WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers, when noted.
It feels like genuine sci-fi, humans vs. aliens films are few and far between these days. Which is why, after seeing the trailer for Pandorum, I was so excited. Fortunately, Pandorum won’t disappoint any die-hard fans of sci-fi, especially if you’re also a lover of the blend of sci-fi and horror.
Pandorum centers around Bower (played quite convincingly by Ben Foster), who wakes up from extended hypersleep on a spacecraft, with no idea who he is or why he’s on the ship. Soon after, Payton (Dennis Quaid), wakes up too, and they join forces to try to figure out where they are and why in the world they’re awake. As they gain back their memories, they realize they’re not the only humans on board…and that humans aren’t the only things on board.
What this film does well (and I was a bit skeptical about this at first) is it puts the viewer right into the action and horror, with little to no backstory or introduction into the world of the film. Other sci-fi/horror films, like Event Horizon or Sunshine, work to make you feel safe and secure in your surroundings before they start scaring you.
With Pandorum, we’re clueless and freaked out from the moment Bower wakes up, and we experience with him the same fear, anxiety, and confusion that he goes through as he explores the ship and learns about the horrors within. We’re on the same page as our main character throughout the whole film, and it makes his journey and discoveries ours as well.
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