Event Horizon is listed in the streaming platform as an action movie, which is an interesting classification. I get that genre is a lens, not a label.  But even with the most generous viewing, I find it hard to fit my favorite intergalactic hell ship movie into the conventions of an action film. 

• Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson
• Written by: Philip Eisner
• Starring: Laurence Fishburne. Sam Neill. Kathleen Quinlan

The unusual classification, and the recent thinking I’ve been doing on genre, inspired me to give it another rewatch. After all, nothing fits a cold winter’s day better than sci-fi horror. Or Sci-fi action horror. 

The Plot

Event Horizon takes us back to man’s using technology to overcome nature in ways God did not intend. There are, of course, unintended consequences. When they create a dimensional gateway to fold space –time, they pass through an alternate dimension. That dimension turns out to be hell, or the next closest thing. 

Before we talk about action, let’s talk about hell. It’s more interesting anyway. Hell is not fire and brimstone, it’s guilt.  This is a powerful choice for the movie, both dramatically and visually. The crew are tormented by the lives they’ve left behind.  It’s always interesting when movies explore the ways that guilt drives us, and how it can be used against us.  

And this crew is tormented as they investigate the remains of the ship, the Event Horizon, all while being led further into the depths by the madness of Sam Neil.  Neil is the best at playing insane or obsessed.  Here, he’s dialed up to eleven. If the rest of the movie wasn’t so intense, it might seem out of place. 

The Theme and Theming

But this is not just a space horror movie, this is a cosmic horror movie. It’s about terrors beyond imagination, and worlds that the human mind cannot comprehend and maintain sanity. In short, a lot of people are going die badly.  I like that there is some restraint shown. We see horrible things, but most of them are in flashes. The worst atrocities are left to our imagination.  The camera never lingers on the violence, instead opting for the tension and mood.

H³ wants me to talk about Gothic Sci-Fi design. I think he’s more qualified, the man is an artist after all.  He can pull up references from Alien to The Black Hole. What I can talk about is what the design means to the overall themes.  Like with any good story about guilt, religious iconography is used to reinforce those themes.  Crosses, sigils, coffin-shaped doors, and skulls are common decorations in Event Horizon, while the labs look more like fantasy dungeons than high-tech scientific workspaces.  All of this works to make the crew feel vulnerable and unprepared. The gothic trappings also serve to unbalance the audience,  to remind you, this is not a standard sci-fi movie.

So, How Much of an Action Movie is it?  

There are some action sequences. Miller desperately racing to rescue Justin from the airlock is one. Smitty’s hunt for the bomb is another. However, if we were to judge this strictly as an action movie, there would be some pacing issues. Action movies typically use more of a rollercoaster structure. They use alternating highs and lows in action and tension to keep interest and escalate stakes. 

Event Horizon, as a horror/thriller, follows a different arc. It has smaller moments of horror that build and escalate to something bigger. Even in the resolution of these sequences there is lingering darkness, something that isn’t typically seen in action movies.  

There are about 100 different ways to clearly mark “genre standards” of an action movie.  Typically, the script would focus on one core protagonist, in a fast-moving plot accented with expensive effects-driven sequences like fight scenes and car chases. The plot cumulates in a final showdown with a high degree of physical danger.  If we look at the breakdown of Event Horizon, it does hit a lot of those, but it also hits the standards for a haunted house movie. 

A group of explorers enter an abandoned facility and begin experiencing strange phenomena. These events are dismissed with scientific explanations until they can no longer ignore the obvious. Members of the group get killed or possessed by the house, and a sacrifice is required for the survivors to escape. 

Movies can have multiple genre elements without strictly adhering to one of them. The trick is in the balancing act. That’s how we get action sci-fi/comedy blends that make millions at the box office. They have talented directors that know how to time all their elements effectively. 

Final Thoughts

I think Event Horizon is a very effective movie. The action is horrific and fuels the idea that chaos is the final destination. There is just enough of it to keep the pace moving and not let the movie get bogged down in scientific explanations. It’s a great movie for a cold winter night rewatch, and a great reminder that strict definitions only limit the viewer’s enjoyment, not the work itself. 

Event Horizon is available on streaming