31 Days of
Draughts and Darkness: VOL 2!
"Event Horizon" (1997)
Despite being a fan of all things sci-fi, I hadn't actually
seen any of "Event Horizon" until this year's review. I knew only a few
details going in. Something about Dr. Grant and Morpheus trying to survive a
haunted spaceship.
If any of you are familiar with the "Resident
Evil" movies (emphasis on 'movie', not game), you'll immediately pick up
on director W.S. Anderson's directing style. Even when the nastiest of
creatures are about, there's a slickness to the proceedings that give it a
distinctly-teenager vibe. It's almost as if someone said "Sure, this is
creepy, but you know what'd make it even creepier? Techno!".
Subtlety isn't the man's strong suit.
But that can be a good
thing. After all, the live-action "Mortal Kombat" movie holds up as
one of my favorite childhood films. Over-the-top can be great fun. It's when you're going for a brooding sort
of atmosphere that quiet moments are more important. My opinion on the
"Resident Evil" films is largely negative (though the first one's not
bad when taken as a stand-alone) because they're more "Milla Jovovich:
Action Hero" than they are zombie movies.
Tonight's film actually shows some restraint on the
director's part, trying to let a foreboding atmosphere do the heavy lifting. While
"Event Horizon" isn't what I'd call a horror classic, it's certainly
an enjoyable little shocker with some interesting sets and ideas. The
late-90's era CGI hasn't aged well, but the practical and makeup effects hold
up. There some genuinely-disturbing imagery and a good dose of fun.
The Plot:
Sometime in the quite-near future, mankind has extended
space travel across our galaxy. We're able to travel all the way to Neptune,
though it takes a very long voyage. A crew must spend months under sedation
as their ship slowly trudges towards the outer reaches of space.
Enter the titular spaceship. The Event Horizon was designed
by Dr. William Wier to push the limits of intergalactic travel. Whereas most
ships travel from point A to B, the Event Horizon is theoretically able to
form mini black-holes as shortcuts. Emphasis on the theoretical part
there, folks. You see, upon its test run, the Event Horizon and its crew
vanished.
Almost a decade has gone by since the disappearance, when
suddenly an automatic distress signal is picked up off of Neptune, where the
ship was last seen. Dr. Wier joins a crew of search-and-rescue specialists to
recover the mystery ship and whatever's left of its crew. Upon arrival, our
band of heroes is quick to discover that the Event Horizon didn't return from
the void all by its lonesome. Something came with it.
The Flavor:
"Event Horizon" blends the sci-fi, action, and
spooky horror into a bloody smoothie. There aren't that many tremendous scares,
and most of them are of the jump-variety. However, the film makes up for it
with a series of surprisingly-disturbing visuals. Once the nature of the ship's
disappearance is revealed, the audience is treated to some fairly twisted,
albeit split-second long, glimpses of seriously twisted stuff. That these
shots go by so quickly makes them confusing, as if you're not quite sure of
what you just saw. This actually works to make them all the more creepy.
Also enjoyable for the horror fan is the effect the ship has
on the cast. Whatever entity has attached itself to the Event Horizon is able
to peer into the thoughts of those aboard. It then materializes their worst
fears/regrets into threats to send after
them. It's a neat idea for two reasons. First, because the horrors stem from
the minds of our cast, literally anything could show up. Next, and most
interestingly, we're left to wonder if these manifestations are real or simply
hallucinations. This adds further mystery to the ship's nature.
However, those moments aside, there's nothing here that'll
traumatize the more casual horror fan. Heck, even those adverse to scary movies
will probably enjoy the intrigue. "Event Horizon" does a good
job revealing its story is little pieces, keeping you guessing as to what the
hell's really going on. The action and rescue pieces are also quite riveting
and made me realize that I care about the characters far more than I typically
would in a horror film. Often, a lot of the stock characters are just there to be
nixed in glorious fashion. Here, the characters are still fairly
one-dimensional, but the nature of the ship's curse serves to dig into the
uglier sides of their pasts. This allows "Event Horizon" to add some
depth to its cast in a very organic way.
Best Paired with:
This is a great film for a mixed audience. Pure horror fans
will enjoy the creepy visuals and inspired gore. The violent moments are
creatively bloody and done mainly with makeup effects, so no worries about the
outdated CGI sneaking into your blood and guts. There aren't many kills, but
those that happen are memorable.
Those who prefer their
Halloween movies on the tamer side won't be too overwhelmed. As I mentioned,
the visuals can be disturbing, but they go by quickly. The gore is there, but
it's not agonizing or overly hard to watch. Heck, in the context of the story,
much of it may have never even happened. Think warped visions rather than
prolonged executions. The levels of old-school sci-fi (model ships, actual sets
and props) also make you yearn for a time where CGI didn't rule the imaginative
landscape of film.
Accompanying Brew:
Name: Halloween Ale
Brewery: Gritty's
Where Brewed: Portland, ME
ABV: 6.0%
Considering tonight's entry is but the first in our month-long quest, let's start with some classic flavors. Aesthetically, Gritty's Halloween Ale embodies the creepy season. Flavor-wise, it's actually got a really nice profile of Fall flavor. Like 'Event Horizon', Gritty's seasonal offering provides a new take on some classic ideas.
Style: Extra Special Bitter/Strong Bitter (ESB): More alcohol and
hop than your standard English bitter, but fairly tame compared to an IPA.
Color: A deep, dark
red. Almost a brown shade when the light's not hitting it.
Aroma: There may be a tiny bit of spice in there, but the
prominent flavor is lovely amber malt. The characteristic slightly-nutty/sweet
scent of the malts comes out beautifully. Also, there's a slight sharpness to the scent
that I can't put my finger on, but it reminds me of a home brew in a way.
Shockingly, I'm not assaulted by cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove from a Halloween
Ale.
Taste: Toasty, nutty, malty, Halloween Ale doesn't try to go
the spice route. Instead, it supplies a classic Octoberfesty taste. The flavors
are rich, with amber malt and some form of German yeast melding their sweetness
together into one flavor. The toasted character of the malts also lends an
enjoyable nutty taste to the proceedings. I feel like I should be writing more,
but honestly, this is just a very solid ESB with all the classic
components: yeast, amber malts, and a nice hoppy bite.
Aftertaste: The beer finishes with a nice hop wave to wash
away the malt. A bit of malt remains on the tongue, but the hops do a nice job
bringing it down to mild levels. The bitterness isn't incredibly strong, but moreso
than your typically American ale, so bear that in mind. I enjoy the hop flavor,
but those who avoid bitter flavors may be surprised.
Body: Light-to-medium, like most Octoberfest Ales.
Pair: I could drink a beer like this all year, despite the
name. It'd go great with salty fare like pizza-night, but I envision this brew
served alongside Fall dishes like stews and roast lamb. Strangely, I'd also
recommend pumpkin-based foods, as this has none, but its other flavors would
enhance those of a pumpkin pie, bread, etc.
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