Stephen King's the Mist Movie Review..

"The Mist" is based on the short story written by Stephen King and is directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile). This Sci-Fi/Horror stars a fine cast that includes Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, and Toby Jones.

After a vicious storm strikes a small town, a mysterious mist follows. The citizens of the town end up stuck in a supermarket after a man, bleeding from the nose, runs in claiming "There's something in the mist". After some brutal attacks by creatures in the mist, the people now must fight for their lives to make it out of the mist alive. They end up splitting up into two groups. One group believes that the mist is a biblical act of god, led by Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), and the other group, led by David Drayton (Thomas Jane), does not.

The camerawork and creature effects are what keeps the film moving at a brisk pace. I love the way this film actually feels like a Stephen King horror movie, getting the viewers involved with the character's situations. The script, though I haven't read the book, was incisive and to the point. Yes, it was creepy and sometimes scary, but there is something missing. Maybe it was the acting that was done, how should I say, a little too good. Maybe it was the way it was all layed out. Or maybe it was all the hype. What can I say, I was somewhat disappointed.

Some scenes worked well, while others got me rooting for the bugs. What I enjoyed most about this Stephen King adaption are the acid spinning spiders and that backbone of an ending. This is a ultimately depressing horror film based on human survival and the will to live. A hit or miss type of ending, but for me it hit the bulls-eye. What holds the film together is the thick script and the impressive camerawork. What pulls the film apart is the hype and the acting just didn't work for me.

The mist does have some pretty intense and scary moments, just not enough of them. The bugs are the real showcase here, ranging from giant wasp-like creatures to spiders that spin acid webs. This is, at times, a bone chilling, stomach churning movie experience. There's something in the mist.....too bad it's a mild disappointment.

3/5 stars