Main cast: Sam Neill (John Trent), Julie Carmen (Linda Styles), Jurgen Prochnow (Sutter Cane), David Warner (Dr Wrenn), John Glover (Saperstein), Bernie Casey (Robinson), Peter Jason (Mr Paul), and Charlton Heston (Jackson Harglow)
Director: John Carpenter

John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness rounds out his unofficial apocalypse Trilogy. While it might not reach the dizzying heights of The Thing, it’s still a mind-bending romp that’ll leave you questioning reality… and possibly your taste in literature.

Let’s dive into the plot, shall we? We follow John Trent, an insurance investigator with a knack for sniffing out fraud and a healthy skepticism for all things supernatural. He’s tasked with finding Sutter Cane, a horror novelist brazenly patterned after Stephen King and whose books are driving readers insane. Trent’s journey takes him to the fictional town of Hobb’s End, where he discovers that the line between fiction and reality is about as stable as a Jenga tower in an earthquake.

Now, if you’re thinking, “Gee, this sounds awfully Lovecraftian,” give yourself a gold star! This movie is practically drowning in Lovecraft references, from the names of the characters and places in this movie to the idea that reality is a thin veneer over incomprehensible cosmic horrors.

But it doesn’t stop at mere homage. Oh no, it goes meta on us, exploring the relationship between creator and audience in a way that’ll make your brain do somersaults.

The movie playfully suggests that popular fiction can shape reality. It’s like John Carpenter is winking at us, saying, “Hey, you know how you get really into a good book? What if it was getting into you right back?” It’s the kind of concept that makes you side-eye your bookshelf and wonder if that Stephen King collection is plotting something.

At the center of this madness is Sam Neill as John Trent, and boy, does he deliver. Mr Neill brings a perfect blend of cynicism and charisma to the role. You can practically taste his skepticism in the early scenes, making his gradual descent into madness all the more delicious. When he finally cracks, it’s like watching a perfectly tailored suit unravel thread by thread. It’s mesmerizing, really.

Now, let’s talk cosmic horror. This movie captures that Lovecraftian sense of insignificance in the face of vast, unknowable forces better than a fish captures water. There’s a scene where Linda Styles is driving in the dark night while experiencing fragmented vision flashes, and suddenly they are in a rustic town in bright daylight. It’s a simple effect, but it perfectly encapsulates that feeling of “Oh crap, reality isn’t what I thought it was.” And don’t even get me started on the bit with the painting that comes to life. If that doesn’t make you question your grip on reality, I don’t know what will.

But the movie isn’t without its flaws. Some of the CGI effects have aged about as well as milk left out in the sun. There’s a particularly goofy-looking monster near the end that’s more likely to induce giggles than gasps. And once we get to Hobb’s End, the scares start to feel a bit… random. It’s like Carpenter had a checklist of “creepy stuff” and was determined to tick off every box.

That said, you could argue that these seemingly random scares are actually part of the meta-narrative. After all, if we’re essentially “reading” a Sutter Cane novel by watching the movie, wouldn’t it make sense for it to be filled with horror tropes and jump scares? It’s either brilliant meta-commentary or a convenient excuse for sloppy storytelling. I’ll let you decide.

So, what’s the final verdict? In the Mouth of Madness is a solid entry in the cosmic horror genre. It’s got big ideas, a great lead performance, and enough mind-bending moments to keep you up at night wondering if your favorite author is secretly rewriting reality.

Is it perfect? Nah. But it’s a wild, weird ride that’ll make you think twice about picking up that bestselling horror novel. And in a world where cosmic horror often boils down to “big squid is scary,” In the Mouth of Madness dares to ask, “But what if the words themselves were the monster?”

So, grab some popcorn, maybe hide your Stephen King collection, and dive into In the Mouth of Madness. Just don’t blame me if you start seeing tentacles everywhere afterward. That’s between you and your optometrist.