The Mist

So...the jury is still out on how I feel about "The Mist." I wanted to watch it because I do love a good scare...and well, it did deliver in that regard. I did get a little frustrated (or a LOT) with some of the characters, though...I just don't understand why people do the things that they do.

In "The Mist," based on a novella by Stephen King, a small New England town is enveloped in a thick fog...or Mist, if you will...after a violent thunderstorm. The storm has taken the power out in many homes, and destroyed a lot of property. Many people end up at the small local grocery store to get supplies to sustain them while they wait for the power to return. While they are there, it is determined that there is "something in The Mist" when a local man comes running into the store after watching his friend be "taken" by something.

The majority of the people in the store decide that it is unsafe to go outside of the store. A few venture out...either because they don't believe that anything dangerous is out there, or because they want to get home to protect loved ones. We learn of some of their outcomes throughout the movie. Eventually, the "something(s) in The Mist" are revealed...and I have to say...I'm not a huge fan of them.

The story...which I will not detail much more...creates some interesting studies on human behavior. It is amazing how quickly people can change when they are in intense situations. A quiet artist will become something of a leader...while those who seemed to be self-assured, and really...cocky...in the beginning, will buckle under the pressure and eventually do and believe anything that they are told...be it good, or bad. Some people turn on their friends...while others who never even met band together. The tagline for the movie is "Fear Changes Everything," and that really does say it all. When you really think about it, more scary than encounters with the "things" in the Mist, is what happens to the people inside the supermarket...through encounters with one another.

I have enjoyed other Stephen King movies that Frank Darabont has made...(he did "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption;" he's the director of this one, too.) I think my reservations with this movie come from the story itself...which is really quite tragic in so many ways. I can't say that it's a "bad" movie...it's one of those movies that makes you think about what you would do...it's a "thinker" movie. Aside from the supernatural elements, the characters are real...and act like real people...which is disturbing...if you see it, I'm sure you'll know what I mean. While I don't regret seeing the movie...it's certainly not for everyone.