David O'ConnellPandorum
May 19th 2010 04:03
Desperately waiting for the next awfully familiar action-horror film set in outer space? Pandorum is it, wading into battle with its lineage unashamedly up-front for all to see. It's Alien (1979) and Event Horizon (1997) that emerge as closest cousins in this tale of a space captain, Payton (Dennis Quaid) and one of his men, Bower (Ben Foster), awakening from eight years in hyper-sleep to find their gigantic ship seemingly abandoned and untethered, drifting purposelessly through deep space towards a distant planet.
Soon the pair becomes separated with Bower venturing into the spaceliner’s murky depths to firstly uncover other signs of life, then later to reconfigure the ship’s nuclear reactor before it blows them all to kingdom come, thus eradicating the last vestiges of mankind. His task will be no simple matter, for all aboard this haunted craft are hundreds of cannibalistic mutants who have somehow evolved from human origins. They have nasty, pale hairless heads, very sharp teeth, spear-like protrusions on their backs and human flesh on their menu.
Along the way the intense Bower picks up a few strays, unconverted humans with ninja fighting skills, including the versatile Nadia (Antje Traue). Together they track a path to the reactor with the help of Payton who does little for a while except read ghostly coloured figures off transparent computer screens. Sporadic attacks from the mutants provide a few close calls for Bower and his motley assembly, though conversations shed minimal light on matters with Nadia possessing an unfathomable accent whilst another makeshift warrior can’t speak English at all.
Interest seriously begins to wane midway through this derivative horror thriller, at about the same point that logic begins shedding a limb or two. The severe Foster does a reasonable job it must be said, slipping out of his bug-eyed loony roles in Hostage and 3:10 to Yuma to play a blood-splattered action hero. His support players provide negligible impact, especially Quaid who is clearly phoning his performance in. The deglamourised Traue provides a convincing physical, if not intellectual, presence.
There’s some gore but its relatively tame stuff and much of the action sequences are scissored into fragmentary perspectives soaked in convenient darkness. It’s fair to say that this won’t add a lot of prestige to German director Christian Alvart’s résumé after his botch job on the pathetic, much troubled Renee Zellweger horror reel, Case 39 (2009). The film builds to little more than a depressingly inevitable letdown which at least allows for a feeble demonstration of the film title’s – a reference to a kind of madness that afflicts people suspended in outer space for extended periods - to be put into effect.
There’s actually a strong whiff of Danny Boyle’s Sunshine (2007) looming over the final chunk of Pandorum, a molecular meltdown that throws caution – and the remaining CGI budget - to the wind, only to have every measly, forgettable twist blown back in its face. The similarities to Event Horizon are ironic considering the presence of Paul W.S. Anderson as one of the producers here.
Originally slated for release in Australian cinemas, this lost cause of a film is now destined for deep space anonymity. Back to hyper-sleep you go.
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Event Horizon is a guilty pleasure ...
All of which reminds me, I must get around to reviewing Outland soon ...
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
I feel much the same about Event Horizon - it's just about the only watchable Anderson film.
Sunshine was a massive disappointment. It absolutely self-destructs in the last half an hour.
Comment by Matt Shea
As for Quaid, has anybody else appeared in so many bad films and still remained in demand? I like the guy, but he's gotta make one of these decisions convert sooner rather than later.
Nice write-up, Dave - impressed that you took this on and made it through to the end.
Comment by MelG
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
And what about The Big Easy?
Or The Long Riders?
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
You can't stand Event Horizon, really? A definite guilty pleasure like Bryn says. Sam Neill and Quaid could be interchangeable though.
And yes, Breaking Away is a surprisingly good film, if only just to laugh at Quaid's youthful exuberance and Jackie Earl Haley as - without doubt - the ugliest teenager ever to grace a movie screen! It's hardly a surprise he's playing nothing but serial killers, pedophiles and serial-killing pedophiles these days!!
The Big Easy and a few others were excellent too. I really like Frequency for example - now there's another guilty pleasure!!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by MelG
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I hated Event Horizon great idea treated as one giant cliche.
It is cool to see some Dennis appreciation around. Breaking Away, Long Riders and The Big Easy are certainly worthwhile (Good call Bryn)...I will throw in a few more in, some guilty pleasures and some genuine quality - Enemy Mine, Innerspace, Dreamscape, Great Balls of Fire, Flesh & Bone, Any Given Sunday, Savior and Traffic....
but The Right Stuff stands tallest
Comment by MelG
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Anonymous
I also loved the bit where Dave is serenading Catherine, and Cyril (Daniel Stern) is helping out by playing the guitar. Catherine's jock boyfriend and his mates turn up and think that Cyril was the one serenading Catherine and promptly beat him up, whilst Dave and Catherine are off on Dave's bike having a great time. Makes me laugh every time.
I also love that Dave keeps calling the cat Fellini, although his dad hates it. And the scene where Dave's mum gives his dad some chips as a treat, due to his heart condition, but Dave eats them all as his heart is broken, sending his dad over the edge!!
Such a classic film. A shame so few know about it, but I'm happy it's my little piece of joy
Comment by MelG
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by MelG
Comment by Matt Shea