Color out of Space (2019)

Director: Richard Stanley

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur

A secluded farm is struck by a strange meteorite which has apocalyptic consequences for the family living there and possibly the world.

Nicolas Cage’s acting career has long since been on a downward spiral. Sure, the actor still rakes in the acting roles, but are his films still any good?

‘Color out of Space’ is a very different film. (And with ‘different’ I mean weird.) I got the feeling the film didn’t really know what it was meant to be, or where it was supposed to be going. The premise is similar to 1987’s ‘The Curse’. There’s family drama, beautiful visuals in the vein of ‘Annihilation’, creepy and disgusting practical effects/make-up in the vein of ‘The Thing’, and Nicolas Cage’s acting allows for unintentional humour.

The Gardner family lives on a farm in the woods. Theresa Gardner (Joely Richardson) works from home, but I’m not sure what she does. Nathan Gardner (Nicolas Cage) is at home all the time and doesn’t seem to work. He is mostly concerned about their expensive El Canto Llamas, which he milks. Their son Benny is mostly stoned, and their daughter Lavinia is practicing witchcraft. Then there’s hydrologist Ward Phillips (Elliot Knight) who sort of allows for the film’s (subtle) love interest, as Lavinia thinks he “is cute”.

One night a bright coloured meteor crashes on their front lawn. Soon after some of the family members – and animals – start acting weird; from chopping off fingers to staring and laughing into space. It becomes a trip to hell for the Gardner family and you’re never really sure who is still sane and who is not. The film gets all the more weird towards the end.

While this is not a film to satisfy everyone’s palate, there’s a lot to admire about the film. First and foremost, the visuals. The bright pink and purple throughout the movie is stunning. The atmosphere is great, and the make-up and practical effects are excellent. There’s a scene where two of the family members are being fused together into a hideous mess after being struck by a bright bolt of light, and the practical effects here were reminiscent of ‘The Thing’ and ‘Society’. It really was superbly done!

If you’re a die-hard fan of Nicolas Cage, and you love weird and wonderful, then you’ll love ‘Color out of Space’. At least it is different and not clichéd.

‘Colour out of Space’ received 23 award nominations, winning 7 including Best Special Effects, Scariest Film, Best Feature, Best Creature FX, and Best Original Music. Among others, it received nominations for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, Best Screenplay, and Best Sci-Fi Film.

Would I watch it again? I’m not entirely sure on this one.