The Fog

Name: The Fog
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: February 8, 1980
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis

1980

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Ratings

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The Fog

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Movie Details & Credits

AVCO Embassy Pictures | Release Date: February 8, 1980 | R

Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis

Summary: Legend says that Antonio Bay was built in 1880 with blood money obtained from shipwrecked lepers, which no one believes. On the eve of the town's centennial, many plan to attend the celebrations, including the murdered lepers.

Director: John Carpenter

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 min

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Critic Reviews

Empire Will Lawrence

Ghoulish, tense and utterly fantastical, John Carpenter's tale of shipwrecked spectres squelching their way through a fluorescent fog to wreak vengeance on a seaside town is a classic campfire yarn. Read full review

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

Expanding enormously on the fantasy elements of his earlier films, Carpenter has turned in a full-scale thriller of the supernatural, as a sinister fog bank comes rolling in off the sea to take revenge on the smug little town of Antonio Bay. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

John Carpenter is anything but subtle in his approach to shocker material. Story exposition and setting are well-established before the opening titles are over, and The Fog proceeds to layer one fright atop another. Read full review

Craig D. Lindsey

Even amid all the campy, uneven creepiness The Fog unleashes, you have to give it up to Carpenter for continuing his knack of making women just as ready as men to get into heroic, survival mode whenever some strange shit goes down. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The Fog is encouraging because it contains another demonstration of Carpenter's considerable directing talents. He picked the wrong story, I think, but he directs it with a flourish. This isn't a great movie but it does show great promise from Carpenter. Read full review

David Ansen

The Fog needs more suggestive magic to sustain its farfetched premise. There's no doubt that Carpenter has talent to spare, but he's misjudged his gifts this time. The Fog ought to come on little cat feet, but its tread is heavy and literal. The harder it tries, the sillier it gets. [03 March 1980, p.68]

Gary Arnold

An acceptable scene-setter, Carpenter reveals glaring inadequacies as a storyteller. [15 Feb 1980, p.C3]

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User Reviews

Computey18

Dec 24, 2022

The Fog feels like a really good ghost story, in which it is. This movie nails it's atmosphere and story.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eva3si0n

Dec 25, 2022

The Fog is a typical thriller from John Carpenter. Literally from the first 10 minutes of viewing, it becomes clear who the director and composer of the film is. The Fog is for the most part a B-thriller with elements of light horror. But there is no horror here, and what may be similar toThe Fog is a typical thriller from John Carpenter. Literally from the first 10 minutes of viewing, it becomes clear who the director and composer of the film is. The Fog is for the most part a B-thriller with elements of light horror. But there is no horror here, and what may be similar to it in 2022 causes only cringe. The Fog will be boring to watch the vast majority of viewers in modern times, with the film failing the time test. It can only be recommended to fans of the genre and Carpenter fans like me. Fortunately, unlike most films of thrillers of the 80s in The Fog, the timing is only 1.5 hours and the film does not have time to get tired, although the action is somewhat delayed. The only thing that disappointed me a lot in the film, this decision to show ghosts, it destroys the atmosphere of the film considering how cheap and childish they look… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PhilipBlake

May 27, 2019

The Fog was another great atmospheric horror movie. The directing, the cinematography and the production design was wonderful, but what have truly helped to make this one-of-a-kind atmosphere was the John Carpenter and Alan Howarth original score, this is probably one of their finest scoreThe Fog was another great atmospheric horror movie. The directing, the cinematography and the production design was wonderful, but what have truly helped to make this one-of-a-kind atmosphere was the John Carpenter and Alan Howarth original score, this is probably one of their finest score to date. The story isn't maybe at the best and some characters would probably be more interesting with a different cast. But this is still an excellent Carpenter classic and deserve to be seen by the new generation. Some elements are outdated for sure, but many are still very effective.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JLau

Sep 27, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A fog is coming and it contains the crew of a ship of lepers who were murdered for their gold by the two 100 years ago and they simply go away if you give them the gold back.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HellHoleHorror

Apr 19, 2022

I quite enjoyed this village versus fog low-budget but big hitting horror film. This is far from John's best film but it is also far from his worst. Sadly forgotten sandwiched between Halloween and The Thing. It is good but it is still a zombie film. There are some very good moments thatI quite enjoyed this village versus fog low-budget but big hitting horror film. This is far from John's best film but it is also far from his worst. Sadly forgotten sandwiched between Halloween and The Thing. It is good but it is still a zombie film. There are some very good moments that made me jump. Some of the visceral elements are really amazing. A solid slasher horror that can scare.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

akshatmahajan

Jul 26, 2021

From last few days, I have been watching John Carpenter's movie. I read alot of good things about this movie and watched it. I liked the idea of the movie and it was different for that time. For your info, this movie is now considered cult classic.

For me, the movie was tense but not scary.From last few days, I have been watching John Carpenter's movie. I read alot of good things about this movie and watched it. I liked the idea of the movie and it was different for that time. For your info, this movie is now considered cult classic.

For me, the movie was tense but not scary. There are some good tense scenes. But for the most part, I felt like I was watching just an ordinary drama with some supernatural elements.

If we talk about performances, everyone did a fine job. Direction by John Carpenter was just like his other movies such as Halloween and The Thing. There was some issues with pacing but it will not effect the overall experience.

Overall, the movie is good and different for it's time. It was just that I expected too much and I found it underwhelming.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

imthenoob

Sep 16, 2018

Yet another horror movie that just doesn't work. I liked the premise but it was just so poorly executed that it kind of took the fun out of watching the movie. There should have been way more gore (pretty much nothing happens until the very end of the movie) and maybe slim out the cast ofYet another horror movie that just doesn't work. I liked the premise but it was just so poorly executed that it kind of took the fun out of watching the movie. There should have been way more gore (pretty much nothing happens until the very end of the movie) and maybe slim out the cast of characters a bit and focus on 2-3 rather than 5-6. There were just too many subplots going on IMO. It's not a terrible film but it's rather mediocre and should have been way better than what it was.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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