Color Out of Space is a sci-fi horror film that looks and feels like a low-budget Annihilation meets The Thing—and despite not being nearly as good as either of those films, it’s an enjoyably weird and twisted little thriller that features yet another batshit crazy performance by Nicolas Cage.

 

From Richard Stanley, whose last major theatrical release was 1996’s awful The Island of Dr. Moreau (it was so bad he was actually fired from the production, though there were many contributing factors), Color Out of Space was made on a $6 million budget and looks it—but that’s not a negative. The visual effects team ekes out the value of every dollar available, showing that as long as you have the right components you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your film look respectable.

The movie, which is essentially about an alien color cloud that starts infecting the wooded area where Nathan Gardner (Cage) and his family live, creating new species while corrupting the bodies and minds of the nearby human inhabitants. The screenplay, by Stanley and Scarlett Amaris, tees up the perfect fodder for Cage to gradually lose his mind.

In other words: it’s the perfect Nicolas Cage movie.

Color Out of Space isn’t particularly scary, complex, or original, but that’s okay. The cast, which also includes Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur, and Tommy Chong, is all in. Stanley creates a properly weird ambience that keeps you as guessing as to which way the story is going to turn. The film bears a strong sense of isolation and an ominous atmosphere.

Color Out of Space is by no means a must-see, but if you’re looking for an entertaining indie horror film, look no further.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.