Event Horizon Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

This week Gary and Iain are on a return trip to hell reviewing and discussing, Event Horizon (1997) by Director Paul W.S. Anderson. Starring Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill and Kathleen Quinlan.
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[@KokoRicky]

Really is a shame that we'll never see the 2+ hour cut (the original footage has been mostly destroyed). It's a visually fantastic piece of horror cinema with a great cast.

[@TheRoyalFlush-ym3gv]

Considering how Paul W. S. Anderson had demonstrated he could make a decent fist of adapting a video game, and then went on to make what is possibly the greatest sci-fi horror movie outside of the first three 'Alien' films. You have to wonder how the fuck he dropped such a bollock with Resident Evil? I reckon Milla Jovovich has him bitch whipped?

[@eriktruchinskas3747]

I love this movie. I was pissed when nostalgia critic pretty much called it fratboy horror film

[@drakashrakenburgproduction5369]

Even though he and his team act like frat boys.

[@ajk6907]

I saw this at the cinema, and have loved it ever since! Such an underrated horror movie.

[@nyoodmono4681]

not so :P

[@DemonBoy3223]

My favorite line in this film, after watching the orgy video of the last crew, the first thing Laurence Fishburne says is, "We're leaving." I love that, I'd have said the exact same thing.

[@steventodd704]

I always belly laugh when they see the tortured crew only to cut to Lawrence Fishbourne who calmly says "we're leaving"

[@BigStou]

Sam Neill was brilliant in this film, you can really feel him descending into madness

[@nickmattio3397]

"She ripped a hole thru our universe meant to reach the stars, but she's travelled much further than that.."

[@IWasaTeenageTeenWolf]

This film is great if you want a good example of what the Warp does to you if you fly through it without Gellar Fields activated.

[@ModelsandMovies]

I have to say that Event Horizon is definitely on my list as a guilty pleasure and one of the best sci-fi horror movies ever made. The set design is just perfect. No vessel would EVER look like that or be lit so dark, but that's part of the suspension of disbelief the viewer just has to accept. While it does seem to be a victim of some of the horror tropes, it's done with enough psychological elements to keep it creepy. It was one of the few movies that has scared me in the last 25 years. And I have to agree (with one of you) that showing more of the gore orgy scenes (I know they exists somewhere) would just make it more of a SAW clone and take away from the dread of your mind filling in the holes from the brief split second images that you DO get to see. Great review.

[@CMDR_Verm]

Regarding the design of the vessel, I totally agree. One wonders why any of the original crew would agree to setting foot on something that looks like it came out of Hellraiser. And, it appears by the video showing them before the disaster, they were bloody cheerful about it!

[@strifeco.studios6914]

Event Horizon, otherwise known as, The blue print for Dead Space.

[@khylerbane4523]

Fun fact about the film and it’s creation. It was as primarily inspired by Warhammer 40,000 by the creator of the films own admission. Particularly (while he personally never gave details) the inspiration comes from what happens when the Gellar Fields(a type of protection shield) fail when travel through the Warp(aka *Literal* Hell on steroids and the *only* means humanity has of Interstellar travel). And it is so much like 40k that some see it as a 40k prequel when humans first invented the Warp drive, but didn’t invent Gellar Fields yet, and this was what prompted their invention.

[@dannyd464]

You'll never get to see the extended version of the film. It was stored incorrectly and was destroyed. Each of their own characters had their own separate flashback sequence explaining their psychological fears, all gone all destroyed it's a shame.

[@MrMmnngghh]

Pleased that you mentioned "Daybreakers", a film that, much like Event Horizon, I'm hoping will gather a retrospective audience.

[@jimbowlan5804]

I got to meet smithy the pilot from the movie several years ago I talk to him for like 20 minutes about this movie suck a nice guy

[@TeamDrif-Tastik]

I'd like to see more of how the previous crew got to the point of sodomy and torture. They have to make a prequel.

[@ph89787]

10:46 During the scene where the protagonists listen to the transmission. Did anyone hear a roar going on in the background. It sounded like when the gateway was opened instead of the ship going through. It sounded like a Velociraptor and a T Rex were let onto the ship.

[@johnhassall]

In the film, the Event Horizon ship was found in Neptune's orbit - not Jupiter. It's been about 5-6 years since I've seen the film but I remember some of the scenes near the end of the movie were meant to take place in the upper atmosphere of the giant blue gas planet - hence the lightning. I do like the film, I enjoy it's premise and depending on your personal interpretations of religion (The whole hell based theme) the film can be a deeply disturbing concept. The infamous scene where they play back the ship's log and are greeted with 5 seconds of gory bedlam - have always stuck in my memory for that reason. This is one of the few movies that would benefit from a re-make at some point if done correctly. You don't need to spend a fortune on it but a re imagining of the poor second act of this film would be something I would like to see. The "bad guy" in the film played by Sam Neil's character once he undergoes his "transformation" is kinda cheesy as well, again something that could have been done better.

[@marcfield1234]

The real story is the version we didn't get. I would love to see this in the way he originally intended. However this will never happen because the footage is irreparably damaged to just outright missing.

[@kimmoreels7950]

i recently sub to these guys they are great analysing movies and even giving some fun facts that i never new about certain movies. I really feel they deserve more subs they are great reviewers imo. goodjob guys.

[@LisaSimpsonRules]

This film is excellent and it scared the beejesus out of me when I saw it for the first time. An exellenr movie for sure. Recommendable if you like horror.

[@slashismyhommie8182]

Love your guy's reviews, I just found your channel like a month ago. But I keep seeing films I love you reviewed years ago. Wish I found you guys sooner. Keep up the great work. Idk why your sub count is so low, but you guys are truly amazing. Please keep it up.

[@TheWaynos73]

Pertwee has the best line: this ship, is fked! 😂😂

[@andrewcardenas1314]

"When you break the laws of physics, did you seriously think there wouldn't be a price?! You already killed the last fucking crew! NOW YOU WANT TO KILL US AS WELL!!"

[@johnfrese4851]

I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel to this movie. where it picks up from where it left off. the ship made them think that the ship got broken in two but only stopped the drive from opening. just waiting for the next rescue to just try to fix it a bit and start over

[@Geographus666]

Great Review! I think Event Horizon is a very underrated movie. I rarely hear people talk about it and most people I've asked havn't even seen it. I got some people to watch it, and they really like it, so I think it has to be something with the distribution or something. Maybe some real Blockbusters run on the theaters when this was out.

[@Grandmastergav86]

Creeped me out as a young kid, really gave me terrible nightmares, this is an underappreciated sci fi horror offering

[@Italian69Boi]

i think its cuz it was released in the summer as a scifi movie rather than in the fall near halloween as a HORROR movie. it was more horror. and people went to it expecting sci fi and got horror so they were disappointed. had they known it was a horror haunted house in space movie, then people like it cuz they know what it was meant to be

[@alexlynn5111]

I loved this movie when i first saw it and I never understood why so many people hated it so much

[@GamerWho]

Can you imagine Paul WS Anderson's Alien 4 movie? Ellen Ripley would take a back-seat to an all new character by the name of Jilla Movovitch, who is the clone of Ripley but with EVEN MORE alien powers. She would wear a very revealing and impractical outfit throughout while still managing to kill two-dozen Xenomorphs with a combination of wire-fu martial arts and dual-wielded pistols that fire bullets in slo-mo. And in one scene she'd show her clunge, and Ripley would say "hey, nice clunge"

[@thomasford5813]

FUN FACT 14:20min: look at Sam Neil's country flag. The majority of crew members have an American flag on their left arm. Even one or two look like a double EU flag (lol). Sam Neil's flag is unofficial, it's a mixture of Aus national flag with the Aboriginal flag in place of the Union Jack. A controversial pro-republic/pro-Aborigine political statement right there. Sam Neil is from New Zealand btw.

[@SamHatter]

I always thought that the "meatgrinder" tunel was a nod to the 'in the mouth of madness ' tunel

[@cjyokohama6204]

“Do a Justin, and, out the airlock...” brilliant.

[@voxdraconia4035]

Spaceships that looks like a cathedral...warp and hellish dimensions...I see where Anderson got his inspirations from ^^

[@andrewcardenas1314]

It looks like that because it was literally remodeled out of a scan of Notre Dame cathedral.

[@Blizzard757575]

eating my breakfast as I watch this. I dont know why I do this to myself.

[@StarsDie88]

The overwhelming majority of classic horror movies... Despite being classics... Have these type of issues: 1) Acting. 2) Airtight believability. 3) Character development. 4) Airtight storytelling. 5) Stunning special effects. This movie IMHO, has some of the best acting of the gory horror genre EVER. I mean, come on... Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween are classics. Seriously take a look at the atrocious acting of those movies. The special effects are incredible in Event Horizon. The CGI is overwhelmingly tasteful and subtle mixed with top tier practical effects. I have NO idea where people are coming from when they call it dated. It has issues with character development, storytelling and airtight believability. But I can't think of very many gory horror movies that actually do excel in those areas. It's moreso a bonus or a treat to have those things. It's true that this movie could have been better. But so could damn near every classic horror movie that has been made (with rare exceptions with movies like Seven). It's one of the reasons why horror movies don't win academy awards. So yeah, I feel people have critiqued this movie much too harshly; even if there are valid criticisms towards it. This is a really rock solid and underappreciated movie for its genre.

[@oops6876]

I agree heavily! Imagine if we got Paul Anderson's full 2.5 hour cut. Also, glad I'm not the only one who thinks Se7en is a near perfect film.

[@charlescole1766]

"We're leaven'."

[@ShogunOrta]

I always wanted the ending to be that Lawrence Fishburn adjusts the "black hole" settings of the ship. Then it goes into the black hole, but instead of going to a Hell dimension, it goes to a Heaven one. And then some "angel" saves him and even puts Sam Neil into custody like he's some divine cop and Sam Neil is some Hell crook. Eh, something like that.

[@AdrianMendoza23]

I've been binge watching ur videos. you guys are great.

[@MarkusB1974]

Finally someone who likes this flick, man. I saw it at the theatre back in the day, and I couldn't stand it. I thought it was boring as fuck, but on one day I had to watch it on video and fell in love. Such a great movie. Greetings from Germany

[@harlequin75]

This film scared the skin right off my body. For scares I'd give it a 10. I think it lost momentum as it got closer to the end with Sam Neil turning into *SPOILER ALERT* Jason Voorhees. Perhaps that's one of the reasons many critics butcher this film.

[@airfixx_8952]

Damn these studios for always fucking with the art! Love this film, but it could be so much better and, as Gary mentions, it sounds like the expanded character work they cut out is exactly what's missing.

[@iidirectxii7545]

Love this movie, one of my all time favourite horror movies. Very, very, very, very underrated.

[@amelliamendel2227]

Imagine the alternate timeline where this movie got a series instead of stargate

[@NSG_UK]

This film is excellent. It's a shame it's very much unappreciated.

[@horrorstateofmind2724]

not at all its gained a cult following over the years and gets more and more respect each time

[@jgedutis]

Event Horizon is my favorite space horror movie of all time. I even like it more than Alien. Paul W.S. Anderson really brought it for this movie. Well done bruvah!

[@SnakeandBake1]

I always thought this was more hellraiser in space than the actual hellraiser in space

[@reesepacker7983]

Would LOVE i to see/ hear a review on "Dog Soldiers"!!!!!!!!!.....PLEASE!!!! lol

[@MySerpentine]

This is totally a Warhammer prequel LOL

[@kennethheadden2229]

What's up people...I love this movie! Glad to see other fans

[@ShogunOrta]

I feel that they pushed the boundary of tastefulness when it comes to the gore in this movie for most people. Hence, the bad scores. For me? I liked that I hated the gore so much...and then hated that I liked that I hated it. I don't even like horror. But some sci fi horror movies are great! This, From Beyond, and Alien franchise.

[@SJ_RANKS]

I feel the people who made ghost ship watched this movie one too many times because ghost ship is just ripoff of this movie A salvage crew goes and investigates an abandoned ship in the middle of nowhere The crew hallucinates to their deaths A demonic entity is involved The main protagonist blows the ship up in order to stop the demon And then we get a questionable ending

[@darkoniflames2051]

Sorry but ghost ship was nothing like this, the ferryman used men's desires to gain souls for his boss. I love both films.

[@Daemon3667]

Have you guys ever seen him in the Mouth of Madness? I strongly suggest you check this out. By far Sam Neil’s greatest role as far as I’m concerned

[@bubsaunt5295]

Dead Calm great movie but I remember him first on Showtime in the omen final Conflict

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

I JUST watched this.... 3am.... Insomnia.... Don't know what took me so long!m

[@killerflamingo9566]

This is one of the few films I’ve watched that gave me honest to god nightmares when I watched it and as an atheist this movie is infinitely more foreboding cause we really don’t know what this dimension it expertly plays on people’s fear of the unknown ... and getting ripped to shreds in a blood orgy

[@Bluewizard35728]

Loved this movie, definitely underrated. You should review Pandorum

[@RepublicConstitution]

Event Horizon was excellent.

[@matias5817]

Cooper best character in movie history

[@nox5870]

Highly Underrated Flick!

[@kascnef]

underrated movie. the only good part of the experience at the theater was the trailer to Titanic that was shown exclusively before said movie.

[@metalsucks9038]

Event horizon like the Alien with good casting.luv it

[@harlequincat]

one hell of a movie

[@taliaprice1909]

This movie was extremely underrated.

[@cimbakahn]

Off The Shelf Reviews: I liked Event Horizon (1997), and The Thing (1982). They really impressed me, and that is very difficult for anything or anyone to do.

[@megatwingo]

Good review again. One of the few horror movies I have watched. It is really a mean, scary movie. Thumbs up! :) Greetings Mega

[@HorusHeresy1982]

Doesn't look like Sam Neal to me which is floating. Looks just like a lower jaw. But as a general thing, I never liked the people reviewing it who just took the movie as a biblical hell. I Always liked the idea of them saying hell, but saying hell is a word. In the end we have an idea, but how can the concept be the same as the place.The reality is far worse, maybe but you didn't mention God, so this is just a dimension we'd identify as evil. I love the idea's it brings. Edit: I did actually slow it down to watch the hell sequences. It wasn't film changing. Purely each of th crew screaming while being tortured, impaled and begging for life. God I love this film :D

[@kitredKitredson]

It's in orbit around Neptune, dudes! I love your reviews and I really like this film despite it getting panned by so many people; it's got Emily Booth in it (very briefly...) and that clip of the first body in Sam Neill's dream was used in _Star Trek: Voyager_ for an insight into Tuvok's mental state (what the Vulcan holds back...)

[@kitredKitredson]

+kitredKitredson It's also based on _Solaris_; it's a crass Hollywood interpretation of a disturbing sci-fi film, but I love it nonetheless!

[@leonardotavaresdardenne9955]

I think there was also a Star Trek Enterprise episode where they literally did a shot-for-shot remake of the scene the previous crew of the Event Horizon has the death orgy thing, but with vulcans and reduced gore

[@kitredKitredson]

leonardo tavares dardenne There was indeed!

[@monotoneguy7279]

Awesome review guys, any chance you would review spawn?

[@Private-Hudson]

Brilliant sci-fi horror..It's Neptune not Jupiter Iain..Lol..Great review as always guy's

[@justinmiller2132]

My main complaint with the movie really is the paising. The problem is they towards the end try to mix in campy humor amidst all this horrific imagery. Also the scene where she's calling that one crewman in the Airlock "Baby Bear" was beyond aggravating and to me screwed up the tone. In terms of the gore and horrific visuals I think I'd of kept the scene showing the fate of the former crew, but the scene in the warp room to me wasn't necessary. Also I don't believe in selling something merely for gore and shock value, I'm willing to accept some visuals if the story is well made. Stuff like Dead Space makes sense to me, but Event Horizon really never hit that feeling for me, most of the praise I hear for it is the hellish imagery, and that's just not what I'm looking for.

[@jeffk1722]

5:29 Lawrence Fishburne was in a lot between Apocalypse Now and Event Horizon. Perhaps most notably as the father in Boyz n the Hood. I also really liked him in Searching for Bobby Fischer.

[@usamazahid3882]

Especially Nightmare on Elm Street part 3.

[@dukefritter6536]

Great Review 👍 I love this movie its super creepy and well made and its definitely Paul WS Andersons best film. He was fresh off the success of Mortal Kombat and Paramount pictures supplied him with some of the best production people in the business including their award winning cinematographer Adrian Biddel who was in high demand for cinematographers at that time, and I got to say Paul WS Anderson takes full advantage of all his resources and made one hell of a great movie. I Also own the same VHS And Collector’s Edition Blu Ray that you guys have on the wall 👍👍

[@baraka99]

dont wanna see Fishburn return unless Hell is made of cake

[@mattduck69er]

stumbled upon this film a few years back with my mates on netflix. he were all way too stoned for the experience. we made it through but it legit felt like we went to hell with them xD

[@lotrgirl275]

That movie was called "Daybreakers", not "Daybreak". Fyi ;)

[@legmanpv72]

I actually like the resident evil films don't knock it especially the first one

[@makieernandez2919]

Me too

[@drakashrakenburgproduction5369]

You two suck.

[@marcoslaureano5562]

I saw an interview with the producer and I think one of the guys who worked on the ship and they brought to light the fact that Dr. Weir built the ship in fact to try and find his wife. But since she was a suicide. she went to hell. Something to that effect.

[@inaz1963]

My understanding is that all of the extra footage from Event Horizon was destroyed by the studio. I guess they didn't expect the film to become such a cult favorite.

[@nox5870]

Underrated Sci Fi Horror a Flick ! Best Paul W Anderson film along with The first Resident Evil. Those 2 are The only good films of his.

[@williamhiers1280]

I always thought the body floating at the beginning was the one they come across later.

[@user-mm6vo1cl1d]

I kinda liked this suspense throughout the movie but, nevertheless, was disappointed with the ending. Although it's perhaps better they've decided not to include "aliens". I was anticipating they would show this "hell" but then again, it's overall nice they left space for viewers' imagination.

[@trumpthetraitor2485]

Excellent review. The movie had so much potential. One of my "secret seven"

[@ElOchentero]

Really does this movie has low rating in Metacritic and the other sites? Amazing, one of my favorite movies I saw it when I was a teen and is really one of the best of the genre. Good review.

[@ElOchentero]

Yup, that was a thing in the 90s :s

[@ElOchentero]

junta21st I agree, though I did liked Alien 3, another case in which I don't get why people say is bad. And yes, Event Horizon is scary while Alien is good but it's mostly an action film.

[@nox5870]

El Ochentero 6.7/10 rating on IMDb. This movie is at least 7.5 , really Underrated !

[@drakashrakenburgproduction5369]

This is the only movie that disturbed the shit out of me. But it's appealing. Not a fan of Paul W.S Anderson directing but this...is haunting.

[@charlescole1766]

The front of the ship looks like a microphone.

[@usamazahid3882]

Or to me it looks like the part of the cross except the fact that it's inverted.

[@papaluskask999]

Are you guys UK version of not so Slient Bob and Jay?

[@jasondouglas152]

I'm my own Grandma .. And Im Gary

[@benquinney2]

Off the hook

[@yarsivad000.5]

Fishburn was Cowboy Cirtus on the Pee Wee Herman show for years. Great actor and unrecognizable on Pee Wee, young Fishburn.

[@yellowcougar18]

Watched this on Syfy channel a few months back. They edited and cut up the movie, including the footage on the ship...like, what the hell Syfy?

[@Paulmatthew22]

Love the review guys!,.But it makes the movie more Haunting to me to think about Sam Neil's first big part which was Damien in the Omen 3, You all seemed to OMIT that from Sam Neil's movie DIARY.It added to the sheer sinister quality of the movie while I was watching it,.. thinking back to that horror classic!

[@darran311]

Omen 3 is one of my all time favourite movies and mostly because of Sam Neill my favourite quote from him was "Most people confuse evil with their own trivial lusts and perversions. Now, true evil is as pure as innocence." The very idea kinda stuck with me , the true evil as pure as innocence part ..

[@shalltearbloodfallen6323]

watched movie 20+ times , i think as u guys its just awesome

[@Nugzz187]

love this movie

[@xenomorphlover]

One of the few movies (including The Blair Witch) which scare the hell out of me even to this day...

[@RepublicConstitution]

What about all the deleted scenes?

[@MagnitudePerson]

Not as good as Aliens, but still a pretty good coypcat. I like the whole hell deminsion idea, its so fucking cool. Doom ripped it off even.

[@Christopher0184]

+MagnitudePerson Actually, the first Doom was made in 1993. So if anything, Event Horizon ripped off Doom.

[@steviemaycreative8651]

Neptune, not Jupiter. Great review.

[@Runeinc]

Event Horizon was the best Warhammer 40k movie that isn't about 40k ever made. Change my mind.

[@AdrianMendoza23]

Sam Neill is awesome in Possession. Please do a review on Possession.

[@BRIANOCONNOR2003]

I watched that movie on Netflix last week

[@Italian69Boi]

in orbit of Neptune! thats why it took so long to get there. Jupiter is much closer and isnt BLUE! Jupiter is orange and red and yellow

[@adamstapleton9756]

I don't think flame can even exist for a prolonged period in zero gravity

[@gtoykeeper]

It reminded me of hellraiser