The Mist - A Movie Review

Beware the mist! There is something dangerous lurking in the mist!

Based on the novella by Stephen King, The Mist is a 2007 film adaption. A mysterious mist consumes a town trapping a group of citizens in the market. Dangerous bloodthirsty creatures render any escape plan useless. In the fight of their lives, nobody is safe.

I remember the first time I ever watched The Mist. I jumped out of my seat from one jump scare. Stephen King remarked that he was genuinely terrified by this adaptation of his story. The Mist is not a film about monsters. It’s a film about character interactions and the way people see one another.

The Mist proved to be the ultimate acting challenge for some, evoking ranges that some audiences have never seen. Each and every cast member carried out an authentic performance along with well-acted interactions. I could tell that the cast spent time before production to study their character. Character interaction is what the film is all about.

Thomas Jane is the highlight. David Drayton is a good man, patient, heroic, and most importantly, he’s a great dad. His interactions with his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) are the most heartwarming moments. Jane did a tremendous job embodying his character’s fear while at the same time trying every means necessary to keep the crumbling situation together.

Whether you hate her or love to hate her, Marcia Gay Harden was exceptional as Mrs. Carmody. Believing that all the nightmares that transpire from the mist are God’s punishment, Mrs. Carmody delivers a number of well-acted religious speeches. Harden did an astounding job with her interpretation of this maddening character.

Other credits to include are Laurie Holden, Andre Brower, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, Alexa Davalos, Melissa McBride, and many more incredible talents. Those who don’t have any lines had a very important job conveying the terror of the situation.

The Mist is the ultimate test for audiences. Who do you trust? The characters are authentic because their personalities reflect how we evaluate people. You never know what secrets or hidden capabilities that somebody holds until being trapped with them.

It’s also a lesson on how to be with people you would normally avoid. You can’t avoid irritating people your entire life.

The creatures of The Mist are terrifying. Ranging from giant monster-like octopus arms, deadly buzzing mosquitoes, or poisonous spiders that shoot acid-web. Aside from some obvious CGI at times, the buzzing insects look so real that I dreaded that they were going to break through my TV screen.

The film sets up the terror very well. We become trapped in the market, too. In some way, the characters are lucky that they are in a supermarket through all this mysterious terror. I liked how they consumed food or had a drink without checking out.

Filmmakers did a great job with locations creating a frightening atmosphere. They especially conquered the mist. Nobody knows where they are going, what they will run into, or when it will end. That is the horror.

The ending of The Mist was not the ending that Stephen King had in mind. Frank Darabont created an ending so bleak that it rattles audiences’ minds. Darabont’s direction felt like a character of its own. Camera angles never focus on one shot. The impressive editing techniques blend into an overwhelming and startling ordeal becoming the eyes of the character.

I have to warn you that The Mist is a very gruesome and gory film. The ending is very unsettling. Either way, you should still witness the blinding terrors of The Mist.