Stephen King's The Mist: A Frank Darabont Film

SPOILER FREE

OK, so I need to write about this movie. Not because I have to, or because anyone asked me to, but I need to express my feelings about the film.

Frank Darabont, who brought us Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile, steps into the realm of Castle Rock's favorite madman once again to bring us The Mist. This film has incredible emotion, special FX, acting, gore, humor. It's all there. As far as technical execution and Darabont's abilities as a storyteller, he hits it out of the park.

Where there will be controversy (and there is already) is with the ending, where Darabont goes in a decidedly different direction than King did. Those who say that King would never approve/endorse such an ending need to understand that he both approved and endorsed it. Completely. Without any hesitation.

Thomas Jane needs to be commended, as he slips from movies like The Punisher, where he was a dark, sulking, superhuman action hero, to David Drayton, an everyman just looking to keep his son safe. I totally believed everything he did in this movie. And more than that, I RELATED to him. The acting is never less than above average, with special nods needing to go to the actors who portrayed the psychotic cult-leader like religious lady, Mrs Carmody, Ollie, the quiet grocery store clerk, Brent Norton, the neighbor, and half a dozen others.

The only flaw that I can find with this movie is that the human drama works almost to well sometimes. We find ourselves more compelled by the interactions between the humans than the monsters all around. And believe me, they are INCREDIBLE.

The problem is that most of the people who do die do not deserve it, and not only that, are likeable characters. Too many times, we get 2-dimensional human characters in horror movies who are only there to get killed. So, when they do buy it, we are not so effected as we should be. The opposite happens here. It shocks us to the core when someone dies in this film, because we have gotten to see that they are REAL people. It makes it that much more realistic.

The best analogy I can think of, as a horror fan seeing this deep, rich, emotional movie in my favorite genre, is if you watched all kinds of Michael Bay action films, Rambo, Schwarzenegger, and were used to that kind of film about war, and then suddenly watched Full Metal Jacket, having no idea what you were in for. It brings the reality of it crashing home.

For that reason, and the fact that it is an extremely nihilistic and depressing film, that people will not like it. At least for the most part. This film has bombed at the box office, and I am not surprised. The average moviegoer wants happy, upbeat holiday film entertainment. And I do not fault them at all. But for those who appreciate a good, epic horror film, this will do nicely.

If you go in with an open mind, you will find much to enjoy. And try not to be too shocked at the ending. This one, you need to see with a theater full of people, if only to see their reactions.

5/5