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!