The Mist
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Movie Reviews of The Mist
Movie Review: Disgusted by the reviews, not the movie.
Summary: 5 Stars
WARNING: REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Let me start by saying that this is an extremely disturbing movie. Prepare to feel disgusted and creeped out after watching it. It's violent. It crosses lines many films refuse to cross. It has a lot of swearing. It's not a family-flick, that's for sure. But in any case, it's a horror movie. What were you expecting?
I must say that I'm let down by many of the reviews here. I enjoyed the film greatly, especially the ending. It was a powerful, scary movie that made you think. Compared to most "scary" movies that have come out lately, such as Saw, which are nothing more than torture pornographies for seriously messed up people and brainless teens, The Mist is quite refreshing.
One thing I'm noticing is that many people who have viewed the film are taking the wrong things from it. Let us start with the argument that the film was a "rant against the evils of Christianity."
This film does not specifically target Christianity, nor is it saying that religion is evil or wrong. Instead, it shows us how religion, a positive force, can be twisted and used by others for personal gain and destruction. Yes, there was a character in the movie who believed in God, who used her beliefs to do horrible things, but that does not mean The Mist was bashing Christians or Christianity. To believe so is ignorant, really. Are we to believe that every movie who has a black villain is saying blacks are evil? No, no, and no.
I find it amusing that the reviewer who complained about the supposed anti-Christian rant then said, "the monster of the film is not actually the monsters, but the crazy Christian lady," as if this was a ridiculous idea. But YES! They were absolutely correct. That was the whole point of the movie. This film is not about the horrific monsters roaming in the mist, scary though they are - it's about the monsters HUMANS turn into when they face the unknown. As one character says, when we're stranded in the dark without the conveniences of the modern age, like the ability to call 9-11, and we're scared badly enough, we'll do anything to survive. ANYTHING. And then we are the monsters. As Stephen King wrote in The Shining, "this inhuman place makes human monsters."
The second major complaint, that the ending was ridiculous and way too violent, is also tiring. I mean, really. It was not THAT horrible - they did not even show the boy's body. It was also another important message. But I'll let you figure out what that message is on your own. Here's a hint: remember the lady in the beginning who ventured into the mist, risking her life to save her two children at home? Remember seeing her with the soldiers, staring down at the main character, safe and sound with her kids, whereas the main character has failed his son? There's an important point being made here.
Movie Review: One of the best horror movies to come out in 2007
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first saw previews for this movie I knew I had to see it. Being a horror movie fan, this movie was on my must see list, and I have to say it was one of the best horror movies I saw last year. I do feel that the CGI got a bit unrealistic at times, but that was something that can be easily ignored for the story-line and effectiveness of the mist to heighten suspense.
I felt the movie was very faithful to the book version (minus the ending, which is very different from the book ending, and I will discuss my thoughts on it later), and while not your regular scary horror movie, it was still terrifying in its portrayal of the breakdown of civilized and rational behavior when a disaster of nightmarish proportions occurs.
The horror all starts the morning after a particularly violent thunderstorm in a small town in Maine. The main character, David Drayton and his family (wife and young son), watch from their front yard as a very heavy mist rolls across the lake from the mountains. Nothing that appears out of the ordinary and Drayton dismisses it from his mind. Later, as Drayton and his son go to the grocery store in town, the wail of emergency sirens begins as the mysterious mist creeps into town. Things become interesting when a bloodied man suddenly bursts into the store yelling something is in the mist and "got" someone before his very eyes.
The suspense and tension begins as everyone first tries to figure out what exactly is the mist, what is out there, what to do, and when it is partly realized what is going on, how to survive in this strange, new world. I think the movie was very effective in highlighting the various behaviors from certain groups that occur in such a chaotic and bewildering scenario. The behavior of the "sheep", those people willing to do anything and listen to anyone to feel safe and secure, and the few people who try to stay calm, clear-headed, and try to make sense of a terrifying situation.
I felt the ending was appropriate for such a dark, despairing movie. It really looks like the end of the world has come, and the ending fits with such a theme. Any horror movie (or book) fan knows that most horror stories have a dark twist at the end, or if it doesn't end on a dark note, it doesn't conclude with a very happy ending either. There is always some matters that are left open where you get the sense not all is as it appears to be. Or if the viewer expects the movie to end in one way, it goes in another direction entirely, stunning the viewer as is the case with The Mist.
Overall, this movie was very good and I recommend it. Of the most recent King adaptations to screen (I'm thinking 1408, which I also saw, and that movie was terrible) it is one of the better ones.
Movie Review: Everybody hates this brilliant ending? But it's HORROR!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a general rule, I've liked the film adaptations of King's short stories (Silver Bullet, Maximum Overdrive) better than the adaptations of his novels (Cujo, Shining).
A lot of reviewers seem to think that the controversial ending of this particular adaptation was contrary to King's vision -- but at the end of the short story the protagonist clearly states that he has several bullets left and is willing to do what he needs to do if necessary -- then it concludes with the vision of the giant creature from another dimension lumbering overhead. The film follows this train of thought to its logical conclusion -- and, according to the commentary -- King himself approved the script, stating that he wished he'd ended the story that way instead. Ending was powerful and brilliant . . . but then there was the surprise twist immediately thereafter which made it so much more horrible. THAT -- those last couple of minutes -- really should've been snipped off and reserved as an "alternate" ending, in my opinion. If the mist NEVER cleared it would've been much better, and the sacrifice more noble. But no -- gotta make the hero look like a fool for transgressing a societal taboo toward the greater good.
Acting was brilliant, casting was perfect, script was amazing, effects were good (but it's more what we DON'T see than what we do). Powerful societal commentary regarding such diverse subjects as: the disolution of civilized behavior during an extended crisis, the attraction of religious zealotry during a time of helplessness, and the responsible use of firearms by private citizens (as opposed to 99% of the televised portayals of such). The fact that such care was put into making even minor characters fully developed and likeable makes it that much jarring when bad things happen to them . . . very unlike the typical "horror" or "suspense" flick where the audience neither likes nor cares about the characters -- and in many cases is actually glad to see them gone. These characters are like our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends . . . and to see them being subjected to this is truly scary.
THE MIST is probably the most REALISTIC horror film I've ever seen (if you can overlook the whole extradimensional monster thing). OUTSTANDING film in every way -- the best thing to come out of a major studio in the past decade. BRILLIANT.
Movie Review: Wow ... unexpected ...
Summary: 5 Stars
To say that I wasn't expecting much from this film is an understatement. During a recent trip to my local movie store, they were getting rid of all their current back stock of DVD's and I was able to purchase this gem for $2.50. My wife is the horror fanatic and also the one who put it in. I was sitting in the kitchen, working on my novel, when I started to crane my neck over the counter to watch what was going on. Andre Braugher is one of my favourite actors of all time and he unfortunately is in too little offerings these days.
I complained when it started, saying: "here we go again, another Stephen King adaptation full of no-name / B-list actors in a made for TV drama. Lemme guess, some toxic sludge escapes during a power outage and acts like a growth compound on the surrounding wildlife?"
How wrong I was, and how quickly I got sucked in.
I'm not going to include any spoilers in this, as this is a film that folks that love the genre, love Stephen King -- must see and continue to watch to the bitter end. While some may bemoan the ending, you have to come to terms with the difference between a bad ending and an incredibly disturbing one. This film has an incredibly disturbing ending and bothered me well into the next day - not a bad ending. I wouldn't want to be cast into that scenario for all the gold in the world. The Mist is an excellent film* (note I said film and not movie) that I would've paid to see in the theatre and would've purchased on DVD for full price. It's too bad that they didn't market this film better as the Studios are doing much more for Sci-Fi / Horror these days than they used to.
The special effects are also a bonus and not gratuitous, over the top or unnecessary. Frank Darabont has really made a very well-crafted film and worthy of some kind of mention.
UPDATE: Just for the sake of things, I watched this movie a second time. Knowing full well what was coming, and having prepared myself mentally, I have to say that it *does* hold up after multiple viewings and actually took an even darker turns in my mind as I realized what I was about to witness again as the film progressed. I'm very surprised that more people aren't talking about this film. It's some of the better, and unexplored, Stephen King material.
Movie Review: When a Nightmare Becomes Real
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always considered The Mist Stephen King's finest piece of work. A mini novel, or long short story, whichever way you think of it, the book was inspired after King was waiting in line with his son at a Supermarket, and the story idea came to him. He observed the attitude of the people waiting, and their moods. To King, everything is an inspiration..
The Mist brings to life your worst nightmares, which could not possibly happen..But what if it DID happen? When horror stories affect people in ordinary life, everyday situations, it makes them more believable and scary at the same time, because the audience can associate themselves in it, and imagine how they themselves might well react.
When David Drayton and his Son are trapped inside a supermarket during an unprecidented fog, it becomes evident terrible creatures are inside the fog, this phenomina unleashed after a terrible storm. Drayton has to decide if he and his son are at more danger inside the market from the other people there, increasingly under the influence of the eccentric Mrs. Carmody, or attempting to break out and face the creatures. The book offers no explanation, only inferences. The film takes on an ending of it's own, with the writers approval.
Horror of this magnitude is better left inside the mind, which is why I think the book will never be surpassed by the film. Also, the casting is strange in some ways, Mrs Carmody for example is much younger than described in the book, manager Ollie Weeks much older. Cantankerous next door neighbour Brent Norton, for some reason, is nothing like the character described by King.
It has not taken so many years to bring The Mist to film for no reason. It's so hard to do justice to a subject such as this. There will be moments of pure look away horror for the viewer, but it's my hope that the improvised ending will not leave too many dissatisfied. The ending, in a case like this, is something which can never be explained to any degreee of satisfaction, too many people will simply reject it. To offer a form of explanation at all may even be phoney.
Why on earth though, did they give the ending away by the picture on the DVD cover???