The Fog Horn (2018 film)

The Fog Horn is a 2018 American science fiction giant monster film co-written and directed by Brad Bird and an adaptation of the short story of the same name, as well as  remake/reboot of the 1953 film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. “The Beast” was secretly filmed to be in conjuction with Legendary’s MonsterVerse, and was released on June 13th, 2018 as a Netflix Original on the streaming platform to commemorate the 65th anniversery of the original film. The film uses both CGI and Practical Effects and the story was given a complete overhaul and was reworked similar to how Kong: Skull Island reintroduced Kong with a brand new backstory and mythos.

The film is an interquel, taking place in the year 2016, two years after the events of Godzilla, and three years before the events of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

Plot
The film opens up in the year 2014. After San Fransisco is completely demolished by the battle between Godzilla and the two M.U.T.O’s, the general public is now aware of the existence of the giant super species that Monarch has been studying and keeping secret for years. A meeting is held between the United Nations and Monarch, where the organization goes over the list of quarantine areas that have yet to show any activity, but show evidence of a MUTO within, such as a volcano in the center of Isla De Mona and a temple within the mountains of China. For for physical evidence of the dormancy of these creatures and many more like it, Monarch Executive Leona Nesbitt (Jessica Lange), brings to the podium what appears to be some sort of cryogenically frozen egg measuring four feet tall, and eight feet wide, that was found on the beaches of a remote island near Skull Island. She goes on to ominously say that another breach of Monarch’s facility is highly improbable, while a scientist takes samples of it.

In a post-credits scene, set two months after the events of the main film, Lee Hunter meets with Leona, and Doctor Vivienne Graham in Antarctica, where they have discovered a 400 foot tall monster frozen deep within a glacier of ice. Lee compares the monster with the photos of cave paintings that Corey Brooks had managed to obtain. Leona asks if it’s the same creature as the one depicted in the paintings, and Lee agrees, saying that the Volcanic saurian they found in Isla De Mona, and the enormous moth found in China are also in the paintings, along with Godzilla, fighting this monster. Leona lights a cigarette, and says “It’s all coming together now”, while Vivienne agrees, stating that “The Devil has three heads.”

Cast

 * Victor Garber as Eugene Laurie, a microbiologist studying the microbiota of MUTOs
 * Jessica Lange as Leona Nesbitt, the executive of Monarch, and the head of operations on Isla De Mona. Lange had expressed great enthusiasm on portraying “such a powerful, enigmatic character” once again, and gave the character the same personality from a previous role, Fiona Goode of American Horror Story: Coven.
 * Sarah Paulson as Lee Hunter, an assistant and paleobotanist working for Monarch and for Dax Elson.
 * Steve Buscemi as Horace Colton, the leader of a paramilitary group that seeks to destroy all MUTOS.
 * John Krasinski as Corporal Jack Stone, a monster enthusiast and military personell. On being cast, Krasinski stated, “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was one of the first movies I remember seeing, I couldn’t say no to it, even if I did die.”
 * Sally Hawkins as Vivienne Graham, a chief scientist of Monarch, and an assistant to Serizawa. She appears in a post-credits cameo which depicts her find of King Ghidorah.

Production
The film secretly went into production on September 29th, 2017 under the name of "Sedna". It was filmed largely at Pinewood Studios Toronto and some scenes in Maine were filmed in St. Johns, Newfoundland. The scenes depciting Coney Island were filmed at the Santa Monica Pier in California, with the New York backgrond digitally altered in. Filming concluded on January 28th, 2018.

Reception
The film was categorized as the most surprising Netflix release for an original film or series since the surprise release of “The Cloverfield Paradox” after the end of Superbowl LII.

The film was met with mixed to positice positive reviews, and has a 73% certified “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Much praise was towards Lange’s performance, and the effects of the Rhedosaurus and it’s path of destruction. Overall response towards the story was somewhat mixed, citing the weaving inclusion of the story into the Monsterverse as “rushed” and the references to a wider cinematic universe were also noted/criticised.