STEPHEN KING'S THE MIST (2007)

Add Review To List
Add Film To List
Write Your Own Review

"A great new horror movie that leaves a lasting impression!"

Let me say firstly that as soon as I heard that genius director Frank Darabont who brought us two great Stephen king movie adaptations(The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption)was attempting to tackle one of his horror Novellas I was deffinitely excited.Also hearing that Thomas Jane would play the leading role had me psyched as I have enjoyed his performances thus far.The story is simple enough,a small town grocery store is engulfed by a mist,from within lurk creatures of all shapes and sizes.The story focuses on the unfortunate people to be trapped in this store on this particularly shitty day.As in all supernatural movies the people begin to take sides.Those who believe there is a greater threat to be faced than meets the eye and those who don't believe them and are thinking of only escape.But when the creatures outside become common knowledge amongst the people a new side is introduced.This of course is the insane ravings of a "religious" woman who believes these creatures are mandkinds punishment and begins preaching the word of a particularly bloodthirsty god to the hopeless and desperate people around her.This is where the movie takes a turn to pose a glimpse into just how crazy and primitive people can become when they are cut off from the rest of the world and put into a crazy circumstance.Most of the acting is solid with a great performance by Jane as David a father who is doing his all to protect the people around him.And of course Marcia Gay Harden as the absolutely detestible religious freak who turns out to be more of a threat than the surrounding mist.All the supporting cast is strong and highly likable and believable.It is good to watch a horror movie where you are rooting for multiple characters to make it out alive.The directing experience of Frank Darabont certainly shows with good dialouge,emotional scenes and inventive camera angles.(A scene in which a spider-like-creature is speared and lifted out of the way is very clever!)The visuals were pretty good but some of the CG was considerably sketchy.The creatures in this film were animated by the very same studio that brought us the marvelous creatures from Pan's Labyrinth but this movie was considerably more low budget.Mind you whenever the CG looks questionable the actors interactions with them make everything seem real again.There are several very cool creatures shown in the movie.Opening with toothed tentacles(that we never get to see what were attatched to i might add!)A mayfly looking insect with a scorpion-like stinger,a very prehistoric looking four-winged pteradactyl,some large spiders with human-like faces,a large Praying mantis/crab looking beast and of course the towering behemoth towards the end of the film!So if monsters are your thing this movie deffinitely meets it's quota with some genuinely creepy moments(a very alien-esque scene in which someone bursts apart with little spiders was gross)and the movie triumphs on many other levels as well.Now I am not one to spoil endings so if you have not seen it,please do so it is highly suggested.But if you have already seen it you know what I am talking about when i say it leaves you very upset and disturbed.Deffinitely one of the more shocking endings in a while,very much in the vein of the original Night Of The Living Dead.(In fact the similarities between these two movies are numerous)So if you are interested to see what a great director can do with a horror film deffinitely pick this one up.One of the better horror movies in a while!