The Mist

Year: 2007
Director: Frank Darabont
Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, Nathan Gamble, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, Sam Witwer, Alexa Davalos

The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption are both written by Stephen King and adapted for film by Frank Darabont. Both were great hits, and now we have yet another Darabont-King classic. But unlike the former two, that are more drama oriented, this one has a nice mix of terror and drama.

The Mist takes place in a small town, where a freak storm kills the power supply. David Drayton, a movie poster artist, takes his son Billy and heads for the supermarket to stock up on supplies. He isn't alone, as everyone else in town is there to do just that. Then suddenly, an old man runs into the store and yells about something being in the mist coming straight for them. People outside start screaming, others panic, and everyone takes shelter in the supermarket.

Before they know it, the mysterious mist surrounds the whole store, and communications are cut off. The people inside try to make sense of what's happening. Then mysterious creatures, from giant tentacles to gigantic bugs and bats and spiders make their presence known from within the mist, and people start dying. David tries desperately to protect his son and keep order among his friends, but it's not easy with the presence of Mrs Carmody, a woman who is part religious zealot, part mentally unstable.

Mrs Carmody believes that whatever is happening is caused by the wrath of God, and that the end is near. The more people fall victim to the carnage, the more she preaches, and the more frightened survivors start listening to her. The fear that escalates within the supermarket, caused by both the mist and Mrs Carmody's preaching, threatens David's life and everyone else's as well.

After watching this film, I am truly convinced that Darabont is a master storyteller. This is a horror flick, through and through. But Darabont doesn't follow the path of most horror directors, who would get straight to the point and scare their audiences right away. Darabont takes his time to unfold the tale and get you to take a good look at the protagonists involved. This gives us a chance to notice everyone in the film, and give them a face you'll remember later on. A horror film that's over 2 hours long such as this is rare, but fitting indeed.

Thomas Jane, who played tough action heroes in Deep Blue Sea and my personal favourite, The Punisher, does a splendid job playing David, a man who would do anything to protect his son, and yet manages to hold his senses together as he leads the more sensible lot to safety. Marcia Gay Harden on the other hand, is superb as the demented Mrs Carmody. I think she will be a truly memorable villain in cinema history. Two thumbs up for Harden. But not to be outdone are the supporting cast. Toby Jones, Andre Braugher, Frances Sternhagen, Jeffrey DeMunn and William Sadler all deliver memorable performances too.

Oh, I seem to have neglected the horror part for a moment there. OK, here. The horror part was also well executed. The special effects are average at best, not as good as watching the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, but definitely better than the sorry graphics we were served in The Mummy Returns. Darabont does a great job in balancing the terror between scary creatures and the ones caused by fearful individuals. As you watch this, you'll see that there's more than one way to strike fear in others. And then there's the ending, which differs from King's original version. It's one that I can say defies Hollywood's natural tendencies, and because of that, it left a very lasting impression on me. I think it will for the rest of you too.

It's better than I expected it to be. One of the best films I've seen, ever. Recommended. (4.5/5)