An insurance investigator is looking into the disappearance of horror writer, Sutter Cane just before the release of his next novel, In The Mouth of Madness. The deeper he goes, the more insanity envelopes him as he starts to lose his marbles.

This is Carpenter’s love letter to Lovecraft and he does it very well. There are nods to the author’s stylistic idiosyncrasies (the story retold to a doctor) but also specific character names and titles of his works.

A great cast but special mention should be paid to Sam Neill who starred in the previous Memoirs of an Invisible Man. He makes the role his own and really goes the extra mile in his performance (I think he’s massively underrated anyway). I was trying to think where I had seen David Warner before. He was the photographer in the original Omen. And here he is with the adult Damien Thorn.

There’s a certain off kilter quality to the film too with Carpenter brilliantly and unnervingly depicting society losing its sh*t. Take the early scene in the restaurant with those on the street suddenly acting completely unhinged. The film continues with this theme- the fabric that holds everything together gradually unwinding.

A great film and, yet again, Carpenter isn’t resting on his laurels and is expanding his cinematic palette.

It also features the funniest use of a Carpenters song EVER.

4 out of 5 stars