Post by BIGFANBOY on Nov 21, 2007 7:58:08 GMT -5
Stephen King's THE MIST
Review by Gary Dean Murray
"It appears that we may have a problem of some magnitude here.”
I have never been a fan of Stephen King. I have read several of his works and found them wanting. Most of the movies based on his horror fiction have also fallen flat. In my humble opinion, the best two adaptations of Mr. King have been his non-horror works Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption. So it is with much trepidation that I entered the theater to see the latest work The Mist. I am shocked about how much I liked it.
A violent storm uproots trees at the Drayton house, destroying the work area of dad David (Thomas Jane), a movie poster artist. He goes next door to check on his feuding neighbor, which brokers a slight peace. In the distance, a mist approaches from a nearby military complex in the Maine mountains. They all consider it unusual. Also, no one has electricity and cell phone service. Being the good neighbor, David drives his five year-old son and Mister Next Door to the Food House grocery store to get supplies. Along the road the Army, the Police and the Fire Department pass the trio. The place is run by Ollie (Toby Jones) a milquetoast assistant. As David and the other patrons wait in line to check out, a man bursts into the grocery saying there is something in the mist that is rolling in. The mist descends over the grocery store. Then all hell breaks loose…
The patrons inside the store suddenly realize that the pea soup mist traps them inside. They wonder if there is something out there. David tries to get everyone to calm down. He is soon to discover another little fact; the things outside want blood. In a scene that almost harks back to Jules Verne, the beast attacks the back of the store, killing a stock boy. Some don’t believe it is true and decide the entire episode is a local vs. out-of-town prank. Some insist on leaving wanting to be with family and loved ones.
The local religious whack job (Marcia Gay Harden) has decided that what is going on is the beginning of end of days. At every chance, she spouts from Revelation. While some dismiss her, others see her as the self-proclaimed vessel of God. But as she quotes from the Bible, the words she spouts come to pass.
With all of the ideas of religion, race, sex and privilege - The Mist is not your average B horror flick. As Ollie our grocer says, “We are a species that is fundamentally insane.”
I love some of the choices that director Frank Darabont makes here. First and foremost, he doesn’t show us all the monsters in their full glory. By hiding the beasts in the mist he brings the terror to a stronger level. The physical look of the mist is perfect, just as much as it is gruesome. This is a very big budget drive-in style film that follows the first axiom of the genre—anyone can die. As a thrill ride, The Mist is one of the most stimulating experiences of 2007. But with all the groups fighting each other, as they have to deal with the beast outside, it becomes something more.
I know it will never happen but I hope that the Academy considers Marcia Gay Harden for an Oscar for this role. She is pitch perfect as the zealot but somehow finds humanity in this character. She will curdle your blood as she builds an audience for her message. The more she finds her purpose, the more dangerous she becomes. This little bit of acting should put her on a different career level. She is just that good. Toby Jones who was so good as Truman Capote last year shows that he can do vastly different parts. His character doesn’t just grow; he evolves into a different person.
Thomas Jane finally gets his break out leading man, macho role. He doesn’t just play macho for macho sake, but does so to protect his son. As the drama unfolds, he finds the strength to fight for what he believes to be right and apt. Who knew that a painter could be so tough?
This is easily the best horror adaptation of a Stephen King work since Carrie. But, I would put it more along with the Hitchcock classic The Birds. Both films are about uncontrollable terror that just happens. It has a coastal motif and the whole us vs. them vibe between different groups.
There are going to be many people who are disappointed by the ending. Without giving anything away, lets just say it comes to a logical conclusion that is as unsatisfying as it is just. And at over two hours, the last half-hour does drag down. They should have taken a key from the master of suspense and just ended the film without trying to tie up all the loose ends. It worked in The Birds and could have done the same here.
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