Review: The Mist Remains The Best Stephen King Adaptation To Date
- Jun 7, 2017
- 2 min read
With the TV remake releasing in a few weeks, now seems as good a time as any to go back and watch Frank Darabont's original. The man who has dedicated his life to adapting Stephen King novels turns his hand to one of the more horrific tales around.
Following a violent storm in a small American town, a strange fog begins rolling down to the village. David Drayton (Thomas Jane) leaves his family to pick up supplies as they wait for the power to come back on. As the mist fills the town, David and a group of townspeople find themselves trapped, the relative safety of a supermarket being the only thing between them and the horrors that lie hidden within the fog.
The Mist is, in my opinion, the best adaptation of any Stephen King work. It has it all. Horror, monsters, crazy religious people and an ending that defies all expectations. The characters, while mostly archetypal, are so well acted that they wind up feeling like real people. The acting is excellent across the board with Thomas Jane being the standout in a dramatic role the likes of which is rarely seen.
The slowly building tension, the terrific creature design and, again, maybe the best ending of any movie ever, create something truly unique. While some of the effects aren't exactly great, the various critters and beasts serve their purpose more than well enough. They range from tiny spiders to frankly enormous colossi and everything in between. Some are grotesque while others are strangely majestic, but they all leave an impression.
Between a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and (seriously, can't say this enough) an ending that I have rewatched more than the movie itself, The Mist is one of the best horror movies ever made. Do yourself a favour and check it out.
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