Event Horizon (Paul W. S. Anderson, 1997)

 

Paul W. S. Anderson is considered by many as one of the crappiest directors out there. I have a slightly different opinion. Although Anderson has made intolerable films like Mortal Kombat, he has made also some fabulous movies like the 2011 version of The Three Musketeers. It's not a secret that this is a director relying heavily on the style of the movie and less to the real story of the thing. But the 1997 film Event Horizon is somehow a different entry in his filmography. In this movie, the style is not that particular, nor is the tone of the film so distinguishable as in other of his films, but the story, yes the story in this movie, makes the real difference. The story seems simple, a spaceship is after some rescue mission for a disappeared spaceship called Event Horizon. But when they finally find Event Horizon, all fucking hell breaks loose. Now, I am not going to say that this is a movie that really makes you lose your mind, but it's definitely a film that gets your attention. The things that are happening after they find Event Horizon are definitely things that excite your curiosity. And yes the film carries a deep and sinister mystery in its belly, giving to the audience small hints that are becoming more and more disturbing as the movie unfolds.

Event Horizon is one of those movies that have a very clever screenplay and that is the whole issue in that movie. The way the film is shot, certainly not bad, but not something special either, works for the movie, because you don't pay attention to the whole filming process and you get seriously captured by the story and the events that follow one another. Suspense is the magic word of the movie, suspense that makes your blood go cold. As the film proceeds you find yourself more and more disturbed by the events, you find yourself more and more appalled by the actual story. And that is where the film wins you. That is where the movie wraps itself around like a fucking snake and you are feeling hopeless and defenseless towards it. Some might say that this is a movie that can be compared with Alien. Well, I say that the story, the actual story of the movie, is far more intriguing than that of the Alien movie. In the Alien you have a fucking Alien and that's it, there is nothing to be really scared of and nothing to explore. Hear situation is quite different, you don't know the enemy. You know that there is something deeply wrong in that ship, but you are totally clueless as in what is really happening. And that is the whole beauty of the movie. The film got you by the balls the whole time. The more you watch, the more you don't want to know the secret that is hiding behind the Event Horizon. And that is how a suspenseful horror movie, should be. That is the way to really capture your audience. That is the way to have them waiting, tormented, for your next detail. And that's why Event Horizon is one of Anderson's greatest movies.