Reel Reviews: “The Fog” Rated PG-13, Grade: B
“The Fog” has all the benchmarks of a horror film. Scary monster? Check. Pretty people afraid? Check. Suspense and shock? Check. Plot holes that don’t matter? Check. And although the story’s 2nd and 3rd acts induce more calm than fright, “The Fog” is a decent ride that’s fun to fear.
The plot revolves around boy, Nick Castle (Tom Welling, “Smallville”), and girl, Elizabeth Williams (Maggie Grace, “Lost”). These two live on a small, Oregon coast island about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Antonio Bay’s four founding fathers are to be hailed, despite their mysterious histories. Also approaching is a supernatural fog, precipitating unusual deaths upon arrival.
A remake of John Carpenter’s 1980 film of the same name, the updated “Fog” has a beefed-up plotline, providing motivation for those beings amidst the fog. The new cast is pretty good, with Tom Welling standing out and Maggie Grace standing still. Her characterizations were unconvincing, and I was still deciding whether I liked Elizabeth when I know I was supposed to be afraid for her.
Like all horror films, art direction is fundamental, and though “The Fog” was technically competent, the computer-generated imagery choice undermined the emotional tension essential in a horror film. There are scenes in which the fog simply doesn’t look real and that hurts the suspense factor. The accompanying “monsters” in the fog are also CGI and the minute we see one full body, the danger seems smaller. Less computer generation and more on-set effects would have paid off.
Tension was also diffused by seeing these “monsters” by mid-second act. I was reminded of Hitchcock’s
“Psycho,” where the true villain wasn’t revealed until the film’s final minutes. Not knowing the source of things gone wrong is truly scary and tantalizing. “The Fog” would just terrify more if the villains’ identities were veiled longer.
Lastly, horror films often provide commentary on, or reactions to, the surrounding culture, and “The Fog” follows suit. Just as “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1950) was to communism, “The Fog” is to leadership indifference. We live in a culture continually evaluating its superiors – especially after the reported neglect following Hurricane Katrina. So it is interesting that this film depicts local blue bloods who, during a “natural disaster,” remain at their meetinghouse rather than among their struggling people. The history behind the ‘fog’ also reveals community leaders who failed to justly serve their constituents. Maybe the film hits home because we long for effective leaders who care.
Despite the film’s small drawbacks, “The Fog” is a chilling Halloween getaway. The first half scares, the second half entertains. And even with some layers to analyze, this is a movie that’s meant to be simple and to be simply enjoyed.
Chris Blakesley is a film critic for the Utah Statesman. Questions or comments can be sent to him at cblakes@cc.usu.edu.