Review of The Mist (2007) by Alanm. — 04 Apr 2008

A haunting vision that examines peoples' limits. Having read "The Mist" the same year Skeleton Crew came out, it has been to this day my favourite novella by King. As such, I'm well aware that the majority of film adaptations of King's work tend to bomb quite horribly.

This movie, however, did not leave me with a sour taste after it was over. The premise of the military creating this havoc is by no means a new idea, yet with a mild suspension of belief it's plausible.

The CGI, I admit, was certainly not up to the standards of today's big budget films but then I can easily understand that the terrors in the mist was not the primary conflict. No, that distinction was humanity's basic instincts.

It would be folly to assume that society has the capacity to hunker down in any post-apocalyptic situation and easily overcome it's own shortcomings. As a species, we are all capable of mistakes, and when confronted by our worst fears (both imagined and real), every person will react differently.

Everyone has a limit. At what point they reach that limit varies, and throughout the movie we are shown where those limits are. The dialogue, often criticized for being cliche, worked for me as it felt more realistic than what Hollywood tends to do with how people communicate to one another.

The ending, while surprising different from the novella, did not take away anything from the movie. Nay, it was just another example of someone reaching their limit for dealing with something beyond their means.

With news stories throughout the years regarding people who have faced their own tragedies and chosen the more horryifying result, is it any wonder we see the same here? Bottom line, if you think that we as a species are infallible, this move is not for you.

If you were expecting a horror film with scary monsters, this film is not for you. If you are open to the idea that we, as people, are capable of giving up hope when we have reached our limits... then yes, this movie is for you.