Monday, March 24, 2008

The Mist


"I can't accept that. People are basically good; decent. David, we're a civilized society."

--"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 crap out of them - no more rules."

I know exactly what you are thinking, "great here is another film that probably wreaks like Stephen King's other elemental horror film "the Fog" does." That would be incorrecto. The film is about a group of townies who are trapped in a supermarket when a mysterious and deadly mist engulfs their town. The film then becomes: How do different people react to fear? Some find comfort in a religious woman, others in a group of military men, still others hope to wait it out, and some ultimately decide to face the mist head-on.

While thoroughly anti-religion, and anti-military. The film takes the viewer's fear of the unknown to great heights. What, pray tell, is in the mist? For the first 3/4 of the movie, you only get glimpses of what the greater evil is. The film also takes the viewer's assumption on what would happen in another horror film and doing the exact opposite. (like the remaining tentacle in the loading dock).

Directed and adapted by Frank Darabont, who also directed The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption (I know you liked those, and they are both also based on King's stories) the film is shot in an independent style way. Lots of handheld shots, lots of rack-focuses, and fairly short shot length times. I believe that the CG could have used a little work in a couple of places, but the budget for this film wasn't all that big.

I know some people will hate the ending, but then again, it isn't something you see everyday.


********
8 out of 10 stars