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Plot:
After a brutal thunderstorm pounds a small town, the residents discover a malevolent mist hangs over their homes, killing anyone who remains outside. Trapped in a grocery store, a band of survivors mu...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:August 27, 2008
Good B movie. Marcia Gay Harden succeeded in making me dislike her strongly. Only let down was Thomas Janes performance at the end. Didn't have the acting ability to pull off the final scene. I wont givwe it away but watch it and you will understand. I did however, like the idea for the ending.
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MCT:August 26, 2008Good shit! Genuinely creepy, and well put together. Not bad for a mainstream B-Horror flick. Worth giving a gander at.
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MCT:August 25, 2008I loved this movie I watched it twice. It was crazy and kept you on the edge of your seat. The ending is nothing at all like you think. Would deff say watch it.
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MCT:August 25, 2008I do have to say... the movie is mediocre but the ending is amazingly morbid. (in a good way, movie speaking... but you know, not so good...because *sob)
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MCT:August 24, 2008
the beginning was good middle part wasnt the end part was
so about half hour of it altogether was good -
MCT:August 23, 2008
This movie left me speecheless, dumbstruck and crying! THANK YOU Mr. Darabont for another succesfull King adaptation!
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MCT:August 23, 2008
This is one good horror film! Before eye go into whats so awsome about the movie first eye'm going to tell you what you won't find, standard pretty boy or hottie girl, bad acting, cheesey effects, and laughable moments. Here is what you well find though, realistic tension, cool creatures, realistic characters, one scarey religious freak, and a shocking ending. If only horror movies of this caliber were to be released more often. Unfortunitly eye read the short story by Stephen King so the movie wasn't as scarey as it wouldv'e of been were eye not to know what would happen in the movie. For those who haven't read the short story, man you're in for a treat. For all horror fans this is a must see!
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MCT:August 23, 2008
I'm not a weak stomached person. I can handle gore and scary movies but the ending of this movie turns my stomach every time i think about it. The would have to be one of the most horrible things in the world. If you watched it you know what i'm talking abot. If you haven't watched it, prepare your stomach for the ending.
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MCT:August 22, 2008This movie was a bit entertaining, but pissed me off a lot of the time! The crazy bitch would have been killed earlier if it were up to me! LOL!
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MCT:August 19, 2008
It was a very good movie! I love how the monsters were so lifelike! And the story line is brilliant... I could NEVER think of something like that!
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MCT:August 19, 2008
"As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up ways to kill one another. Why do you think we invented politics and religion?"
When it comes to adapting narratives from the maestro of horror literature, Stephen King, the outcomes have proved to be largely diverse. Stephen King's original novella of The Mist carries a fascinating premise and it was destined to be adapted for the big screen. King's largest fanatics must have breathed a collective sigh of relief when it was announced that the cinematic rendering of The Mist would be helmed by writer/director Frank Darabont. This prolific screenwriter-come-director earned his reputation after creating two successful film adaptations of Stephen King novels (The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile). On top of this, Darabont's career started in horror when he wrote A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (one of the franchise's best), The Fly II and The Blob. Hence The Mist marks Darabont returning to form.
In the long run, the film received a varying critical reception. Darabont's fanboys of course faithfully lapped up the production while others couldn't grapple everything on offer. Darabont's The Mist possessed mountains of potential, but it's clear Darabont has passed his golden years (those familiar with Darabont's version of Indiana Jones 4 will undoubtedly agree). His script here strives too hard to impart sophistication in the backdrop of a standard horror movie. At the end of the day this challenging amalgamation tries to master too many things at once with limited success.
Following a ferocious storm in the town of Maine, a mysterious mist cloud begins to congregate the next morning. David Drayton (Jane) is an artist residing in Maine whose house is severely damaged by the violent storm. David travels into town with his son (Gamble) and neighbour (Braugher). As the dense, mysterious mist starts enveloping the entire area, David and his son are among a large group of terrified townspeople that become trapped in the local grocery store. David soon ascertains that there are things lurking in the mist...horrifying creatures that aren't of this world. As these said creatures surround the grocery store, residents must band together for a chance at survival. However, due to the disposition of human nature, David begins to wonder what is more threatening: the deadly creatures prowling in the mist, or those inside the store...the human kind that David has always thought of as his friends and neighbours.
The provocative and masterful screenplay penned by Frank Darabont explores and examines the dangers of human nature in our existing culture. He keeps the scares taut and frightening: when a large creature appears it's usually enshrouded in the thick mist. However the greatest aspect of the script is also the film's greatest flaw: the use of conventional characters. Darabont's intention was to essentially construct a social commentary to display the consequences of human nature in the worst of situations. He uses these character stereotypes as a way to hold up a mirror in order for us to see our modern society. The philosophical discussions play a profound role in the dialogue as well. However, using clichéd characters also retracts from the entire experience. As an audience it's easy to predict what will transpire next. By all means it's admirable to arrange a social commentary in the precincts of a mainstream horror movie, but it simply doesn't work as well as Darabont had intended.
That said, the people within the grocery store are ostensibly divided into two diverse categories - extras and protagonists. The extras do absolutely nothing useful while the protagonists, established early in the picture, do all the work. There's no dimension between the two types of characters.
Furthermore, it initially appears that Darabont is completely in control of the material. When the mist covers the grocery store, the mystery of what's lurking outside will incite fear in his audience and will send a chill down your spine. The drama is executed in completely believable detail as well. Although clichéd, the characters are credible creations who take sides, get on each other's nerves, try their best and make mistakes. Darabont perceptibly aspired for this to be an extremely smart horror movie, one that isn't entirely B-Grade when one sits back and chortles as victims are picked off singularly. The brilliance dims when the monsters appear. The CGI is decent at best, but hardly a visceral or convincing experience nor are they anything to brag about. Then Darabont's crime is damaging the credibility. As the loading bay doors close, the tentacles that crawl through are obviously abundantly strong: too strong, in fact, for the metal door. In effect we realise that the creatures can break into the store at any time, and their hesitance is only on the part of the screenwriting.
Unfortunately Darabont appears incapable of orchestrating the mayhem in the horror scenes as the creatures attack. Everything just happens in one big mess. While realistic in the sense that plenty of things would occur during an attack, it's the unrealistic time management on the part of the editor that destroys the effect. For example we see someone set on fire. He starts burning, then we cut away to different situations for a few minutes before returning to the flaming man as if only a few seconds later.
The Mist is virtually devoid of a soundtrack until the conclusion nears. This effective approach allows the ambient noises to play a primary role in setting the atmosphere. The roar of the creatures provokes intense fear, and by the end even a sudden noise is petrifying. Darabont is also capable of manufacturing a hook that keeps one immersed in the film until its conclusion. Despite dodgy editing, the mayhem and horror is wholly engaging. Of course the characters act like idiots at times, but again it comes back to the natural consequences of human nature during a perilous situation.
The film is almost completely redeemed by its ending. This ending left me absolutely speechless. It's a courageous, bold and un-Hollywood move to create an ending of this kind. It's powerful, hard-hitting and absolutely amazing. The ambiguous religious symbolism is played with throughout the running time, and the possible relevance to religion is left open for interpretation. For a horror movie, Darabont must get credit for this audacious conclusion.
The film is also well performed by a mostly ensemble cast. Thomas Jane will forever, through my eyes, be seen as The Punisher. However, he offers arguably his greatest performance here. At first calm and friendly as well as being a family man, we watch as his morals and attitude descends and eventually creates a different person. The final scene in particular is emotionally-straining.
Marcia Gay Harden offers a convincing performance as a religious nut, obsessed with proving that the mist is the will of God. Her character grows highly irritating, which is predominantly the point so Harden did her job correctly.
Laurie Holden believably plays alongside Thomas Jane in a character that is, surprisingly, not very clichéd. There is no predictable love story at all.
I must give a brief mention to William Sadler, who I remember for his performance in Die Hard 2. Here, Sadler is a clichéd bumpkin who displays a deep side as well.
Toby Jones is also among the finest members of the cast whose character is appealing and fascinating.
Bloodcurdling and confronting in the correct degree, Frank Darabont's The Mist is an apocalyptic visualisation of humanity's devolution as doom descends in the form of a thick cloud of mist. His penetrating screenplay fascinatingly conveys a hard-hitting, horrific morality play about the clashing of archetypes in the most extraordinary of circumstances. The creature designs are sublime although the special effects are barely passable.
All in all, The Mist has the right mixture of intrigue and horror to create a spellbinding, albeit flawed horror movie.
Cal's favourite highlight: the old lady with one heck of a badass attitude who uses weapons in the form of cans of peas and flames! -
MCT:August 17, 2008
they come in the mist .
and the angle will take the fallen , or should the army stop f-ing with time and space.
lol. -
MCT:August 17, 2008
Exciting and riveting. A spectacular ending to a well acted, exectued horror. Something the remake of THE FOG should've picked up on - 2 similar concepts this one exectued correctly.
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MCT:August 15, 2008
i remember reading the short story of this, and to see it carried over into a movie was creepy because it was so similar to the way it was when i imagined it while i was reading it! but OMG the ending...
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MCT:August 15, 2008
I love scary movies and sci-fi movies, and this was a slightly flawed version of both mixed together. I thought it was pretty good.
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MCT:August 14, 2008
There were moments where in like every other horror/monster flick I was yelling at the screen "WHAT THE FUCK??/RUN!!/MOVE!!/SHUT UP!!" but other than those it was a pretty well done movie.
Great acting, pretty good story [I haven't read the book so I don't know how close to it it was] and although the spx were lacking, they pulled it off.
It was really enjoyable and kept me entertained for the entire 2 hours. I loved the social commentary undertones on religion and politics and just 'civilization' as we know it. SPOILER BELOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :::
Boy I was happy when they finally knocked off Marcia Gay Harden. -
MCT:August 14, 2008
Stephen King and Frank Darabont are amazing. The irony, the cinematic and poetic beauty of this film is unforgettable. This will get you thinking even after the movie. It brings up the question how far can you stretch a man before you break him? If you are put in this certain circumstance, what do you think will you do? It questions human nature and our social order.
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MCT:August 12, 2008It's weird this movie isnt more well known seeing how good it was. Even though its a monsters movie it deals more with the situation everyone is in, not the monsters but when the monster are in it its pretty intense. End bit was pretty schocking but very well done.
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MCT:August 12, 2008
Brilliant! The ending is truly shocking but a brilliant ending to the film. One of the best films I've seen in a long time!
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MCT:August 10, 2008Note to Hollywood producers, please, please, please do not let Frank Darabont do a hatchet job on a Stephen King story.
Not learning after his marshmallow effort with The Green Mile they have let him loose again with this limp, unexciting creature feature wannabe is boring to the max, filled with hackneyed dialogue, contrivance after contrivance and minimal character development. Who cares if these people, with a couple of notable exceptions get killed.
Thomas Jane does the best he can with his cardboard hero, Marcia Gay Harden can't be blamed with being lumbered with an unplayable character, a walking talking cliche. Toby Jones as Ollie and Frances Sternhagen as plucky Irene Reppler fare the best.
The explanation for what's in the mist is borderline laughable.
What it does get right is the uncompromising finale, trouble is there's two hours of crap to wade through first.
PS, it isn't even scary.
The two stars are for the ending and the occasional decent creature effect. -
MCT:August 10, 2008
Speechless lol...
Never Thought The Ending'd Be Like This..
Yep God Hated Yer lol
Gr8 Ending! (: But I Didnt Respect Tht -
MCT:August 9, 2008
Never read the book so yeah, the ending leaves me hanging on the hello.
A very realistic thriller. Never give up hope. -
MCT:August 9, 2008
Ollie: We have to tell them. The people in the market. We have to stop them from going outside.
David Drayton: They won't believe us.
Ollie: They have to.
David Drayton: I'm not sure I believe it, and I was here. What we saw was impossible. You know that, don't you? What do we say? How do we... convince them? Ollie, what the hell were those tentacles even attached to?
Here is another Stephen King horror movie adaptation. Like all of these, it has three sections: A neat set up, some kind of twist along the way to take things further, and then an ending that will polarize people.
Thomas "the Punisher" Jane stars as David Drayton, an everyman whose house was among many hit by a storm the previous night. He, his son, and his neighbor played by Andre Braugher all take a trip to the local grocery store in this small New England town.
It doesn't take long before a heavy mist covers the entire area, leaving a bunch of people stuck inside the store. Why are they stuck? Because there is something in the mist that you don't want to mess with. This is not much of spoiler when I tell you that its a variety of nasty creatures that kill.
Amanda Dunfrey: You don't have much faith in humanity, do you?
Dan Miller: None, whatsoever.
Amanda Dunfrey: I can't accept that. People are basically good; decent. My god, David, we're a civilized society.
David Drayton: Sure, as long as the machines are working and you can dial 911. But you take those things away, you throw people in the dark, you scare the shit out of them - no more rules.
While in the store, there are a number of panicked people, as well as a crazy religious lady played by Marcia Gay Harden, who believes that this is the result of God's wrath.
Mrs. Carmody: We have Judas in our midst!
What follows are a number of scenes where people do panicky things, say stupid things, do stupid things, get killed, get religion, and get in a fighting mood.
It's B-movie horror, but it's well done B-movie horror. This is due to how the concept starts out fairly well, besides the fact that there are few answers.
The actors are fairly strong, particularly Thomas Jane, who I always like to see in things and Tobey Jones as your friendly store clerk Ollie. Nice work from Andre Braugher as well.
And then you have the direction from Frank Darabont of all people. He must have said, "Hey Stephen, Shawshank and Green Mile were fun, you have any books outside of prison I might want to do." Well he does a good job here as well, combining some of the larger scaled scenes with a lot of hand held work. To create a mood by having characters stare into a gray wall is impressive.
By the end of this movie, the music goes way over-the-top along with some of the events that transpire. By the very end however, is what will cause the most controversy between people. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed what happened and it separates it from most horror thrillers to a degree.
For a 127 minute movie, I was entertained throughout, even during some corny moments, but there was even a time to applaud, some impressive visuals, and some other memorable moments..
Furthermore, for some reason every I think about this movie, I think of how much I enjoyed it, and how well put together it was. That certainly reflects the way I like this movie.
David Drayton: Sure there's no way I can talk you out of this?
Brent Norton: David, there's nothing out there. Nothing in the mist.
David Drayton: What if you're wrong?
Brent Norton: Then, I guess... the joke will be on me after all. -
MCT:August 9, 2008
this is a great movie all around... except for the end my friend stared to cuss the movie out lol,yes that was you tara :p
My Friends Said...
The Mist Recent Reviews
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Comments
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Thenamesbananaposted 1 day ago -
The film wasn't bad at all even if it was flawed, I believe all people have a dark side waiting to come out & nothing like panic or fear of the unknown would bring the monster out. The true monsters in this film are the people in the grocery store not the ones in the mist. The ending , however was completely uncalled for & lacked any kind of logic; why not wait in the car for as long as they can, why rush things?
posted 43 days ago -
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It is appalling how many of the reviews are complete spoilers. Stop including the key details!
posted 57 days ago -
I do have to say that I was not a huge fan of this movie. It was alright, but there were things that could have been redone. The book is a lot better and I prefer that ending. This ending did nothing for me. As far as the "crazy lady" that was a huge idea of the story, she is meant to be hated, that's the point. I think if Stephen King had more of a hand in the making of this movie it would be better.
posted 132 days ago -
To me this is a typical Stephen King movie/book when the concept is basically a simple one and then it is hammered over and over again. These instant-characters who basically come out of a cartoon. I don't care about the special effects so that is not my complaint.
The characters go to the next door drugstore but can't get to the car that is visible from the store window? "Hey, who owns the 2004 Scion"??
The "heroes" go through what they do, only to allow themselves to be shot because they run out of gas? Then the tragic emergence of the Marines 5 minutes after the guy kills his son? C'mon. This seems like a f-you from Stephen King seeing what people will swallow.
Oh. I forgot to say, I hated this film.posted 135 days ago -
It's a very well thought story about where desperation may lead you in times of criciss,I was shocked how quicklly people turned one against the other and how they were listening to all that bullshit from that fake prophet,seeing that pour souldier getting stabbed to death kinda remined me of Jesus on he's last road on this earth.And that end....left me speachless I think most of us whould have done the same.This movie wasn't made to be extremly scarry or to be a huge hit in the box office,but was made to show the hidden dark "otherside" in our human mentality.
posted 139 days ago -
Did anyone besides me get the prophetic references (not in what the Bible lady said, but in the events of the movie themselves)? It parallels a lot of what it says in the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
p.s. I agree with what barbadosx said, also.posted 145 days ago -
To everyone who goes on about the monsters weren't that scary or whatever - the monsters weren't supposed to be the scary part! What humanity is capable of is supposed to be what chills you, and this movie - delivers! And brilliantly, too.
posted 148 days ago -
I loved the scary parts of this movie that would be the only reason i'd tell people to watch it but I hate the ending that tops my list of awful endings. Also the characters are terrible most of them are real stupid I think there just supposed to be crazy but no. I thought even the main charcter Thomas jane plays was bad. He leaves his kid alone most of the film and in the end you all know what he does... I'd like to say so much more but i'll end up typing forever...
posted 152 days ago
