"Color Out of Space" Movie Review

Now this is the kind of horror I like. Creepy, disturbing, out-of-this-world craziness wreaking havoc on earth. Haunted houses and possessions have been done again and again for literally decades and they're getting old. We need more films like Color Out of Space, a film that isn't afraid to get supremely weird and lets the viewer interpret the events even long after the film is over.

The film follows Nathan, a farmer, loving husband, and father of three. Late on night, a meteorite falls onto their property along with a flash of colorful light and a rotten smell. When the meteorite disappears, Nathan thinks life will go back to normal. But soon, strange things start happening, and the kids start to realize their father isn't who he used to be.

Nicolas Cage has given a lot of fantastic performances in his career and this is certainly one of them. He excels in roles that deal with characters that are slowly driven to madness or spiraling into a deep depression. Somehow both of these completely different roles are molded into one and the result is brilliant.

The writing and story progression was masterful, complimented by Richard Stanley's directing. The film kept you guessing, kept you thinking and piecing together the events like a puzzle. I found that I became invested in the family and I cared what happened to them, an element most horror films choose to ignore.

I also have to give praise to the special effects. It was astounding how real everything looked. Sometimes practical effects can feel cheesy but this film had a great crew.

The only issue I had was how much emphasis was placed on daughter Lavinia's interest in various rituals. It was never really clear what it was she was practicing or why her parents let her do it in the first place. It was unnecessary and didn't add anything to the film.

In conclusion, I recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of the weirder side of horror and can appreciate Lovecraft's storytelling. I give this film a 3.5 out of 4.