Writer: Nur Safina Othman

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Watch this if you liked: "Alien", "The Descent", "I Am Legend"

Although heavily critiqued through online reviews, director Christian Alvart's third movie is nonetheless a favourite amongst certain people. "Pandorum" is a movie that would appeal more to those who can appreciate this type of sci-fi horror genre. Jam-packed with action, this marks as Alvart's first English-language film.

Set in the year 2174, where the human population has increased dramatically, thousands of men and women are left with no choice but to be transferred to planet Tanis on board the 'Elysium' spaceship. The ship is driven by three crew members who take turns on duty to avoid getting symptoms of 'pandorum', a sickness caused by travelling in outer space. Two crew members, Corporal Bower (Ben Foster) and Lieutenant Peyton (Dennis Quaid), awake after several years of hypersleep with no memory of what's happened or where the ship's population of 60,000 has disappeared to. Soon, they encounter "I Am Legend"-like mutants who feed on humans and they must race against time to save the spaceship before the power goes off forever.

Alvart manages to keep viewers in suspense with its intensely dark and creepy scenes, where elements of claustrophobia are constantly highlighted throughout the film. Each of the characters have their own paranoia characteristics within them. Although it might take a while to fully understand the storyline, viewers won't be disappointed with the action as the movie is showered with it from the beginning to the end.

Evidently, Foster is the show stealer with his exceptional acting capabilities as he managed to capture the soul of his character as an amnesia-inflicted crew member who struggles to find a way out of the 'Elysium'. According to an interview, Foster is happy to play a character that is lost and have no clue of what has happened, thus reacting against his own human instincts. As for Dennis Quaid, it's unfortunate that his character is portrayed as a mere sidekick to Foster, failing to leave an impact onto the audience.

The visual effects didn't seem to do justice as to what the modern day technology can do. The efforts to make it look convincing and realistic isn't strong, however, it still manages to arouse a sense of chills with human organs being shredded apart of the hungry mutants.

Rated as PG13, parents are advised to look after their kids as there are plenty of gruesome scenes.

Cinema Online, 14 October 2009