The storm sets off a chain of
events that leaves Drayton and a rag-tag bunch of his fellow
townspeople (ignorant neighbors, religious fanatics, school
teachers, local red necks and the supermarket staff) fighting
desperately for their lives from whatever lurks outside - whatever
lurks within The Mist.
The question is - will they be able to survive
each other?
I really expected very little of The Mist,
I'll make no bones about it. I thought it was going to be just another poor
Stephen King screen adaption (there have been very few goodies besides The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile and 1408).
But I urge you - do not make this mistake, because The Mist
is one of the most thrilling... well, thrillers, to hit the DVD screen
(it disappeared from cinemas pretty quickly) since M. Night
Shamalamalamalalamalamalalamlam was still good!
Directed by Frank Darabont (who also worked on Green Mile & Shawshank)
this is a horror movie with substance - and chills. Opting, at least
for a good deal of the film, for the "What You Can't See" method of
movie scares, The Mist is just about as gripping and cruel as one could possibly hope for from a film set in a supermarket.
However, what is
most impressive is the various social commentaries weaved throughout
the film. While
they are far from subtle, they are at least made, something which very
few horror films do anymore. You see, back in
the old days, the whole point of horror films was to portray and
address social issues like prejudice, religion & politics without
actually having to put a giant text block on the screen stating "Stop
hating Black people".
It gives the audiences a whole lot more to chew on. However, let's not forget the scary
stuff either - because there is plenty of that (spiders.... ewwww). The
performances are far from Oscar worthy (Thomas Jane is excellent though) but deliver enough, the CGI
ghouls are straight out of 1998 but still give you the creeps, the
ending is far from satisfying (it's has divided audiences) but
ironic and cruel enough to get the point across - but most importantly, it is
consistently engaging throughout. This is one horror movie not to be... Mist Blu Ray DVD EXTRASThis
is the exact type of movie that works an absolute treat on Blu Ray,
especially with surround sound speakers. The soundscape is so complex
and
intricate, it really takes you into the world of the characters, with
the various bugs and creaks attacking your ears from every direction -
it's
one not to be missed in that regard.
As usual, there are plenty
of Featurettes on offer which - which, to be honest, never really cause
to
much excitement. Sure, they are ok to fill in time - but more often
than not, you are hoping they finish soon if they run over the four
minute mark. That said, book lovers will love the Stephen King /
Darabont "chat" where they talk about their mutual admiration for each
other, as well as their process of collaboration over the years.
The real drawcard here is the almost revoloutionary
inclusion of a version of the movie in Black & White. Not only does
it add a cool novelty to proceedings, but it actually creates a far
more intense mood to the piece.
While that might not work for every movie, it certainly does take The Mist to another level.
If
you can tolerate the ending, then this is a great chance to give your Home Theatre
System a good run.
Conclusion:
Movie 75% Extras: 80%
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