The Mist (2007)

[Guestx]

(*tho tbh the twist isn't really very "realistic" imo. That clean-up seemed way too quick and easy - I mean, they had alien monsters there bigger than houses and plenty of very nasty mid-sized and small ones...)

I can feel you on that, actually. Logistically I don't see how the Army could be right behind them like that. I suppose the detour to Tom Jane's house to visit his wife makes it a little more plausible, but I agree it's questionable.

The shock and emotional punch of the scene goes a long way toward making up for it though.

I don't mind the tentacle scene. Actually I think it looks pretty good, even by today standards I'd still consider it ok.

Ugh. It looked way too cartoony for me. The creature just didn't feel like a solid, living entity.

This I don't really have a problem with. People tend to turn to religion in extreme situations. And this was not only an extreme situation that developed very quickly, but also one that seemed a lot like it had supernatural causes. This wasn't a plague or an earthquake or any other "normal" disaster, where you can still try to explain it rationally. This were monsters that looked like they crawled out of the pits of hell. Ideal conditions for religious fanatics.

People turn to religion, sure, but would you really expect so many of them them to turn to it so suddenly in that violent, mania-filled kind of way? I mean, these weren't people having a quiet Bible study.

The weirdest moment was that it was revealed that the creatures were the result of a military project this somehow makes them MORE convinced it was a plague from God. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

How about Pleasantville? There the B&W is even essential to the story.

Pleasantville used B&W effectively but the thing about that film is that I just didn't enjoy it much.

 

[Guestx]

How is the show?

I've enjoyed it quite a bit but I seem to be in the minority. It gets better as it goes along. I'd give it a 7.5/10 overall.

It's very different from the movie.

 

[Guestx]

Sounds like a good movie but after reading this post I guess there is no point of watching The Mist.

I give the movie 8 out of 10 by just reading this.

Bruh, why didn't you heed my warning?

 

[Guestx]

So, did all the creatures come from the All World (Dark Tower world)?

It's never fully explained. All we know is they have something to do with a military project called Arrowhead.

 

[Deleted member 220895]

I like when movies have genuinely unlikable villains opposed to movies where you dislike the villain because you know you should. She was perfect for the role, which is funny because I met her multiple times, and she is such a sweet person in real life.

 

[Amerikuracana]

People miss the religious themes and other things right in front of their face about this movie..

What was ms. Carmody calling for that would appease God? Expiation? Wtevr she called it.. Her vengeful, angry God wanted sacrifice to end the situation. She wanted "the boy." Once the sacrifices were made, the situation ended.

Also, the happy ending was the woman's children being alive. Nobody would help, and somehow they survived. That's a little more obvuous, of course.

 

[Guestx]

People miss the religious themes and other things right in front of their face about this movie..

What was ms. Carmody calling for that would appease God? Expiation? Wtevr she called it.. Her vengeful, angry God wanted sacrifice to end the situation. She wanted "the boy." Once the sacrifices were made, the situation ended.

Huh. Interesting.

So are you saying the film implies that Ms. Carmody was actually correct?

Also, the happy ending was the woman's children being alive. Nobody would help, and somehow they survived. That's a little more obvuous, of course.

I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention to the people in the truck but I didn't notice her.

 

[Amerikuracana]

Huh. Interesting.

So are you saying the film implies that Ms. Carmody was actually correct?



I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention to the people in the truck but I didn't notice her.

You could get that out of it, yes. "Correct" is a difficult word to use for her, but so much of the movie is really based on her call a for sacrifice to allow God to end the mist.

 

[Guestx]

You could get that out of it, yes. "Correct" is a difficult word to use for her, but so much of the movie is really based on her call a for sacrifice to allow God to end the mist.

That's an interesting perspective. I'd be curious to hear Darabont's (and King's) take on that.

It makes the movie even more bleak because it means God really is a huge asshole.

 

[Felis]

It doesn't even matter (to me) that the army seemed to mop up too easily. That's not the point.

I can feel you on that, actually. Logistically I don't see how the Army could be right behind them like that. I suppose the detour to Tom Jane's house to visit his wife makes it a little more plausible, but I agree it's questionable.

The shock and emotional punch of the scene goes a long way toward making up for it though.

Yeah, it doesn't really diminsh the scene for me either. The scene is powerful enough to suspend disbelief.

The only thing that did diminish it a bit for me, is that imo the main actor is a bit subpar in emotional scenes.

People turn to religion, sure, but would you really expect so many of them them to turn to it so suddenly in that violent, mania-filled kind of way? I mean, these weren't people having a quiet Bible study.

Well, maybe not expect, but it doesn't seem too far fetchedto me. Their world quickly and suddenly turned extremely crazy, so a similarly fast turn to religious mania seems fitting to me.

The weirdest moment was that it was revealed that the creatures were the result of a military project this somehow makes them MORE convinced it was a plague from God. Shouldn't it be the other way around

Did they (the religious group) believe that explanation? (not sure, it's been a while since I watched the movie)
But even if they did: that should not pose much of a problem for a religious maniac. God made the military horribly fail* their project as punishment for them and humankind.

(Assuming the release of mist and monsters was a failure... If we wanted to speculate that maybe it wasn't such a completely unexpexted catastrophe, but maybe rather an ..test, then you could still simply declare the military unwitting tools of god.
(not that I think the "experimental release instead of pure accident" theory is very likely. It could kinda explain the quickness of the mob up a bit better tho.. - lol))

Pleasantville used B&W effectively but the thing about that film is that I just didn't enjoy it much.

Oh well, different tastes. I loved Pleasantville.

 

[I Am Legion]

I liked the novella and the movie. The ending was brutal.

 

[Protectandserve]

Movie is a 9/10 for me. I remember people just sitting stunned in the theater at the ending. There was a large group legit balling their eyes out.

I like Thomas Jane, and felt he did well in the role. So many good actors in it, lots of the cast of The Walking Dead, which makes sense with Frank Darabount in the chair.

Show does a good job of showing how quickly people devolve without the norms of society holding them in check. Also goes to show what a firearm does in that situation. One dude has a gun. It is a game changer. Now think of the similar circs with Hurricane Katrina or Harvey currently. I like that it is not like most zombie movies where some how everyone has a fully automatic AR15 or MP5, they just have one revolver.

For me them all deciding to end it when the car breaks down makes sense. They have spent several days in the Mist in the store, then drive for hours seeing who knows what kind of horrors and monsters in the Mist and there doesn't appear to be an end. Then hearing the approaching creatures, I think a bullet is sadly the logical choice vs some of the horrible deaths they have witnessed (think the grocery store clerk chick or the spiders in the pharmacy).

Only critic I have is the military was so close they would have heard a tank and deuce and a half roll by.

 

[Guestx]

Did they (the religious group) believe that explanation? (not sure, it's been a while since I watched the movie)
But even if they did: that should not pose much of a problem for a religious maniac. God made the military horribly fail* their project as punishment for them and humankind.

(Assuming the release of mist and monsters was a failure... If we wanted to speculate that maybe it wasn't such a completely unexpexted catastrophe, but maybe rather an ..test, then you could still simply declare the military unwitting tools of god.
(not that I think the "experimental release instead of pure accident" theory is very likely. It could kinda explain the quickness of the mob up a bit better tho.. - lol))

Yeah, when he comes out that the mist was the result of a military project the religious mob basically comes to the conclusion that even though it was the Army . . . it's still God.

God's punishing the people for the military's hubris, I guess.

 

[Harbour]

Hi Shadow, just seeing this now. Glad you finally got around to watching it.

Different enough from the TV series that it wasn't a spoiler in any way eh?

The same guy Frank Darabont who adapted this one also did The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption.

He also apparently has the screenplay rights for a different King story called The Long Walk that i have to recommend if you've never heard of it. There's good audiobooks out there of it as well, around 7 hours long from what i remember. Just an amazing one that's like a cross of Stand By Me and something like,,i dunno,, Battle Royale or something. I can't recommend it enough!

PS.. i thought that Mist tv show got better near the end of the season. I hope it gets renewed for a second season. Maybe i could get in it as an extra!

 

[Guestx]

Different enough from the TV series that it wasn't a spoiler in any way eh?

Yeah, the show and the movie are two very different beasts.

The same guy Frank Darabont who adapted this one also did The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption

Yeah, I read that. Seems like a strange jump from films like those to something like this.

He also apparently has the screenplay rights for a different King story called The Long Walk that i have to recommend if you've never heard of it. There's good audiobooks out there of it as well, around 7 hours long from what i remember. Just an amazing one that's like a cross of Stand By Me and something like,,i dunno,, Battle Royale or something. I can't recommend it enough!

Sounds interesting. I'll have to check it out!

PS.. i thought that Mist tv show got better near the end of the season. I hope it gets renewed for a second season. Maybe i could get in it as an extra!

Agreed that it got better. I thought that eps 7, 8 and 10 were probably the best of the series.

I do hope it gets renewed, but no renewal announcement so far. One thing that's interesting is that the show was immediately released to Netflix in several countries outside the US.

Is Spike planning to use the Netflix viewership numbers to determine if they're going to renew or not? Or is it perhaps an attempt to get Netflix interested in buying the show, as they've done with other shows in the past?

 

[rocketskates]

Super depressing. The book isn't nearly as bleak.

 

[Harbour]

Yeah, the show and the movie are two very different beasts.



Yeah, I read that. Seems like a strange jump from films like those to something like this.



Sounds interesting. I'll have to check it out!



Agreed that it got better. I thought that eps 7, 8 and 10 were probably the best of the series.

I do hope it gets renewed, but no renewal announcement so far. One thing that's interesting is that the show was immediately released to Netflix in several countries outside the US.

Is Spike planning to use the Netflix viewership numbers to determine if they're going to renew or not? Or is it perhaps an attempt to get Netflix interested in buying the show, as they've done with other shows in the past?

I'm not sure with the netflix answer. I think it's the kind of thing on netflix that should attract enough eyeballs regardless of critical reputation to get another season, especially with that new version of IT being such a box office smash.

You're right with that being a strange jump. I feel the largest part of that was budget related. The Green Mile in 1999 had a 60 mill budget, the mist in 2007 only had 18 mill. Even Shawshank in 1994 with very few special effects had a 25 million budget. Of course most of that was spent on the great actors, but still a huge difference.

The Mist is a movie though where i'm glad it's not a big budget movie. If it was, we'd have like, Katie Holmes or someone distracting in it and it would probably be a little tamer. It's almost to me like avoiding what was wront with those latest Hobbit movies. Nice that they kept it smaller instead of making it something bloated. That was part of my initial negative reaction towards the TV show on Spike, aside from some of the less than perfect acting.

 

[Harbour]

Super depressing. The book isn't nearly as bleak.

i can't figure out how to do spoiler tags so i'll just be vague but yeah. I think i like both the endings equally for different reasons.

 

[Peteyandjia]

I wanted to like it, but I didn't think it was made particularly well. Kinda feels like a TV movie or something, which is strange because Darabont is usually an amazing filmmaker. I remember being disappointed. The CGI looked really bad which really killed the tension or horror they were trying to build. And maybe I'm alone here, but I thought the ending was done so badly by all involved, that I was actually almost laughing at it. The movie had something, but the execution just didn't work for me at all.

 

[Guestx]

The Mist is a movie though where i'm glad it's not a big budget movie. If it was, we'd have like, Katie Holmes or someone distracting in it and it would probably be a little tamer. It's almost to me like avoiding what was wront with those latest Hobbit movies. Nice that they kept it smaller instead of making it something bloated. That was part of my initial negative reaction towards the TV show on Spike, aside from some of the less than perfect acting.

Re: the budget, here's an interesting bit from the IMDB trivia:

Frank Darabont had originally been offered $30 million by a producer to make this film, but with one crippling caveat: Darabont would have to change his planned ending, a conclusion he'd personally envisioned and nursed for twenty years. In the end, he turned to producer Bob Weinstein and made the movie for half the amount, but only after forfeiting his directorial salary.