The Fog (2005) Review

Written by: solstic   

Ok folks, I sat down to watch this newest addition to the remake horror block. Like so many of them before it, it tries to tell the story like it was originally done, but it adds a little something extra. I hope I don't ruin any of the movie for those that have not scene it yet, so here goes.

The movie starts you off in a flashback scene, pretty cool actually, but not something I remember from the original. Scenes like this are scattered throughout the film, I actually think this would have been a great addition to the original. While I did enjoy Nancy Drewing the original, I already know what is going to happen, so this made the new version kind of cool. But... yup here comes the but, even with the updated graphic and enhanced scenery, it is not enough to make the original be forgotten.

After you break through all the coolness of the intro you start to meet your lovely town of people. Everyone has there busy lives and dirty secrets. The town just feels weird. This is something I didn't remember from the original either. Aside from the priest in the original I don't remember anyone else knowing the towns horrible past. I got the impression that most of the elders in this version knew exactly what their ancestors did, which can play well if I had not already seen it before the correct way, "stupid towns folk, just getting slaughtered for payback". Also most everyone involved in this movie is a direct ancestor getting killed. Not like the original with Jamie Lee acting as the hitchhiker.

Still has the book in the wall, the lighthouse radio station, and the flirting weatherman you remember just updated dialogue. Added girls gone wild (without the wild, damn it!) on a boat, instant infection kills (at least I don't remember an infection kill in the first one), and a new shipmate that does not get killed (he likes to hide in the freezer, in the original everyone of the shipmate got killed).

Now on to the part I hate, this is what makes movies like this a 5 in my book, the ending. Ok I will admit the original ending was not fireworks on the 4th of July, but it was the original. Just like in the Amityville Horror though,there is a new ending. Cause I guess the original just wasn't good enough. To make it worse it is a romantic ending...F*** that, did anyone else remember this was a horror film?

All in all the movie was watch able, just not as good as the first, are the ever? The graphics in some scenes were great. But in others they were just plan over done, such is the case for so many horror films with a budget. The actors were good enough for the script facing them. I could have done without one or two of them. But overall they are ok in the acting.

To sum it up, if your at the video store looking for a horror film that does not promise scary stuff and is brainless, I suggest picking this one up. It is ok if you have nothing better to watch. But make sure you see the original first. It will set the stage so you can see what kind of a movie it came from. If this is the first time seeing this and you pick up the new version first, please do your self a favor and watch the original also. John Carpenter has his Good, Bad, and The Ugly when it comes to his movies like any other Director. His version of The Fog does not fall in the bad or the ugly section in my opinion, so enjoy.