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By Kayti Murphy
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Friday, 09 May 2008 |
 A massive thunderstorm attacks a small town in rural Maine (where most of King’s novels are set) and cuts the power. Dozens of people are trapped in the local food store waiting for The Mist to subside.
Of course, said mist plays host to human-eating creatures, the result of a military-project-gone-wrong. Something’s out there and before long it’s trying to get in, with Norm the young checkout attendant serving as first course.
Barricaded in, the townsfolk start to go stir crazy and split into factions.
The bible bashers are led by Mrs Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden of Mystic River), who believes the creature wants to avenge their sins. Then there’s unlikely superdad hero Dave Drayton (Jane), thrown into the deep end as the leader of the levelheaded.
After a while I wondered what Harden was doing in this shocker. then assumed it was a slow year and she needed the paycheck. In saying that she wasn’t bad, just a bit mad.
There are a few notable supporting roles such as Toby Jones as the assistant store manager who ends up 2IC to Dave. He’s your typical nerd who triumphs. Francis Sternhagen (last seen as Charlotte’s mother-in-law in Sex and the City) plays Irene, head of the local school and a feisty 60-something who is quick-talking and puts a cap in the ass of some of the creatures that appear out of The Mist.
A few wacky characters, a bit of divide and fall, a good-looking leading man with a love interest thrown in for good measure, and–oh, I forgot– the monsters, make for a decent, if formulaic, scary movie . The plot is a bit far-fetched, the special effects aren’t up to much, and I’m still shaking my head after Harden’s bible rants. And did I forget to mention how gory it is?
King and horror fans won’t be disappointed, but I’m giving it 2 and a half out of 5.
From the novel by Stephen King; Directed by Frank Darabont; Starring: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Toby Jones, Francis Sternhagen
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