I just finished watching The Mist, an apocalyptic tale of science running amuck and its horrific ramifications on a rural Maine town and its people. It is also a study of the reactions of people who are faced with an unbelievable, mysterious and terrifying threat. I found it to be chilling, exciting, and an all-around excellent horror film.

The Mist was based on a Stephen King novella of the same name, originally published as part of an anthology called Skeleton Crew, which was published in 1985. I have always enjoyed most of Stephen King’s works, although a few of his horror stories I thought had really gone over the edge. But this story was a real stunner, in the more traditional, really terrifying science fiction genre. No stories scare me more than a good Stephen King story . And this one was no exception!


The Premise of the Story

The movie begins in a small rural town where a terrible storm is brewing. A family escapes down to their storm cellar to find safety. They come up after the storm to discover significant damage to their home, with several uprooted trees, one of which broke the front window, destroying the artist studio of the main character, Dave Drayton. While inspecting the property further, Dave discovers that another tree, belonging to his neighbor, Brent Norton, has also uprooted, destroying Dave’s boathouse. The two men, overlooking past bad blood between them from a previous legal battle, decide to go into town, taking Dave’s son Billy with them, to get some supplies at the local store to help them ride things out until the electricity is restored.

While riding into town, they notice as they pass the neighboring mountains, that a strange mist has appeared at the base of the mountain range and appears to me moving in the direction of the town and its people. They also pass a large military convoy heading towards the mountain. They mention that they wonder if this has anything to do with Project Arrowhead, a military operation set in the mountains

While in the grocery store, one of the townsfolk comes running into the store, all bloody and hysterical, screaming “they got him…they got him”. Suddenly the mist has surrounded the store. The market, filled with people from the surrounding area trying to stock up on emergency supplies, do not know what to make of all this. Most decide to stay put until the mist passes. Three soldiers in uniform come into the store and are trapped there as well.

Dave goes into the back stock room, along with a few of the other men from the town to check on the emergency generator. The exhaust hose is clogged from the outside and the stock boy offers to go outside and unclog it, despite the warnings of the others that it is dangerous to go out in the thick mist. He goes out anyway, and what happens to him sets the tone for the rest of the movie.

For the next two hours the people in the town are terrified as they try to understand what is happening around them, as they are tormented by the horrific terror that is in the mysterious mist . They are also plagued by Mrs. Carmady, played brilliantly by award winning actress Marcia Gay Harden. She is convinced that it is the “end of days “and that this is God’s retribution for all of the sins of the world. She scares many of the townspeople in the store and angers the rest. She adds a startling horror to the film, as she shows what can happen to people who are cut off from the world and are terrified of the unknown. There are several attempts to escape to see what is going on in the outside world. I should not reveal any more of the story, as it will ruin it for anyone interested in seeing this really scary, well-done film.

The Cast

Dave Drayton- Thomas Jane
Amanda- Laurie Holden
Mrs Carmady- Marcia Gay Harden
Brent Norton- Andre Braugher
Billy Drayton-Nathan Gamble
Ollie Weeks-Toby Jones
Irene Reppler-Frances Sternhagen

The Writer-Director

Frank Darabout, the author and director of the movie, has collaborated with Stephen King in the past brilliantly. His most noteworthy success was the acclaimed film, The Shawshank Redemption, also based on a short story by Stephen King, which I believe was one of the most brilliant films I have ever seen. In the film extras, Mr. Darabout discusses how he offered to direct this film for the producers, the Weinstein Brothers, for much less money than he was offered by another producer, as long as they promised to let him leave the film with the gut wrenching ending that he wanted for the film. They were smart enough to agree to his terms and left his conclusion, which was truly shocking.


I usually am not a big fan of horror films, but I can never pass up on one based on a Stephen King story. Sometimes I am disappointed, but not in this case. I thought this film was engrossing, well acted, and, at times, truly terrifying. The special effects were excellent, although often graphic. This movie is definitely not recommended for children or the faint of heart.




Running Time- 125 Minutes


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age