The Fog

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The Fog

R

Released Feb 8, 1980

1h 29m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

71 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Strange things begin to occurs as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone (Hal Holbrook) stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie (Adrienne Barbeau) witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth (Jamie Lee Curtis) discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.

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Critics Consensus

A well-crafted return to horror for genre giant John Carpenter, The Fog rolls in and wraps viewers in suitably slow-building chills.

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Unlike Halloween, which was a model of straight-forward terror and carefully controlled suspense, The Fog is constructed of random diversions.

Jan 30, 2020

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

It's a failure, but it's a failure in the right direction.

Jan 29, 2020

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Will Lawrence

Empire Magazine

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.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 29, 2020

Full Review

Grant Hermanns

Screen Rant

John Carpenter's The Fog may not have aged as well as some of his other horror classics, but it still generally overcomes most of its issues.

Rated: 7/10

Feb 20, 2025

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Elliott Cuff

Loud and Clear Reviews

It’s a quintessential campfire ghost story brought to life by a master of his craft, and it deserves a place on the pantheon of the esteemed moviemaker’s many filmic triumphs.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 13, 2024

Full Review

Cody Leach

Cody Leach (YouTube)

The Fog is a neat twist on the classic ghost story. Carpenter achieves a palpable sense of dread and atmosphere and his score remains a signature piece of the experience he sets out to provide. The characters are unfortunately the weakest element here.

Rated: 3.75/5

Sep 15, 2022

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Antonio O

A true classic that relies on a good story and score rather than CGI and gratuitous gore.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/16/22

Full Review

Ava S

Despite its striking visuals enhancing its haunting slow burn, The Fog is ultimately hindered by an excess of characters and a less-than-impactful villainous origin.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

GotRizz237

Truly a classic John Carpenter film. I was so stoked when I found out some of the actors from John Carpenter's Halloween 2 years prior to The Fog. Honest to goodness, The Fog was amazing! Truly horrifying!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/17/25

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 29 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/14/25

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Nick O

A nice, relaxing ghost story with a dynamite cast that’s perfect for a chilly October night.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

Full Review

Fifth 3

The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming The fog is coming

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

Full Review

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John Carpenter

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Adrienne Barbeau

Stevie Wayne

Hal Holbrook

Father Malone

Janet Leigh

Kathy Williams

Jamie Lee Curtis

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Synopsis

Strange things begin to occurs as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone (Hal Holbrook) stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie (Adrienne Barbeau) witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth (Jamie Lee Curtis) discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Debra Hill
Screenwriter: John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Distributor: RCA/Columbia, AVCO Embassy Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: AVCO Embassy Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 8, 1980, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 26, 2018
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $69.5K
Runtime: 1h 29m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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