Directed by Frank Darabont
Review by Tyler Shainline
It’s no great secret that anything bearing the stamp of Stephen King’s name has been a steaming pile of crap for almost two decades now. It could be a book (“Gerald’s Game,” “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon”), a movie (“Dolores Claiborne,” “Dreamcatcher”), or a T.V. Series (“Kingdom Hospital,” “The Dead Zone”) either way it was a piece of shit. Honestly, is there a person alive that enjoyed “Thinner” or “Secret Window”? Hell, did anyone even manage to stay awake through either of those cinematic sleeping pills?
Thankfully Writer/Director Frank Darabont brings us “The Mist” which is the best Stephen King movie since… well since the last time Darabont brought a King tale to the screen with 1994’s “The Shawshank Redemption.” In fact “The Mist” is easily the second best film made out of one of King’s overly detailed young adult books since Kubrick made “The Shining.” Let’s not kid ourselves here folks, Stephen King is not an outstanding writer, in fact there isn’t a huge difference between his work and that of “Goosebumps” creator R. L. Stine. There’s a reason not many bright adults read King’s silly paperbacks, it’s because he writes for teenagers and children.
“The Mist” originally appeared in the 1980 horror anthology “Dark Forces” and was later reedited and included in the Stephen King short story collection “Skeleton Crew.” Before making the leap to the silver screen, “The Mist” was also released as a fully dramatized audio version and served as an inspiration for the successful video game franchises “Half-Life” and “Silent Hill.”
Following a particular destructive storm that tears through coastal Maine, artist David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his son leave their disheveled home and head into town for supplies. Before taking off they notice a curious fog… er, mist rolling down the hills and over the lake towards town. Thinking nothing of it David, his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) and cantankerous neighbor Brent Norton (Andre Braugher) pile into the Drayton’s SUV and drive into the small sleepy town of Bridgton. On the way into the powerless strip mall the group is passed by several trucks full of armed soldiers headed past the town in the direction of the government testing area located in the mountains above the rural county.
Shortly after arriving at the packed supermarket, a local runs through the doors screaming that “something in the mist took his neighbor.” Members of the crowd attempt to calm the bloody and frightened man, who pleads that everyone stay indoors. Immediately the fog… er, mist sweeps into the parking lot covering every square inch blocking the view of the customers inside who can only hear the screams of terror emitting from those trapped outside in it. The group of about fifty townspeople decide to stay inside the secure walls of the market and wait for help from the outside.
In a very short amount of time sides are divided up, leaders elected and the makings of a commerce influenced “Lord of the Files” begins to take shape. Even after a stock boy is attacked by tentacles sneaking in from the fog… er, mist through an open loading door a group lead by Norton head out into the soupy air in search of assistance. After their less than successful attempt in search of salvation the remaining crowd decides to hunker down and wait it out. Unfortunately for them local religious wacko Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden) decides that god is speaking to her and that the fog… er, mist is an act of vengeance ushering in the rapture and its her responsibility to save the believers trapped in the store.
Carmody makes wild claims and prophesizes what the group of survivors are set to endure. Most of the crowd writes her off as a nut job but a few frightened souls take heed in her call for religious persecution. Following an attack by creatures from the fog… er, mist that leave some of the townsfolk dead or injured more weary souls join Mrs. Carmody’s group. After her calls for a sacrifice are answered Drayton gathers the last sane people in the building and decide to make a break for it. But will it be any easier for them to survive in the clutches of the unknown that exists in the mist outside than it was with the raving evangelical lunatics they left behind?
“The Mist” is the most satisfying theatrical experience I’ve had since “Grindhouse” was released earlier this year. It’s incredibly atmospheric and the acting is far beyond the usual campy theatrics seen in most Stephen King adaptations. The trapped in a building formula is nothing new, but the idea of not knowing what has them trapped is utterly fascinating. While the main stars of this ensemble cast (Jane, Braugher and Harden) propel the film forward it’s the high quality of character actors that make the film as great as it is. Toby Jones, Frances Sternhagen and David Jensen legitimize “The Mist” and make every scene they’re in memorable. William Sadler on the other hand completely commands the audience’s attention every time he’s onscreen and reminds us why he’s appeared in almost a hundred different projects over the past thirty years. While Sadler’s best known as the Sheriff from the teen Sci-Fi show “Roswell,” he’s appeared in a ton of horror projects on both the small and big screens. His turn from distrustful hillbilly to one of Carmody’s unquestioning followers is one of the most memorable parts of the film.
On a technical standpoint “The Mist” is a beautiful film to watch unfold, which is an achievement in itself considering the lack of scenery a fog… er, mistbank creates. Darabont employed the camera crew from the brilliant cable program “The Shield” and their dramatic use of zooms and shaky cam put the viewer directly in the middle of the chaos. The only mistake the production team made was the choice of music for the final scenes of the film. The choice of a weird yodeling woman mixed with an overly sappy score almost ruins the incredible ending. I haven’t seen such irresponsible use of music since David Lynch first introduced the world to Julee Cruise in “Twin Peaks.”
2007 has been a rough year for horror fans, with most releases either underperforming (“Behind the Mask,” “Black Sheep”), going unnoticed (“Grindhouse,” “Hostel Part Two”) or simply just sucking on the biggest puss filled boil encrusted cock ever seen (“Rob Zombie’s Halloween,” “Captivity”) “The Mist” is a refreshing reminder that good horror films can still be made. The fact that a film as great as “The Mist” can come from a Stephen King story speaks volumes for the talent that went into it’s creation. It’s probably the best horror film that will be released this year, and the incredible ending is worth the price of admission alone.
9 out of 10 sharpshooting house elfs
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