Review: ‘Color Out of Space’ is a Dark and Slimy Descent into Madness

January 20, 2020

color of space review — Courtesy of RLJE Films / KWPR

Color Out of Space had some pretty serious shoes to fill straight out of the gate. An adaptation of one of the most popular and beloved H.P. Lovecraft stories? Check. A new directing effort from acclaimed South African director Richard Stanley? Yes. Nic freakin’ Cage? Better believe it. With a pedigree like that, expectations for the film were already pretty high. Fortunately, this film lives up to viewers’ expectations with a dark and engaging story, wild special FX, and strong performances from Cage and crew.

Like the story from which it was adapted, The Colour Out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft, the film tells the story of a strange object that falls from space and lands in a farming area, and its effect on the plants, animals, and people in its proximity. The movie remains faithful to the story in the most important ways, but also manages to insert some modern flair. This script does a great job of gradually building the dread, growing darker and darker thematically, and ending in a flurry of madness that will leave viewers catching their breath.

Richard Stanley’s story is a interesting tale of its own. If you need any insight on this, I can’t recommend the documentary Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau enough. On Color Out of Space, Stanley has helmed a new dark sci-fi classic. The performances he inspired from the core cast of this film are great, particularly those of Nicolas Cage and Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck), who do a wonderful turn as parents unraveling as a mysterious plague infects every aspect of their family’s lives.

This film is an absolute visual feast. The setting is a gorgeous sprawling property in the middle of the woods. Without saying too much, the look of the mysterious space object and the effect it has on the environment is often striking, as well. Between the setting, the visual effects, and the attention to detail in regards to shot composition, Color Out of Space is a delight to watch.

In terms of being appealing to fans of horror (we are HORROR Geek Life, right?), this movie is killer! There’s insane creature FX, some genuinely scary moments, and even a dash of unsettling body horror. This one is sure to be a pleasant surprise for fans who like their horror served with a family-sized helping of goo and grue.

With all of these elements, Color Out of Space adds up. It’s engaging, scary, beautiful, gross, dark, and intense. Even the score, by Colin Stetson, is really slick. It utilizes some ’80s-style synth flourishes that are subtle enough to not feel parodic, but familiar enough to remind us of the style of film score he’s paying tribute to.

Fans of Lovecraft and dark graphic sci-fi/horror will not want to miss Color Out of Space. The film will hit theaters on January 24, 2020.