Supernova's plot is similar to Event Horizon but Supernova promises more than just strong production design.

The movie details the perilous mission of a deep space medical ship. Responding to a distress call, the ship rescues a young man carrying a mysterious alien artefact but as the vessal veers dangerously near a star about to go supernova, the crew find themselves threatened by their patient.

Veteran director Hill was drafted in when Australian Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper) left due to 'creative differances'. Hill, whose specialisms are thrillers and westerns such as Southern Comfort, Streets of Fire, The Long Riders and Geronimo, has never directed a sci fi movie but he co-produced and wrote for the first three alien films. Hill also co-produced the Tales from the Crypt horror anthology TV series.

James Spader (who plays the co-pilot) came to prominence in sex, lies and a videotape and has since alternated between mainstream and arthouse projects like Stargate and Crash.

Angela Bassett (the medical officer) went to the near future in Strange Days but is best known for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What's love got to do with it. Currently she is in the U.S box-office charts with How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

Robert Forster, Oscar - nominated for Jackie Brown, co-stars as the captain.

Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Courage Under Fire) appears as the medical technician .

Robin Tunney (The Craft) plays the ships Paramedic, Wilson Cruz ( who starred with Claire Danes in TV's acclaimed My So-Called Life) is the computer technician, while Peter Facinelli (Can't Hardly Wait ) completes the main cast as the rescue subject.

As with Alien, a monster is promised, courtesy of designer Patrick Tatopoulos (Godzilla). Finally, like Armageddon, the production received advice from NASA in the form of the jet Propulsion Laboratory's Jacklyn Green, an astronomer who runs the amazingly - named Extraterrestrial Materials Simulation Lab. We wonder does NASA get advice in dealing with alien encounters in return ?

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