In 2007, console gaming got its first day-and-date digital release. The sci-fi war shooter Warhawk for the PlayStation 3 was sold as a Blu-ray disc in stores but was also available to buy digitally on PSN. The game is mostly forgotten now, but it was the first domino to fall in digital’s slow but relentless takeover…
The Event Horizon episode of Revisited was Written and Narrated by Vannah Taylor, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Tyler Nichols and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
We all know the term “Hell on Earth,” but what about “Hell in Space”? That might be the most succinct way of describing the 1997 film, Event Horizon (watch it HERE), directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and written by Philip Eisner. The film’s title is borrowed from an astrophysics term, and although there are various theories surrounding this term, it can best be summed up by someone such as myself who does not have an astrophysics degree as the idea that once a particle is inside the horizon, moving into the hole is inevitable—which leads us to the colloquial understanding of an “event horizon” as “a point of no return” and that is exactly where the characters of this film will find themselves.
Set in the year 2047, Event Horizon follows the crew of the Lewis and Clark, led by Captain Miller (portrayed by Laurence Fishburne) and accompanied by Dr. William Weir (portrayed by horror legend Sam Neill), on a rescue mission heading towards the newly resurfaced spaceship, the Event Horizon, which mysteriously disappeared seven years earlier. In the depths of space, in proximity to Neptune to be exact, the team works towards uncovering the dark fates of the crew as well as the ominous cargo housed on the ship.
As we were nearing the new millennium, the late 90s saw a slew of science fiction films focused on a range of subjects such as aliens, virtual reality, and the dangers of technology. The Event Horizon’s black hole-conjuring “gravity drive”, created by the film’s Dr. Weir, certainly taps into this trend in late 90s films—while adding a supernatural and psychological horror spin.
The blend of science fiction and horror creates an experience akin to a “haunted house film in space”—which might sound eerily similar to how one might describe the 1979 film Alien. While the main premise of a crew venturing into space only to encounter some unknowable terror certainly echoes the narrative of Alien, it is also no secret that Event Horizon’s production design was heavily inspired by the work of Swiss artist H.R. Giger, who you might know for his nightmarish design work on Ridley Scott’s film. His biomechanical influences are married with gothic architecture to give the doomed spaceship a cathedral-like interior and create a claustrophobic and dreadful atmosphere.
Another notable aspect of the film’s production is the film’s score, composed by Michael Kamen and the electronic music group Orbital, which certainly enhances the eerie and unsettling atmosphere. The combination of both orchestral and electronic musical elements reflects the film’s blend of horrors that are both ancient and futuristic in nature. The sound design also plays a crucial role, with unsettling noises and whispers making the Event Horizon seem to come alive. The unique visual and audio elements of the Event Horizon make it its own character—rather than encountering an alien or monster while on their journey, the ship itself is the monster they must be weary of.
The biggest theme that can be found in Event Horizon is the psychological terror created by isolation and the descent into madness it can cause, showing the influence of films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining. The crew is confronted with their personal guilt and the trauma that they are carrying with them into this mission. Hallucinations cause them to face their deepest fears, each one of them tortured in a unique and solitary way—stuck not only in a vessel deep in space but in the prison of the mind.
The crew of the “Lewis and Clark” finds themselves not only physically isolated in the vast emptiness of space but also mentally isolated from each other as they confront their inner demons. The influence of 2001: A Space Odyssey is evident in how Event Horizon portrays the cold, indifferent expanse of space as a backdrop for human frailty and the breakdown of the psyche. Similarly, The Shining‘s exploration of isolation leading to madness is echoed in the way the crew members of the Lewis and Clark succumb to these hallucinations and fears. The ship itself becomes a character, much like the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, amplifying the psychological torment of those within it.
Each crew member faces hallucinations that force them to relive their past traumas and deepest fears. For instance, Captain Miller is haunted by the memory of a subordinate he was unable to save, which manifests as a burning figure. Dr. Weir is tormented by visions of his deceased wife, who committed suicide, symbolizing his guilt and unresolved grief. But these hallucinations are not just figments of their imagination but manifestations of the ship’s influence.
Dr. Weir’s ambition to create interdimensional travel has catastrophic and even cosmic consequences beyond comprehension. The line between reality and nightmare is blurred, as the existential fear the crew faces is slowly revealed to be something more than a case of the heebie-jeebies or cabin fever. Once they board the Event Horizon, it seems that they have made their way into a dimension of pure chaos—they have passed the point of no return, only to be sucked into the darkness. Captain Miller and his crew may have just stepped into their own personal hell—literally.
Dr. Weir’s gravity drive opens a portal to another dimension, which serves as the catalyst for the horror that unfolds. This is also where Event Horizon taps into Lovecraftian horror, with its themes of cosmic dread and the insignificance of humanity in the face of vast, malevolent forces. The fear of the unknown, coupled with the guilt and trauma each crew member carries, creates a potent mix of psychological and existential horror. This dimension, suggested to be a hellish realm is seemingly inspired by Dante’s Inferno—with each member of the crew experiencing a unique circle of hell in a reality that has been twisted beyond recognition.
By embarking on this rescue mission, Dr. Weir has just damned the crew of the Lewis and Clark to eternally face their personal demons. Each crew member’s unique torment reflects their personal failings and guilt, much like the sinners in Dante’s Inferno who are punished in ways that symbolize their earthly sins. The ship becomes a purgatory where the crew must confront their past and remain trapped in a cycle of suffering with no clear hope of escape or redemption.
Upon release, Event Horizon was certainly not considered a success. Against its production budget of approximately $60 million, the film grossed around $26.7 million in the United States and Canada, with a worldwide gross total of only about $42.7 million—making it a certified financial disappointment. Despite flopping at the box office and receiving a mix of reviews, Event Horizon has persisted in public memory and gained quite the cult following.
What may have originally been assessed as a lack of originality has instead been embraced by fans who share their love of this film with their love of the influences that this film wears on its sleeve. Its uniqueness as a hybrid science fiction and psychological horror of a hellish magnitude has made the film stand the test of time and would even go on to influence other media such as Dead Space, a popular survival space horror video game franchise, as well as films like Sunshine (2007) and Pandorum (2009). Dr. Weir’s demonstration of a wormhole can even be seen recreated in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
The cultural legacy of Event Horizon is multifaceted. Its influence can also be seen in the way modern sci-fi horror blends psychological and existential terror with the vast, uncharted void of space. The film’s themes of isolation, guilt, and the unknown continue to resonate in contemporary storytelling. In a world where space exploration is becoming more of a reality, the fears and anxieties explored in Event Horizon remain relevant. The film taps into the timeless human fear of the unknown and the possibility that our greatest achievements could also be our undoing.
27 years later, closer now to the futuristic setting of 2047 than we are to the film’s release in 1997, Event Horizon continues to be terrifying and thought-provoking. The film serves as a reminder of the potential darkness that lies within the human psyche and the unknown reaches of space, making it a lasting piece of sci-fi horror that will continue to captivate and horrify new generations of viewers. The horrors persist, and so does Event Horizon.
Two previous episodes of Revisited can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!
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The Regency era matchmaking never ends at Netflix, with the streamer proudly announcing the next candidate for Bridgerton Season 4. The Shondaland drama turns the spotlight on Luke Thompson’s Benedict Bridgerton next season as he searches for his “Lady in Silver.” On Tuesday, Netflix unveiled a Bridgerton Season 4 teaser, promising the period drama’s “most compelling match will be unmasked!” Do I sense a Masquerade Ball approaching? Welcome to the Marriage Mart, Bridgers!
Here’s the official synopsis for Bridgerton Season 4:
“The fourth season of Bridgerton turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict (Luke Thompson). Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down — until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball.”
It's official – next season is Benedict season on #Bridgerton!!! pic.twitter.com/SoxCoKxGsz
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) July 23, 2024
Bridgerton Season 4 continues the threads left by the Season 3 finale, in which Eloise promised to return from Scotland (with Francesca) in time for her mother’s anticipated masquerade ball. The Season 4 events take inspiration from the third book in Julia Quinn’s series, An Offer from a Gentleman. Season 3 finds Benedict exploring his sexuality while fancying a woman named Tilly Arnold. The two share an intense connection, amplified by Tilly encouraging Benedict to form a thruple with herself and another man, Paul.
“I think, for me, when we talked about Benedict’s storyline this season in the room, so many of us, including myself, felt like he reads as a queer character in Season 1 and 2. So we felt like we wanted to make sense of that,” Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell told Deadline. “I think we will continue that storyline of him exploring his fluidity going forward. This isn’t the end of that.”
It’s only been six weeks since the second half of Bridgerton Season 3 hit Netflix, and already we’re hearing news about Season 4! I’m loathe to say I’m not current with Season 3, with Bridgerton being on my guilty pleasure watch list. What can I say? I love the drama! I must get caught up before Bridgerton Season 4 drops to shout at my screen alongside my fellow Bridgers. LFG, Benedict!
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At its most basic, The First Descendant is a game about grinding out unlocks. You unlock better weapons, more powerful modules, unique playstyles in the form of Descendants, and countless upon countless resources necessary for crafting. The goal is to have your eye on a prize.
At its most basic, The First Descendant is a game about grinding out unlocks. You unlock better weapons, more powerful modules, unique playstyles in the form of Descendants, and countless upon countless resources necessary for crafting. The goal is to have your eye on a prize.
How much chaos can one box cause? When that box is added to a decades-old Counter-Strike map with no warning, it turns out quite a lot of chaos.
How much chaos can one box cause? When that box is added to a decades-old Counter-Strike map with no warning, it turns out quite a lot of chaos.
Even with its gorgeous modern graphics and intricate puzzles, 2024’s Riven impressed me most with its sounds. The remake of the 1997 sequel to the seminal puzzle game Myst is a masterclass in how creating an ambient soundscape can help flesh out the world of the game. Even with so much visual splendor on display, the…
Even with its gorgeous modern graphics and intricate puzzles, 2024’s Riven impressed me most with its sounds. The remake of the 1997 sequel to the seminal puzzle game Myst is a masterclass in how creating an ambient soundscape can help flesh out the world of the game. Even with so much visual splendor on display, the…
As the Hollywood news cycle continues to churn with anticipation for the launch of Deadpool & Wolverine, presidential candidate endorsements, and enthusiasm for the increasing numbers of the summer box office, Focus Features is ready to make headlines by assigning a date for Steven Soderbergh‘s upcoming spy drama Black Bag. The studio says Black Bag opens in theaters on March 14, 2024. Focus will release the film in the US, and Universal Pictures International will handle international distribution.
Black Bag is a high-stakes mystery starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, as well as Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke, and Pierce Brosnan. Steven Soderbergh directs Black Bag from a script by David Koepp. Soderbergh and Blanchett previously worked together on his 2006 noir thriller The Good German. Additionally, Blanchett played a part in the film Ocean’s 8, part of Soderbergh’s Ocean’s 11 franchise. Soderbergh produced Ocean’s 8 but didn’t direct that one. He and Fassbender previously worked together on his 2011 action thriller Haywire. And in addition to collaborating on Presence, Soderbergh and Koepp also worked together on the 2022 thriller Kimi.
Cate Blanchett’s next silver-screen outing is Eli Roth’s Borderlands, an action extravaganza based on the best-selling video game franchise from 2K and Gearbox Software. Blanchett plays Lilith, a Vault Hunter, in the film coming to theaters on August 9.
Here’s the synopsis: “Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas (Ramirez). Lilith allies with an unexpected team – Roland (Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Black), a persistently wiseass robot. These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.”
Borderlands also stars Kevin Hart, Edgar Ramirez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Haley Bennett, Olivier Richters, Gina Gershon, Cheyenne Jackson, Charles Babalola, Benjamin Byron Davis, Steven Boyer, Bobby Lee, Ryann Redmond, Penn Jillette, and Janina Gavankar, who plays “a new, key character” called Commander Knoxx, someone who has not been in the video games. Jack Black provides the voice of the robot Claptrap.
Michael Fassbender recently completed work on David Sandberg’s long-gestating sequel, Kung Fury 2. The story will focus on Kung Fury’s universe, which has no real connection to the short movie other than the lead character. The anticipated Kung Fury film stars Alexandra Shipp, Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Hasselhoff, and more!
While it’s nice to have a release date for Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag, we know very little about the film thus far. We’ll share more details when we receive updates about this curious spy project.
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