In 2018’s Annihilation, an object crash lands on earth that causes massive changes to flora and fauna along a coastline for dozens, maybe hundreds of miles. The “changes” are of a genetic kind, causing new flowers to grow into alien patterns and animals (including people) to undergo physical changes. It becomes a bouncy house where DNA just ricochets around, changing things willy-nilly. Now, imagine that object fell in Nic Cage’s backyard.

The strongest thing I can say about this movie (other than the exceptional practical and digital F/X) is that you never have a sure footing about where you are. Every one of the 5 family members appear to be living disconnected lives, only aware of one another if they happen to cross paths. Each has some focus other than each other and when the object falls from the sky, their teamwork in solving or resolving issues is sporadic and unorganized. You get little sense of togetherness which creates a weird space to begin from.

Once the object starts to cause havok in the forest surrounding the house, their actions become even more strange. Nicolas Cage, to his credit, is doing a subdued version of, well, Nicolas Cage. There is some screaming, uncomfortable ad-libbing, and accent changes, but he doesn’t draw away from the story or other characters. He’s only the captain of the weirdness.

Like Annihilation, there is no rhyme or reason to how the foreign object changes the environment.  Again, this creates a sense of unease and tension. Every new alteration is a fresh set of beauty or horror making it a steep journey into the unknown. Unlike Natalie Portman and her team or gun-toting scientists, Cage and his family are wildly unprepared and so uncommunicative with each other that one never feels a safe space is near or possible.

Like Annihilation, there is no rhyme or reason to how the foreign object changes the environment.  Again, this creates a sense of unease and tension. Every new alteration is a fresh set of beauty or horror making it a steep journey into the unknown. Unlike Natalie Portman and her team or gun-toting scientists, Cage and his family are wildly unprepared and so uncommunicative with each other that one never feels a safe space is near or possible.

Beautifully scored by Colin Stetson (Hereditary, The First), Color Out of Space adapts H.P. Lovecraft’s original tale into a scare for modern times but with horror that seems timeless.

7/10