The Mist Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: After a mysterious mist blankets over a town a man and his son become trapped in a supermarket.

Review: It has always shocked me that "The Mist" was not much of a success, but this is why you don't release a horror film after Halloween. More surprising, this is one of the better, and faithful, adaptations of a Stephen King work. It would definitely be easy to screw up this specific material, but, thankfully, Frank Darabont was directing and he has a successful history with King's work. The film perfectly captures the themes and ideas with some minor adjustments that do work for the better. However, there is a huge, polarizing change to the ending that can, virtually, make or break the film for a viewer. My reaction is mixed as I can respect a ballsy ending, but I read the story and that ending is solidified in my mind. It is worth noting that this somber ending has probably helped the longevity of the film in finding an audience though.

Where the film succeeds most is in capturing the story brilliantly. You feel the ominous and constant threat from the mist and the monsters that lie within, but you also have emphasis on the threat within the supermarket. The way both threats are balanced is something I was worried about, but it's handled with care. Likewise, the characters are, more or less, portrayed accurately despite a few changes; some changes are definitely for the better. I especially want to acknowledge that they made David more realistic in my opinion. Admittedly, the acting could have been better for a few characters, but, for the most part, the actors turn in decent performances and a few are better than I could have hoped. The monster designs are interesting, but they did lack a certain, how shall I say, sense of King's style. Adding to this, the deaths are quite gory as the monsters often rip people to shreds or eat someone. Finally, the pacing is pulled off successfully as you quite readily forget the running time clocks in at over two hours (not liking those fade-outs though).

Honestly, there are only two major gripes besides the small stuff I'm not sweating. The first is the shit CGI that is strewn about especially that first tentacled monster that is meant to help set the tone. Even in 2007 this looked horrible, and it's not aging well at all. Don't get me wrong, not every monster looks bad, but a few are hard to take seriously. But, who cares, let's get to the real detriment to the film--the ending that will either be awesome or you will be left wanting to punch someone. In the story, after David and crew escape the supermarket and travel through the mist, things do appear grim until they hear a message on the radio. Although the reader does feel despair, you are left to believe they got help or died along the way depending on what you choose to think. More so, it is left up to your imagination to decide how much of the world has been covered by the mist. The movie takes away that mystery and choice from you. Instead, we are left with David deciding to shoot everyone else so they don't have to be killed by the mist creatures. When David intends to let himself get killed, the mist clears and the military is taking the world back! More annoying, Carol (from "The Walking Dead") is shown to be alive in the most miraculous of miracles known to mankind! Are you fucking kidding me?! The credits seriously start to roll with David simply sobbing over his premature killing of his friends and son. This is beyond mere bittersweet--this is like a fuck you to the audience. Oh, I'm sure others will see things differently, and I do respect the ending to a degree, but this is too polarizing for the readers and the casual audience goer. And this was the ending they wanted all along? What the hell?

If you can get past the ending issues, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by this film. The story gets you thinking about how you would react to this kind of an extreme situation. Would you be one of the first to die, kill yourself, or go crazy? There are multiple moral dilemmas to consider that's for sure. A lot of the characters are fun with great banter; I'm looking at you Ollie! Not to be outdone by the dramatic elements, there are genuinely creepy moments as you never know what might jump out of the mist, and, given the nature of the mist, the creature wouldn't even be recognizable. Overall, this is a gem that was brushed over when it came out, but it's gaining a following as the years go by with that ending promoted often as a positive. I would definitely recommend checking it out regardless of that ending. Also, if you've been burned by other adaptations of King's books, rest easy as this is among the best.

Notable Moment: When they see that giant, building-sized creature toward the end. As others have stated, that creature sort of represents the hopelessness of their situation, and I agree with that sentiment. Unfortunately, the ending cheapens that notion.

Final Rating: 7/10