much from enjoying it as much as I did. The crew isn’t developed as much as I’d like them to be, but there’s something cool about immediately being thrown into this situation and seeing them utterly shaken by what happens on the ship where their very fabrics are being tested to the limit.


The movie definitely leans more on its horror roots as the mystery of its prior inhabitants start being unraveled and there are some jumpy moments that are a little cheap. The real ‘horror’ vibe of the movie has to deal with the unknown as well as the hellish elements the Event Horizon thrives on. The script (written by Phillip Eisner whose other credits include the disastrous Firestarter sequel and the lesser known Mutant Chronicles film from a few years ago) definitely cuts corners including some poor attempts at trying to tie up the film, but I really dug the movie for its core idea and stylistic choices by the director.


Ah. The director. You know him as Paul W.S. Anderson also known as probably the most disliked filmmaker in the history of movies this side of Uwe Boll. He’s responsible for the first Mortal Kombat movie and a string of other bad movies including the Death Race remake and Resident Evil). He actually does a pretty decent job here using the fifty million dollar budget. The art design he harnesses is actually quite outstanding with some masterful set designs and visuals that go hand in hand with his treatment of the plot, which doesn’t give too much away at once. It’s a shame that the studio forced him to cut out a lot of the movie plus a ton of violence and gore because I think it could’ve definitely helped the cause. What’s worse is that this footage is believed to have been destroyed and/or lost, which means a director’s cut is most likely out of the question.

Event Horizon never really rises to its full potential. I felt like it was held back in a lot of ways due to some of the screenplay mechanics that neutered some of the possibilities it could have explored. While Anderson’s direction is good, a lot of the horror elements aren’t too scary and it totally could have been if other choices had been made. The film also suffers from some performance issues from the likes of Jack Noseworthy who plays a younger character in the crew who’s the first one ‘attacked’. His acting is literally atrocious and provides some unintentional laughable moments. Richard Jones plays Cooper who’s actually the most likable character in the whole movie (and the most manly) and he serves as this inappropriate comic relief. As much as many have a problem with his antics, I totally dug this guy. Surprisingly, Laurence Fishburne is one of the weakest parts of the film seemingly sleepwalking from scene to scene before he starts to wake up in the last fifteen minutes or so. Sam Neill is easily one of the best parts of the movie giving another unforgettable and unpredictable performance as the troubled doctor.

Event Horizon is not for everyone and some might be downright offended by how much of the movie is borrowed from others, but I really enjoyed the supernatural elements of hell mixed with the mysterious nature of space. The sci-fi and horror elements jive interestingly and the special effects are all quite amazing. I think that the screenplay is one of the worst parts of the movie, but it all somehow provides an enjoyable experience that has made this film live on to cult status. It’s not like it’s one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, but it’s a really solid watch for those wanting a hankering for The Shining with a little bit of Solaris and Hellraiser.

© Jason Haskins, 2011

3.5 out of 5 stars.