The Mist [Blu-ray]

I used to have the book of the same name and the film follows the book in almost every detail, there are a few differences but nothing to spoil the film, in fact it was very well done, the only deviation from the film is at the end, when they are in the car but that's only because I have read the book, it's a great film it may make you jump at some parts of it definitely entertaining, you like horror, you'll like this one.

`The Mist' is the movie adaption of the Stephen King novella of the same name and is directed by Frank Darabont, who also directed two of the best King adaptations - The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.The story begins when thick fog covers a small town in Maine (and maybe beyond) following a violent storm the night before. David and his son Billy head to the local supermarket to get some things to repair the damage to the house and are then trapped in the store with other shoppers as strange creatures from the mist are killing anyone who steps outside for too long.I read the novella late last year and absolutely loved it, so couldn't wait to see this adaption. Also, as the film is from Darabont who did two of my favourite films of all time (King adaption or otherwise) I had very high expectations for this film. Fortunately, this film is a very good adaption and is definitely one of the best Stephen King films I've ever seen. The film captures the excitement and fear from the book perfectly and is very claustrophobic and dark. It's also pretty gory with some really good special effects. The creatures look good and are some of the better CGI monsters I've seen in recent years. Although they aren't too scary they look and move very realistically and are exactly as I'd pictured them looking when reading the book.Acting all round, especially from Thomas Jane (who plays David), is excellent and the terror and confusion that they are all feeling comes across as very believable. Another particularly impressive performance is from Marcia Gay Harden who plays the deranged Mrs Carmody, who I guarantee you will hate when watching this film (the character, that is).The one thing I didn't like about the book was that there was no real ending, leaving the reader guessing what happens next. In this movie it does have a proper ending and it will come as quite a shock whether you have read the book or not. Personally, I didn't actually like how it ended as it didn't feel like a Stephen King ending (you'll know what I mean when you see it) but it is still a lot better than how the book ended.The picture and sound quality is very impressive on this DVD and the special features aren't bad either with a black and white version of the film, which is exactly the same as the original version but adds to the classic sci-fi/horror feel to the film, and some behind the scenes featurettes and a few trailers.Overall this is a very impressive adaption that anyone who has read the book will appreciate and should enjoy. If you're unfamiliar with the Stephen King style of books and films you may find this a bit weird, but generally it is a very enjoyable and exiting film that most fans of the sci-fi and horror genres should like. If you have enjoyed films like War of the Worlds (both versions), The Fog, Silent Hill or any other of the many Stephen King films, I recommend this to you. Strangely this is only on Region 1 DVD at the moment, but it is definitely worth importing.

I adore Stephen King books and I consider "Mist" as one of his masterpieces but to my great surprise and delight this adaptation by Frank Darabont actually IMPROVED the original story!This is not an easy thing to improve the work of such a master! In fact many Stephen King works, including masterpieces, were wrecked once filmed (just consider the horrible fate of "Pet Sematary" or "Children of the Corn") - well not this time ladies and gentlemen! Here we have a work on the same level as in "Shawshank redemption" and "Green mile", which is only normal considering that Frank Darabont directed those movies too.I do not want to provide spoilers, but simply by looking at the cover of the DVD you already know that the mist is the key element of this story, and that the action will mostly take place in a supermarket - and also that for the people trapped inside, leaving the said supermarket is not really an option, because of the above mentioned mist... The rest is for you to discover...Any Constant Reader of Stephen King will probably howl with delight during the first scene of this movie - I certainly did! Also please do not miss the title of the newspaper one of the customers is reading in the waiting line in the supermarket just at the beginning of the movie - it is a very pleasant joke addressed to Constant Readers..)) I liked it very much.However the jokes and delights will end quickly. This is a VERY tough and extremely dark horror movie, with a great lot of death and suffering - including many of the most likable characters! And after all this comes the ending, which is as shocking as the crucial moments in "Seven" and "Shutter Island". It WILL shock you and probably hurt you - so beware and in fact if you feel a little bit down or vulnerable, you should absolutely postpone watching "The mist" until a better moment! That is a serious warning - please do not take it lightly!King's short story "The mist" had some elements which I always considered as weak spots and didn't like (although I absolutely love the whole story) and Frank Darabont made the choice of not correcting them, to stay faithful to the original text. I think he made a honorable choice, although King's obvious dislike of US armed forces is the only weak spot in this otherwise extraordinary story - me for one I simply refuse to believe that in a situation of extreme danger for civilians, highly trained professional soldiers (all volunteers!) who swore a solemn oath to protect the citizens of their republic from any danger, just abandon helpless women and children and choose the cowards way out! But this is just one minor glitch and after all stranger things happen...Frank Darabont changed however the original story by developing more the character of "the enemy inside" and especially by extending the story beyond the original ending, which was already shocking, but finally left the final fate of the heroes a mystery... In the movie there is a real ending and it is a very surprising and extremely painful one - it is even more horrible than any ending in Stephen King's books! But I believe this is a necessary thing, because this achieves the lesson we learn - and this movie in my perception is a very Christian one, unlike the original story. And here are the Christian teachings which I identified in "The mist":1) "Beware of false prophets who are like wolves coming dressed in sheep skins" (beginning and middle of the movie)2) "Thou shalt never deliver God's children in sacrifice to Moloch!!" (second part of the movie)3) The suicide is a deadly sin!!and last but not least!4) Hope is a major Christian virtue - so if you abandon yourself to despair, beware, because this is even worse than sin - IT IS AN ERROR!!This movie shocked me horribly but also made me think a lot and I count it as one of the best modern horror films and one of the finest cinematographic adaptations of Stephen King prose. I recommend it greatly - to buy, watch and keep!