Event Horizon

Paul W. S. Anderson ventured into the realm of action B-movies and, in some cases, true oddities, such as The Three Musketeers. With Event Horizon, however, he created one of the best sci-fi horror films, where neither genre dominates, resulting in a perfect blend of both. It's sci-fi and, for fans of the genre, it's at least interesting. But it's also a horror film that won't disappoint any horror enthusiasts because it definitely has the right horror atmosphere. (2015-01-09)

The fact that this is without a doubt the strongest contribution to the discussion since Paul W.S. Anderson's automatische doesn't mean it's a very well made spectacle, but the premise is exactly what I look for and need in a science fiction film. The constant strobes, retarded jump-scares, and sweat-soaked zooms are thankfully outweighed by a gutted Jason Isaac, decompressed crew members, and cute visions of hell. The fact that 40 minutes of mostly gore scenes were cut and lost from the original 130-minute long cut is the biggest crime with this film. Otherwise, Andrei Anastasov would have been happy. (2015-09-07)

I have a bit of a weak spot for this film. It's great to see that Anderson is a very fine filmmaker, and the first act, for example, can easily be put among the of best sci-fi horror, even though, the lack of fear is not exactly appropriate. Fear radiates from the stuffy atmosphere, and even though the film gradually shifts to pure action, the unpleasant feeling in the pit of the stomach persists. Other major strengths are the special effects hand in hand with the gloomy setting of the huge (abandoned?) ship, the director's feeling for the right amount of violence and, of course, the actors. I've known for a long time that Lawrence Fishburne is awesome, but Sam Neill was so much better here and his villain, with Pavel Soukup's excellent dubbing, was truly unforgettable and terrifying. If they made more quality B-movies like this, I wouldn’t be mad. 80% (2012-05-29)

Great sci-fi horror and also a brutal spectacle for something form the late 90s. The atmosphere does let down by the end, but never to the point that would affect the overall impression. The premise (a spaceship returns after being lost in the cosmos, bringing something with it) is awesome and I don’t think it could have been developed better. Hands down, Paul Anderson’s best work, even if students of physics would not agree. (2008-05-29)

It's a very bizarre disgusting thing, which is brilliantly filmed and probably won't make you feel very well. There aren't many films like this. I applaud Paul Anderson for always pushing the envelope hard, regardless of audience reaction, and not giving a damn about disgusting the average viewer. I wonder what the original unedited version, which is 40 minutes longer, looked like. It must have been cool. (2002-06-19)