(2008)****
After a thunderstorm causes property damage and power loss, David, his 5-year old son, Billy, and his neighbor Brent, drive to the local shopping plaza to pick up supplies. The store is bustling with activity as people stock up on groceries (why do people always freak out if they can’t get bread or milk?). In the background we see an increase in police activity. Suddenly a man runs into the store covered in blood and warns everyone about the danger found in the oncoming mist. Outside a thick, slow moving mist slowly envelops the shopping plaza. One man, refusing to heed the warnings about this mist ventures outdoors and quickly dies with paralyzing screams. The rest quickly fortify the grocery store while trying to figure out what they’re dealing with.
It would be easy to dismiss The Mist as merely another “monster movie”, which is what I was thinking during its first 30 minutes. However, stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with a sumptuous horror treat that is more epic in scale than the original commercials would have you believe. The Mist takes that old twilight Zone idea of placing an assortment of town folk in a confined space and having them face terrible danger. True personalities emerge once social masks are removed and we’re reminded about the ugliness of humanity. As the nature of the threat intensifies and lives are lost, things just go to hell as sides are chosen.
There was a lot of controversy about the ending of this film when it was first released. I don’t know what all the hubbabaloo was about; the ending is perfect and fits with the themes replete in the story. Director Frank Darabont apparently received King’s blessing about the change. My only minor complaint is that the CG is not always great, especially when the threat initially makes its presence known. However it’s perfect when it really counts. Frank Darabont is quickly becoming one of the only people able to get King’s material to really come alive on screen (e.g., Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile). This is one creepy story and I highly recommend watching it before the end of the contest.
14 comments:
I loved this film too, ending and all. Your review is perfect.
I fell asleep during this, and not because I was bored, but because I was so tired. Trying to keep up with school work, watch movies and write reviews is exhausting. I liked what I saw and took the DVD home to watch later.
I think his discovery after his actions at the end was to much for me...I like what he did, for his family and friends, I wish they had ended the film there.
Awe Miko, you old softie =)
Whirlygirl, you took the dvd?
Jesus, JPX, softie and telling me I handle things with "grace" in the course of a few days? Now I have to go out and kick some puppies and push over some wheelchairs, you're killing my cred.
Yes, I took the DVD.
I'm definitely adding this to my netflix que, one of my favorite SK stories
Cool JPX. You're on a roll!
Oh good desroc - wait for me to get home before you watch this!
She took my DVD!
Ha, ha!
I haven't seen this, but a friend of mine was bitching about the ending and I asked him to just tell me what happened. I'm glad I asked -- if I'd watched that cold it would have pissed me off to no end. I know what I like.
I'm pretty interested in seeing this.
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