Event Horizon (1997) Dir: Paul W.S. Anderson
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Science fiction is one of my favourite genres of cinema, and having seen this 1997, Paul W.S. Anderson directed film advertised on Netflix, I thought I'd give it a go. Written by Philip Eisner, this sci-fi horror is certainly a strange watch. There was definitely a vision here, and some bold steps were taken visually that, if they had been pulled off, would've made for an impressive looking film.
As it happens, they did not pull these off. The CGI is of the 90s to say the least. If the graphics were a little more modern, this film would surely look fantastic, but, unfortunately, the film is left looking very dated.
The narrative had a lot of potential but ended up doing way too much, even verging on ridiculous at times, particularly in the third act. It's a shame the execution wasn't there, because I really think there was a great film here, but they couldn't live up to that prospect.
The film is headlined by Sam Neill, who most will know from his starring role in the first and third Jurassic Park films. His performance here is truly bizarre. There are flashes of his acting pedigree, but all too often he ends up somehow both overacting and underacting at the same time.
Also starring is one of my favourite actors; Laurence Fishburne. He was by far the best actor in the film, but there were still moments that weren't quite to the standard I was hoping for. Still, he managed to hold this film together as well as he could, baring in mind the film's sloppiness.
The most noteworthy supporting performances came from the trio of Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson and Richard T. Jones, who, in my view, provided the best displays from a relatively strong ensemble of support.
I'd also like to give mentions to Jack Noseworthy, Jason Isaacs, Sean Pertwee who all provided mostly positive moments in their supporting roles.
Overall, this had a great concept that intrigued me greatly, but ultimately failed to execute it to a satisfying standard. While it is by no means a bad film, it is held back by a few baffling choices in narrative and visuals.
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