Review of Event Horizon

Introduction

The year is 2047 (apparently) when a signal is received from a vanished research vessel so naturally we rush off to have a look. As is expected, the rescue vessel is well equipped and the crew highly experienced - so what could go wrong?

In a word, everything ;) and that includes the plot to some extent ;(

The Event Horizon is found adrift and bereft of crew but with evidence of brutal death and general nastiness......

Sam Neill is excellent as the research vessel designer and Laurance Fishburne makes a good captain (hmm, wonder if he`s being typecast) - in fact the acting is good throughout despite the rather wooden script.

The film is exceptionally gory in places and isn`t for the squeamish!

Video

The film is presented in its original aspect ratio and is anamorphic for those of us blessed with widescreen tellies (or clever old-fashioned ones) and a jolly good transfer it is too.

A lot of the film is dark, often very dark but the picture never lost definition or colour.

The special effects are excellent and blend almost seamlessly into the action although I reckon I`d add more lights if I was designing a spaceship!

Audio

Excellent use of surround, especially when things are starting to unfold and go pear-shaped, the sound draws you into the film very well.

Bass is nicely transferred too, with some gut wrenching rumblings available to those blessed (cursed if you live next door) with a subwoofer.

Dialogue can occasionally be a little muffled but that`s a minor gripe.

Features

A trailer.

Some subtitles.

`nuff said.

Conclusion

I enjoyed this film, it`s a bit like Hellraiser in space. It does have it`s problems - why design a ship to look like a torture chamber? and the end is rather sudden (rumours of a vastly longer special edition do the rounds every few months) but overall it`s pretty good - if very gory in places.