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Director Frank Darabont is known for taking Stephen King’s novels and turning them into beautifully dramatic, Oscar-friendly movies. But while Darabont’s previous King movies, The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, were more dramatic than frightening, he holds back none of the horror in The Mist.
The Mist is classic King. It’s eerie and suspenseful, and, at times, it’s a little bit campy—complete with that strange and slightly demented Stephen King sense of humor. It tells the story of a small town in Maine that’s hit by a strange storm. Once the storm clears, the mist rolls in off the mountains, bringing with it a bunch of mysterious, bloodthirsty creatures. No one’s safe in the mist, so dozens of shoppers find themselves trapped in a local supermarket, fearing for their lives.
But as soon as the fear strikes, the people in the store forget about fighting what’s outside and begin fighting with each other. As artist David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and timid store employee Ollie (Toby Jones) try to keep everyone safe, David’s neighbor, Brent (Andre Braugher), tries to convince everyone that there’s nothing to be afraid of—and the eccentric Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden) decides that the mist is the wrath of God, demanding a sacrifice.
As darkness approaches and the fighting continues, it becomes harder and harder to tell what’s more horrifying—what’s outside the supermarket doors or what’s trapped inside.
The Mist is exactly what a horror movie should be. There are some cheap scares and moments meant to make you jump out of your seat. There’s some spattering blood and severed limbs, too. But it’s so much more than that. It’s not just scary; it’s horrifying. It’s supernatural. It’s psychological. It’s human. It’s intense. It’s physically and emotionally draining. And it’s a film that you’re not likely to forget anytime soon.
If you’ve read King’s original novel, you may think you know how the story will play out—but you’ll be in for one big surprise. Darabont reworked the ending—and, according to King, “It is the most shocking ending ever, and there should be a law passed stating that anybody who reveals the last five minutes of this film should be hung from their neck until dead.” There’s no way I’d mess with King—and there’s absolutely no way I’d spoil this one. Darabont’s new ending is definitely shocking—so kick-in-the-stomach, horrifyingly shocking, in fact, that it’s likely to leave you completely speechless. And I guarantee you’ll walk out of the theater feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus.
The Mist is nothing like the brainless slasher films that tend to be the norm lately. Instead, it’s a more thoughtful, multi-faceted film—with plenty of monsters and spurting blood (and even a little bit of camp) thrown in. And the result is absolutely gut-wrenching. It’s not for the squeamish or the weak of stomach, but if you love King’s novels, you’ll love The Mist.
