The Mist is a 2007 American science fiction horror film based on the 1980 novella of the same name by Stephen King. The film was directed by Frank Darabont, who also wrote the screenplay. It stars Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, and Sam Witwer.
The film tells the story of a small town Maine community that is suddenly plunged into an eerie mist that cuts it off from the rest of the world. As the mist quickly envelops the town, the residents soon realize that they are not alone. Something terrifying is lurking in the mist, picking them off one by one.
Of the directors who have tried their hand at bringing Kings work to the movies, Frank Darabont has easily scored the greatest successes with his masterful workings of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Can he bring that same touch to The Mist, based on a short story that I believe first appeared in print in Stephen Kings Skeleton Crew?
The answer is perhaps yes and no – Mr Darabont certainly hasn’t served us up anything but a good film here, but it fails to reach the dizzying heights of some of his earlier adaptations from Kings work.
At heart, the story is rather simple. A weird army experiment unleashes a mist that has creatures from another dimension lurking in it. Trapped locals fight to stay alive. Pretty simple, although it does handle the idea better than most, exploring themes like shock, religious extremism, how people react to a situation which inspires fear and bewilderment. It certainly isn’t your run of the mill, shallow monster sci-fi/b-movie.
Special effects are good throughout, some of those beasts in the mist make fearsome spectacles, horridly deformed denizens of a bizarre and alien dimension. The people they run into are certainly given short shrift, ending up either on the menu or as unwilling hosts for eggs among other things. There are some great scenes as the trapped residents struggle to survive both the monsters without, and the far more human evil within.
Credit to Frank Darabont for taking this tale and making it into a highly enjoyable screen gem, and credit also to the entire cast, who do a great job throughout. You’ll recognize a few faces in there for certain. My only gripe here is that I felt the excellent Andre Braugher (Frank Pembleton for all you Homicide, Life on the Street fans) was a little underused. A very minor gripe though.
Without doubt, The Mist is an excellent film that deserves to be seen by all fans of horror, and is one of the very best on screen outings for Stephen Kings work. As previously mentioned, it doesn’t quite rate up there with Shawshank or Green Mile in my opinion, being a far bleaker story without the power to uplift, yet failing at the very end to quite catch us up in the intended abyss of despair. Still, an excellent horror film, buy it now.
The Mist is a well-done film that is sure to send chills down your spine. The acting is top-notch, and the special effects are very well done. The film does a good job of building suspense and keeping the viewer on the edge of their seat. The ending is a bit of a letdown, but overall, The Mist is a great film that is sure to please fans of Stephen King and horror fans alike.
Synopsis
The Mist is a 2007 American supernatural horror film directed and written by Frank Darabont. It is based on the 1980 novella The Mist by Stephen King. The film stars Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Toby Jones, and William Sadler.
The Mist tells the story of a small town in Maine that is enveloped in a dense mist, cut off from the rest of the world. The town’s residents must battle against supernatural creatures that dwell within the mist.
The film was a commercial success, grossing $27 million worldwide. It received positive reviews from critics, with many praising Darabont’s direction and the performances of the cast.
Movie Details
Director: Frank Darabont
Writers: Frank Darabont, Stephen King
Actors: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Laurie Holden
Release Year: 2007