Pandorum (2009): A Great Sci-Fi Horror Film and Much More

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung Le, Andre Hennicke, Norman Reedus, and Wotan Wilke Mohring. Directed by: Christian Alvart. "Pandorum" has all of the original ideas and concepts to make for a great, sci-fi/horror film but there's quite a few things holding it back from reaching that desired point. There is an obviously huge reference to the 'Alien' franchise (i.e. the mutants, the big ship, cryogenic sleep, and so on) in this film although it does not rip it off, so that is perfectly fine. "Pandorum" also shares many similarities to other sci-fi and horror flicks such as "Cube" (1997), "Event Horizon" (1997), "I Am Legend" (2007), "The Descent" (2006), and (to a very small extent) "The Time Machine". Two of the spaceship's crew members, Bower (Ben Foster) and Payton (Dennis Quaid) awake from their long cryogenic sleep, unable to remember what their mission is, where they are, and they vaguely remember their lives on Earth. Bower ventures out into the rest of the ship to investigate while Payton helps him navigate from the bridge. Soon enough, Bower runs into some other people but unfortunately, all of them are either crazed survivalists or vicious mutated creatures. The creatures in "Pandorum" could have been handled a lot better, to summarize their appearance: Imagine what would happen if the creatures from "The Descent" went shopping at 'Mad Max's Post Apocalyptic Department Store, there ya go. Despite how disappointing that may be, I will say that the creatures look far more believable than in "I Am Legend". With that aside, the film tries to zero in on the disorientating dystopia that it is set in but it keeps on getting way too caught up in focusing on confusing fight sequences and some badly-cut camera work (not all of it, but some). Overall, "Pandorum" does deliver with its clever plot twists and general themes, the movie contains some wonderfully huge and fantastic sets, plus the idea of a 'sleeper cell' spaceship carrying over 60,000 cryogenically frozen people is an example classic and hardcore science fiction at its best.