Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Fog

Play trailer Poster for The Fog R 1980 1h 29m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
77% Tomatometer 73 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Fog

The Fog

What to Know

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Vincent Canby New York Times Jan 30, 2020
Unlike Halloween, which was a model of straight-forward terror and carefully controlled suspense, The Fog is constructed of random diversions. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Jan 29, 2020
It's a failure, but it's a failure in the right direction. Go to Full Review Will Lawrence Empire Magazine Jan 29, 2020
4/5
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. Go to Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine Sep 9, 2026
None of this is sensational filmmaking, but it is solid genre entertainment. The Fog is a smart enough film to get in, throw a few scares at the audience, and get out again. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Apr 16, 2026
3/4
Unpretentious genre fun, stylishly assembled and populated with colorful characters. Go to Full Review Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 7, 2026
Anyone who has ever thrilled to a ghost story will have a fine, scary time with "The Fog." Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Antonio O Oct 16, 2022 A true classic that relies on a good story and score rather than CGI and gratuitous gore. See more nick S @Nick_S Sep 27, 2026 Good performances and the effects weren't too bad for the time. Storytelling wise it wasn't the best. It felt like the characters had read the script and knew what was up whenever it was convenient. Which was handy because they could then explain the story to us. The "somebody save my child, I'm too busy" moment was comedy gold. See more PR05P3C7 T @RT75858964 Sep 17, 2026 Overrated, boring, not one of Carpenters best movies. Acting was absolutely terrible. Jamie lee was eye candy but again, not very good acting from her. Not once was I scared. Plenty of other movies out there, I'd give this one a miss. See more Huntin P @PaxVobiscum80 Sep 14, 2026 The Fog is perhaps a little lacking in story. The final act has some feeble dialogue and things become a bit too contrived. That being said, the beginning of the movie is masterful. The first night, with all its eerie occurrences, this sequence demonstrates that a horror movie master is at the helm. Even in the clumsy finale it is still fairly replete with cool imagery. Carpenter's spare dialogue, and his superb music, do much to keep us invested, even after the drama risks degenerating into farce. There's also that wonderful California coastal scenery. Beautiful. See more paula S @pwsweat921 Sep 9, 2026 I saw fog rolling onto the beach yesterday See more Robert P @Superbad Sep 7, 2026 This is a 3.5 Star Movie See more Read all reviews
The Fog

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

John Carpenter

Director

Adrienne Barbeau

Stevie Wayne

Hal Holbrook

Father Malone

Janet Leigh

Kathy Williams

Jamie Lee Curtis

Elizabeth Solley

John Houseman

Mr. Machen

More Like This

View All
The Shining 84% 93% The Shining Watchlist TRAILER for The Shining Psycho II 67% 62% Psycho II Watchlist Children of the Corn 38% 40% Children of the Corn Watchlist TRAILER for Children of the Corn Cujo 60% 46% Cujo Watchlist Inferno 65% 60% Inferno Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

The Fog

The Fog (1980) A scene from "The Fog." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Strange things begin to occur as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth 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)
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings