event horizon

THE FLICK: Paul W.S. Anderson has become the whipping boy for bad cinema. According to internet gripers, he’s blown a couple of videogame adaptations (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil), ruined two franchises at the same time (Alien vs. Predator) and nearly killed Kurt Russell’s career (Soldier). Personally, I’ve never understood the unbridled hatred Anderson’s name inspires; his films have all been mediocre efforts with moments of ingenuity, but nothing to burn a cross over. Especially when you consider Event Horizon, a film to which even the fanboys begrudgingly give their respect. Filled with an interesting collection of actors who can actually act (Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Kathleen Quinlan), first-class production design, great photography (by the late Adrian Biddle of Aliens) and one audacious concept (Hellraiser in outer space...an idea the Hellraiser franchise eventually got around to on its own eventually), there’s a consensus that this is Anderson’s one true cinematic accomplishment. Captain Miller (Fishburne) and his crew are sent to investigate the mysterious reappearance of the Event Horizon, a deep-space exploratory vessel equipped with a dimension-drive that simply disappeared several decades ago. Once onboard, it becomes clear something horrible happened to the Horizon’s crew, and that the ship itself may be alive. Alive and hungry! Well-described as a “sci-fi haunted house movie,” Anderson cleverly adapts the setting to the gothic undertones of the story. Lightning flashes are replaced by cosmic storms, the ship’s corridors become a castle labyrinth, and cobwebs take the shape of detritus floating in an eerie free fall. The “look” of Event Horizon is truly something to behold. But the movie has to make the most of its atmosphere since the script – as with most horror films – is its weakest link. The idea is certainly there: spaceship travels to hell and back bringing along a residue of the evil from another dimension. And the action, particularly a well staged and disturbing case of explosive decompression, is admirably intense. But much of Event Horizon’s scares are simply the same formula in a new setting. That’s what makes Anderson’s work that much more accomplished. Like his much maligned videogame misfires, he didn’t have much to work with in the first place. Only this time he made the best of it. As for AVP, sorry buddy, you’re on your own with that one. THE FEATURES: Packaged as a 2-disc set, Paramount goes above and beyond on this one with over 2-hours of newly produced content. The major documentary, The Making of Event Horizon, consists of five individual segments focusing on the standard stuff: script, casting, production design, special effects, etc. There’s actually more here than a film like Event Horizon deserves (do we really need to hear anecdotes about actors that only have three lines...probably not), but it was kind of Paramount to err on the side of overindulgence. The Making Of features lots of new interviews, tons of on-set stories (Fishburne’s nickname was “Florence,” but I dare you to call him that to his face!) and on-set footage. Some cool facts pop up like the bit about the original script blaming the crew’s visions on alien visitors rather than demons from hell. And just in case anything gets glossed over, Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt are on hand for a running commentary on disc one. The Unseen Event Horizon includes an unfilmed rescue scene (in storyboard form) which was to begin the movie and a collection of conceptual art with narration by Anderson. The director is also there to explain a trio of deleted scenes, mostly snippets of gore that don’t add up to much except for one eerie “spiderwalk” sequence with Sam Neill. The Point of No Return showcases some behind-the-scenes footage of interest, focusing on the unique sets and challenges of wire work used to create the illusion of weightlessness. And don’t forget the theatrical trailer and video trailer to wash down a very worthwhile special edition.