NOTE: I go into the ending during this review so if you have not seen the film I would just not read this. (The short version being The Mist is good. Check it out!)
Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) delighted Stephen King fans with the news he would be writing/directing an adaptation of King’s novella The Mist. This was a big deal because the short novel is perfect for screen adaptation, Darabont had already proven himself a pro at bringing King’s work to the big screen and most importantly the novella is boss. In 2007 The Mist was released to audiences around the world and went on to gain a reputation as not only one of the stronger King adaptations made but a film with one hell of an ending. More on that later.
The plot of The Mist focuses on a small town and it’s inhabitants who find themselves overwealmed and trapped when a mysterious and (what proves to be) deadly mist decends from the mountains onto the town. David Drayton (Thomas Jane) is one such unlucky soul who finds himself and his son trapped inside the local supermarket along with many others and at a loss as what to do. As they all soon learn venturing into the mist is certain death. If that wasn’t enough, fear begins to eat away at those trapped and one Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), a deeply religious woman, uses this to preach her belief that what is happening is God’s judgement and soon sacrafices may have to be called for!
Yes The Mist is fun when it’s focusing on its monsters,the hints of sci-fi (the subtle refrences to this ‘Arrowhead’ project up in the mountains) and the films grissly deaths by monsters but the true horror of the plot comes from the human characters. The way the people trapped react to the threats is what paints a picture that is equally hopeful, chilling and downright horrific. For as bad as the monsters are and as much a threat as they pose nothing in the film is more chilling than the power of fear and the fact that it takes one person to latch on to that fear and weild it like a weapon to use as they see fit.
As is usually the case with Darabont he has populated his film with a wide variety of really talented actors. Thomas Jane’s character is the moral compass of the whole movie and Jane is excellent. The films’ powerhouse however is Marcia Gay Harden. As Mrs. Carmody she is strangely charming in her devotion to her god, which quickly becomes a devotion that is utterly chilling and deadly and Harden nails every beat of this complex and compelling character. William Sadler, Andre Braugher, Frances Sternhagen and Laurie Holden provide even more talent to what is an across the board impressive ensamble of actors.
The score of the film is good, one track in particular used in the climax of the film is stunning in it’s power and impact. While the creatures aren’t quite as terrifying as I’d had imagined them while reading the book they’re still effective and no less deadly! Clocking it at two hours and factoring in the films limited locations Darabont keeps the pace flying along and not once did I feel like it dragged.
Finally THAT ending, what can I say? I prefer the ending of the novella personally and when I first saw the film I felt what happens was done soley for shock purposes and was pretty mean spirited. I still don’t like it but I’ve come around to another way of interprating it and that’s as bleak as it is the overall message is “Don’t give up hope, no matter how bad things seem to be” and I think that is what Darabont was going for due to one call back, just a cut away to a certain someone who held true to that beleif as the chaos began.
The Mist is a great movie taken either as a monster movie or for the more deeper complexity it explores regarding people and the hope, kindness, panic and outright horror we are all capable of as a species. The novella is great so if you’ve seen the movie and liked it then please check out the source as you know how the old saying goes “The book is always better than the movie”.
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