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Pandorum

EMAILPRINTOverture Films

Pandorum reviews
28
7.8 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 13 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 62 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Horror  |  Sci-fi  |  Suspense/Thriller

Written by: Travis Milloy

Directed by: Christian Alvart

Release Date:
Theatrical: September 25, 2009

Running Time: minutes, Color

Origin: USA | Germany

Summary

RATING: R for strong horror violence and language

Starring Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung Le, Eddie Rouse, and Norman Reedus

Two crew members wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they've been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they're actually not alone - and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined. (Overture Films)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole

Handsomely mounted, emotionally involving sci-fi movies don't often show up in the darkened galaxies of our theatre chains. So Alvart's English-language debut is definitely a film you want to catch on the big screen. Just don't sit too close, lest you end up with a dose of pandorum.

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75

Boston Globe Justine Elias

Pandorum is a dark, disquieting dream worth watching out for.

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58

Entertainment Weekly Clark Collis

How brazenly can one film rip off "Alien," "I Am Legend," and, somewhat oddly, "The Poseidon Adventure"?

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40

LA Weekly Michelle Orange

Director Christian Alvart clearly attended horror’s new paint-shaker school of direction (motto: shaky = scary!), but the script’s twisty, end-of-the-world intrigue saves this otherwise leaden film from total self-destruction.

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33

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Throw out the presence of Dennis Quaid, and the new science-fiction/horror snoozer Pandorum could easily pass for a Roger Corman cheapie.

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30

Variety Rob Nelson

Special effects are none too convincing, while sound effects are of the cheaply jolting variety favored by producer Paul W.S. Anderson in his films as director ("Resident Evil," "Event Horizon"). Other tech credits are, like the pic as a whole, lazily derivative.

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30

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

Claustrophobic, tedious sci-fi thriller.

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30

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

According to the press notes, pandorum means “Orbital Dysfunctional Syndrome”; whatever that is, by the end of the movie I was convinced I had caught it.

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30

Los Angeles Times Glenn Whipp

Keeps its audience in the dark -- literally and figuratively -- far too long to be of much use besides as a patience-trying exercise in reference spotting.

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30

Chicago Reader Cliff Doerksen

The sort of thing that makes you wish you were playing a video game instead.

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20

New York Daily News Joe Neumaier

The movie soon turns into only a production-designed run-and-chase game, and our curiosity about what happened to Earth and the crew is teased and teased again until the movie’s big letdown of a reveal.

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20

Time Out New York Keith Uhlich

This is hackwork of the highest order, lacking in all poetry and barely comprehensible aurally or visually.

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0

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

In all fairness, the sheer, overwhelming mediocrity of everything about Pandorum – Travis Milloy's hackneyed, ultra-derivative script, Alvart's plodding pacing and dull direction, even the eventual crimson tide of gore that duly arrives just in time to keep audience members over the age of 13 from dozing off – may well constitute a new breed of horror: In space, no one can hear you snore.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 62 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Ryan D. gave it a9:
I know a lot of "reputable" critics did not like this movie so much. I loved it. If you can get passed your over active sense of criticism the story line is pretty cool. The movie is said by the creators to have room for a sequel and prequel. I would to see just that.

Beth V gave it a9:
This movie fits wonderfully into my favorite genre: While Up In Space, Things Go Terribly Wrong. And boy...do they ever. Ignore the reviewers (um, they gave higher ratings to Tranformers II and Love Happens?). Even when enjoying a good sci-fi flick, I bore very easily have a small bladder AND right now a fractured tailbone so I rarely sit through an entire movie. I never left my seat.

Phil M gave it an8:
Dark twisted tale which was absorbing and suspensful, comparisons to Alien are unjustified as the only themes shared are that of it being set in a large space ship and it being dark! Prob why so many reviewers decided to rubbish it. Found the plot twists interesting and the set design amazing The initial wakening of Bower from sleep was creepy and disquieting. The pacing could have been faster for a action/thriller/horror especially towards the conclusion. Atmospheric absorbing and with a few good jumps to scare you I recommend it to fans of the genre.

Tim E. gave it a10:
Ok, I'm tired of critics saying this movie is crap. They are dead wrong. Yeah it keeps you in the dark.. whats the point of watching a movie if you can guess the ending??? I liked that it had unexpected twists. I;m sorry to all of the critics who went to this movie watched 20 minutes saying. "oh this is going to be the ending." AND YOUR WRONG. All of the critics who hate this movie are just angry because they couldn't predict the ending. And I really want to say the whole idea of this film is original. Yes it's a sci-fi film like Alien, so what! It's not alien quit comparing it to Alien. It is it's own film with it's own story. Also I fail to see how it's like I Am Legend. Yeah the creatures feed on flesh, but who would watch a movie if the creatures didn't? Would you rather them eat lettuce? NO, fuck that, its not scary and its not fun. Besides the creatures in I Am Legend, are turned in to mindless zombies-like creatures. The creatures in Pandorum are: *SPOILER DON'T READ THIS SECTION IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE MOVIE!* Evolved human who eat flesh to survive, and they'll even eat there own kind if they die. In this movie ALL of the creatures kept their humanity, and they have the honor and decency to fight nobly. Plus they cuddle, how much more mammal like can you get? *END OF SPOILER* This movie is great! It is a must see if you like thrillers, sci-fi, or just horror films in general. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, it will make you jump and it will keep you guessing.

Sean is my name gave it a1:
I endured the whole thing because I wanted to see Dennis Quaid take his shirt off. The rest of the film was just shaky camerawork in the dark with vague green strobe lights flickering occasionally to make us think people are moving from place to place. Was this movie about the disease "Pandorum" or about inexplicable humanoid mutants (no satisfactory explanation was offered for their presence) or about nihilism? And who the heck was that tribal guy with the spear who spoke no English? Take your shirt off next time, Dennis... show us some nipple, okay?

DEath Preacher gave it an8:
Come on! this movie rocked ass! If you ever wanted a mix between THe cude, and event horizon, mixed in with a dash a Fear and Loathing (come on those lizard things), then this is It!. Awsome premise, good ending and very trippy.

Matthew V. gave it a10:
I thought this movie wasn't going to be good at all, but I was way wrong! This movie is awesome. It kind of reminded me of Dead Space. Great story(always kept you trying to figure things out) a must see.

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