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Author H.P. Lovecraft truly influenced the science fiction and horror genres. Director Richard Stanley, over 20 years after his famous firing while filming “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” proves competent at the helm of the Lovecraft adaptation “Color Out of Space.” Starring veteran actor Nicolas Cage, it’s a delightfully B-movie adaptation that captures the cosmic horror of the original Lovecraft tale.
The Gardner family, husband Nathan (Cage), wife Theresa (Joely Richardson), plus children Lavinia (Madeleine Arthur), Jack (Julian Hilliard) and Benny (Brendan Meyer) reside in the countryside on a farm raising alpacas. Lavinia becomes a Wiccan, often practicing various rituals with the hope of curing her mother post-mastectomy. Hydrologist Ward Phillips (Elliot Knight) happens upon Lavinia and makes her acquaintance while taking a survey of the water table in preparation for the construction of a hydroelectric dam.
One evening, a phosphorescent pink meteor plummets out of the sky, landing on the Gardner farm. Shortly thereafter, the space rock unleashes a strange color that begins altering everything around it. Initially, the changes are minor, Nathan begins smelling a disgusting aroma. The landscape physically transforms, beginning with the appearance of strange new flowers. While Nathan summons local authorities from the nearby town of Arkham, Mayor Tooma (Q’orianka Kilcher) doesn’t want to risk losing investors for the forthcoming hydroelectric dam. As such, Tooma ignores Ward’s protestations about a contaminated water table, as does the Gardner family.
Since much of author H.P. Lovecraft’s writing centered on cosmic dread rather than tangible elements, on-screen adaptations remain notoriously tough to capture visually. Director Richard Stanley masterfully executes “Color Out of Space” with the perfect balance of existential dread and body horror. A fittingly otherworldly neon pink hue represents the strange space entity. Unlike a more traditional horror villain, there’s no malice present. Instead, an alien creature simply lays waste to the surrounding landscape. Neither the Gardner family, nor we as the audience, understand what the creature is or where it comes from. Only Benny’s pothead smoking buddy Ezra (Tommy Chong) seems slightly aware of what’s transpiring.
Surprisingly, “Color Out of Space” features ample dry humor in a B-movie “Evil Dead 2” vibe. Cage dominates as the increasingly-unhinged Nathan, at once morphing into a Jack Torrance-terrifying father and husband while playing a comically off-his-rocker lunatic. Visually-stunning, the scenery really pops with a bright, vivid palette in the wake of the meteor crash landing. A bit of body horror complements the sci-fi qualities, ranging from a chopped-off finger to creatures seemingly turned inside out. Colin Stetson, whose impressive credits include scoring 2018 Ari Aster-directed masterpiece “Hereditary” crafts an eerie soundtrack filled with warbling synth numbers. The unsettling, futuristic soundscape pairs extremely well with cinematographer Steve Annis’s eye-candy visuals.
Acting is particularly strong, in part due to master thespians including Nic Cage, but bolstered by solid world-building. Even before the meteor rips the Gardner family apart, there’s an offbeat atmosphere. Nathan raises alpacas for milk, while his daughter fosters an obsession with Wicca. Benny’s only interest seems to be toking up with Ezra (portrayed by Tommy Chong who steals every scene he’s in). And young Jack only truly bonds with the family dog, Sam. Concrete and unique backstories chisel memorable characters that are then brought to life through the stellar cast.
Unfortunately, the finale unravels a bit. It crumbles into a CGI fest, losing much of its muster. Truthfully, the graphics appear slightly cartoonish. While this successfully infuses a campy B-movie air, the effects falter somewhat. Nevertheless, “Color Out of Space” is a technical marvel with its futuristic sci-fi score, excellent acting performances, and a lurking sense of existential, cosmic dread.
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