Luke Owen counts down to Halloween by reviewing horror movies from the last 60 years; next up is The Mist (2007)…
How I came into ownership of the DVD of The Mist is kind of a mystery. I remember buying it from my local ASDA but I don’t really remember why. In more recent months I’ve been told I should check it out, but yet it still sat on my shelf for the better part of a year. Well, now I’ve watched it and the only mystery remains is why it took me so long.
I cannot express how much I loved The Mist. It’s been quite some time that a horror movie has touched and gripped me as much as this one. Based on the short story by horror master Stephen King, Frank Darabont’s The Mist tells the story of a small Maine town (in a Stephen King story? I’m shocked) that one day is engulfed by a thick mist. While shopping at the time of the mist’s appearance, poster artist David Drayton is trapped with several other town members in a supermarket with no idea of what’s outside. The story is intriguing, the characters are fantastic, the suspense is palpable and the presentation is just perfect. Well, almost perfect.
The Mist does sadly feature some pretty poor moments. Most notable is the really poor CGI that is seen during the mist’s first attack; while it’s not the worst CGI I’ve ever seen it’s pretty terrible and it does ruin the moment somewhat. Other poor moments come from some genuinely stupid decisions made by some of the characters. They’re not poor choices that are in keeping with their characters themselves, they’re just stupidly dumb things to do that make no sense other than to facilitate a plot point in what some may see as lazy writing. Lastly, there is a reveal towards the end of the movie which is a pure Stephen King plot device that – given the hour or so that came before it – sort of comes out of nowhere and is only needlessly there to explain the plot. If you ask me, the fear of the unknown is not only better, it’s more in keeping with this story.
This is the real key of the movie – the fear of the unknown. The townspeople are scared to death because they have no idea with what they are dealing with. Because they have no idea, we have no idea, which draws us further into their fear. I was on the edge of my seat with sweaty palms for almost the entire run time of this bleak, painful and cruel movie. Not a second of running time is wasted and the whole film never lets go of its tight grip on you. What does happen to a small group of people who have nowhere to run, do they stand tall and be brave – do they wait to be helped or do they turn to something more sinister? This is the brilliance of The Mist and why the film works so well. The film worked so well in fact that it scared Stephen King!
Part of this power comes from some simply stunning performances from the cast, especially Thomas Jane in the lead role and Marcia Gay Harden as the God-fearing Old Testament-preaching Mrs. Carmody. Her portrayal is terrifying as she starts slow with small preachy comments before gathering her own congregation who she can control. While The Mist is the physical villain of the movie, Mrs. Carmody is the true antagonist. But this isn’t just a two performance movie – Toby Jones is phenomenal as cashier Ollie and Laurie Holden is excellent as the friendly Amanda who acts as a mother figure to David’s son Billy. Not only are the performances wonderful, they’re also excellent characters which, as I said in yesterday’s The Faculty review, draws you in to the movie further and makes you care about who lives and who bites the dust.
If you see a copy of this movie on DVD, buy it immediately and don’t wait a year to watch it. The Mist is a creepy horror movie that will grip you, taunt you and hold on tightly until the credits roll. Some of the best performances I’ve seen in a movie joined with some incredible characters and a wonderfully engaging story makes this one of my all-time favourite horror movies. Buy it now, watch it straight away and never forget it. A wonderful movie.
Gore: ★ ★ ★ / Scares: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Entertainment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Luke Owen is a freelance copywriter working for Europe’s biggest golf holiday provider as their web content executive.
Originally published October 29, 2012. Updated April 10, 2018.
