The Trigger Effect (1996)

A blackout leaves those affected to consider what is necessary, what is legal, and what is questionable, in order to survive in a predatory environment.

Moralizing doomsday tale has a good premise exploring the effects of a catastrophe on human society, but, despite serviceable performances, it is unsatisfactorily uneven and inconsequential.

Maltin**1/2: "Maddeningly uneven apocalyptic thriller...Intended as an examination of contemporary insensitivity and alienation, and how society might unravel in the wake of such a catastrophe, but falls apart after a solid start.The finale is especially incongruous."

Event Horizon (1997)

A rescue crew investigates a spaceship that disappeared into a black hole and has now returned...with someone or something new on-board.

Although this sci-fi shocker has quite a messy plot, it is indeed fairly effective and has some quite natsy scenes; the star cast helps, too, a bit.

Halliwell (no star): "Creepy horror movie in outer space that delivers the requisite shocks; a little predictability would have been welcome, though."

Maltin**: "Well-acted movie begins promisingly but becomes increasingly unlikely; offers no explanation for the strange events. Some intense horror scenes."