Event Horizon

In the year 2040, the pioneering research vessel Event Horizon vanishes without a trace. Seven years later, it suddenly appears in orbit around Neptune, and the United States Aerospace Command sends out a rescue crew headed by Captain Miller (Lawrence Fishburne) to salvage the vessel. Where has the ship been all this time and what happened to its crew?

I'm not a fan of horror films, but the science-fiction element of Event Horizon appeals to me, and the character development is particularly strong. The first two acts unravel the mystery of the ship, but the third act turns into a slasher flick with gratuitous violence and gore leaving a bad taste.

The AVC video encode is strong with solid black levels and revealing shadow detail. The print is in excellent condition, and the color saturation is on the muted side befitting the mood of the production. Occasional edge enhancement doesn't detract from an overall strong presentation.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is dynamic and powerful, especially in the bass department. Dialog is generally intelligible, but a tad harsh at times, and the timbre of the voices don't always match the environment. The soundstage is active, especially the rear speakers, which provide ample ambience and the occasional discrete effect.

The bonus materials feature a director's commentary, a five-part "making of" featurette, a deleted scene, and two extended scenes, all in standard definition. The only HD supplement is the theatrical trailer.

Although the first two acts had me on the edge of my seat, the third act takes a turn for the worst and throws out the suspense element for gore. If you’re a fan of the horror genre, I'm sure you'll like it more than I did, but this certainly isn't my cup of tea.

Release Date: December 30, 2008

Movie: 5/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 8/10

Review System

Source
Panasonic DMP-BD55

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 Amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics

X