Friday, Film4, 11:15pm
Event Horizon (1997) is what happens when someone asks, "What if 2001: A Space Odyssey had a love child with Hellraiser?" and then actually follows through. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (before he went full Resident Evil), this sci-fi horror flick follows the ill-fated crew of the Lewis and Clark as they investigate the Event Horizon, a starship that disappeared for seven years and has mysteriously reappeared near Neptune. As it turns out, the ship took a little detour to a dimension of pure, unfiltered horror—because why settle for the cold void of space when you can have interdimensional hell instead? Sam Neill plays Dr. Weir, a scientist whose descent into madness makes Alan Grant's raptor problem look quaint, while Laurence Fishburne’s Captain Miller is the kind of no-nonsense leader who definitely deserves better than the nightmare he's signed up for.
The film’s score, crafted by Michael Kamen in collaboration with the electronic duo Orbital, is an unusual blend of orchestral tension and industrial beats. It sets the mood perfectly, oscillating between eerie unease and full-blown terror, much like the film itself. Kamen, known for his work on Die Hard and Highlander, brings his signature orchestral weight, while Orbital injects a cold, mechanical dread that makes the Event Horizon feel like a living (or rather, undead) entity. The opening theme alone—a fusion of grandiose strings and electronic pulses—perfectly encapsulates the film’s unholy marriage of cosmic wonder and absolute terror. It’s the kind of soundtrack that makes you question whether you should be headbanging or hiding under a blanket.
Though Event Horizon was a box-office disappointment, it has since ascended to cult status, largely due to its disturbing visuals, relentless atmosphere, and a commitment to cosmic horror rarely seen in mainstream sci-fi. It’s a film that owes as much to Lovecraft as it does to Alien, and while it may not be perfect, it certainly doesn’t lack ambition. Plus, in a genre where the abyss usually just stares back, it’s refreshing (or horrifying) to see one that actively wants to drag you in.
- Noel Chambers