Pandorum - Don’t Fear The End Of The World, Fear What Happens Next
Pandorum can best be described as the box-office bomb that is actually a satisfying
sci-fi horror treat. If you have been fortunate enough to catch the remake of 3:10 To Yuma, you may recall Russell Crowe’s right-hand man, played by the excellent Ben Foster. Foster continues his good form in Pandorum, a freaky horror combining The Descent and Event Horizon to immensely satisfying effect.
Foster plays the astronaut Bower, accompanied by the ever-reliable Dennis Quaid as Payton. The two confused space-dwellers wake up from a long sleep aboard the ship Elysium with no knowledge of their mission, and no recollection of any prior events. There are no signs of any crew, and power to the vessel appears to be lost. The ship itself offers nothing but a mysterious, sporadic, hellish rumble; a sound akin to some kind of otherworldly monster in great distress.
Before Foster sets off to explore the ship for answers, Quaid tells him about ‘pandorum’; a psychotropic condition that affects individuals who spend too long in space. The effects include hallucinations and, of course, homicidal tendencies. During the following hour and a half, we are treated to a variety of intense and thoroughly enjoyable surprises and twists; sinister events have taken place aboard the ship, and Payton and Bower are certainly not alone…
From a technical point of view, relatively unknown director Chrisitian Alvart delivers a movie with excellent pacing and delightfully creepy visuals. The exceptional cinematography ensures that each moment of tension and frantic action will leave you totally enthralled, and overjoyed with your decision to stay away from a career as an astronaut.
The performances in sci-fi movies rarely get any attention (with the exception of Sigourney Weaver in Aliens). In Pandorum, we were impressed with Foster’s portrayal of Bower, while Quaid is also very convincing as the solitary Payton.
Pandorum certainly is not for everyone; those who enjoyed High School Musical 3, or The Proposal, are probably better off renting Miss Potter. If you want to watch a couple of barmy astronauts take on the hellish secrets of a mysterious ship in deep space, then please proceed. Pandorum is out now on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Image from Wikipedia.
