Creepy crawler films like The Mist are a rarity these days. With the exception of maybe Slither from last year, the cheesy B movie monster film has disappeared. Is it a good or bad thing, I don't know? Being a mild fan of the cornball monster films of the past though I found there was more then enough to like in The Mist. Sure it works as a fun and gross monster film but that’s not what I liked the most, as the film surprisingly offered much more.
The film takes place in a small rural town, most likely in Maine as it was based on a Stephen King novella. The film opens on the lead, Thomas Jane, having to go into town after a strange storm nocks out his power and damages his property. Going into town with him is his young son, so they can get some supplies to repair the damages. Once in the local they soon encounter a strange "mist" which appears to have creatures lurking inside of it. Naturally they, and the other town’s people, lock themselves into the grocery store. All the towns people are now trapped in the very Night of the Living dead type situation with gruesome creatures outside waiting to eat them. Now trapped inside they must struggle to survive! How dramatic!
Now I know this sounds incredibly cheesy or maybe even clichéd but there is more to this films then just creepy crawling creatures. What had me going in this film are not the monster outside of the store but the monster that were inside of the grocery store. Once they town’s people are locked within the store they soon dived into factions, and then those factions divide further. They soon begin to turn on each other and a power struggle ensues. As scary as the creatures on the outside of the store are, they are no match for the monsters on the inside. The store eventfully divides into two different groups. One of the groups is lead by the cool headed and reluctant Thomas Jane character, and the other group is lead by the insane bible-thumping madwoman, played by Marcia Gay Harden. Soon their battle for power become brutal and creature’s moments that had me on the edge of my seat. With out giving too much away all I will say is that many of the humans in the store resort to animal like actions and many tense moments result.
Marcia Gay Harden in this film really does a remarkable job. She is perhaps the best villain I have seen this year, with exception to Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men. Harden is truly frightening in this film. Her hell, fire and brimstone speeches are just chilling and utterly effecting. Her character is the perfect example of someone who does awful thing in the name of religion. I would actually love to see her get an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for her work here. She made me hate here character like few others, and I mean that in a good way. Harden's intense performance really heightens the film in so many ways.
Aside from the psychological thriller aspect of the film, I will have to admit liking the goofy monsters in the film too. The gross and weird looking creatures were very well done and looked actually cool. There were a wide variety of creepy crawlers and they looked good for the most part. There were a couple exciting action scenes in the film with the monsters and the film actually made me squirm in a few moments. The monster actually made me laugh in a few part just because they were so goofy and fun. The monsters almost serve as a relief from the intense psychological action on the inside of the store.
The Mist is also one of the better Stephen King adaptations. It seems to capture Kings style and attitude better then most. King’s dark edge is presented well here and King’s style is all over the film. This trueness to King’s work is probably due to The Mists director Frank Darabont. This is not the only King adaptation of Darabont as he also directed The Green Mile and the great Shawshank Redemption. He is perhaps the person best to adapt King’s work, as most others make bad films from King’s books. Darabont is a talented director and seems to know how to balance elements well in this film.
This film is not a perfect one by any means. The beginning is weak, the ending didn’t work for me and Thomas Jane over acts from time to time. That aside the majority of the film thrilled me. The great power struggle within the grocery store was some of the most thrilling things I have seen in awhile. It is also a fun tribute to 1950’s monster movies. The Mist has is partially flawed but when its good, its really good.
3 ½ /4 Stars
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