I find horror movies fascinating. They can range from incredibly dumb to all time favorites and anywhere in between. Sometimes the worst ones ending up being so stupendously bad you can't help but find charm in them. That being said each month I want to take the time to spotlight a favorite of mine.
I wanted to start the series off with a movie that I hold near and dear to my heart. The Mist, while not perfect, is one that I've enjoyed countless viewings of. It induces such a wide range of emotions and really nails what I believe it's going for. It takes the feeling of isolation and helplessness, mixes it with some supernatural, while building the characters and evolving their stories as the days go on.
The majority of the film takes place in a small town grocery store. While the idea of being confined in a small space may not be wholly original, The Mist brings a very different take to the trope as the setting is much more of a known quantity. Where Alien and The Thing occur in areas I, most likely, will never travel to. This feeling of familiarity brings a whole new level of terror for the viewer. As the movie goes on it seems like the store is shrinking as characters form alliances and take hold in their areas, creating more of a claustrophobic feeling. This in turn makes the store feel like it's undergoing its own character arc.
Characters are another success in The Mist. I loved this movie way before I had children of my own, and now that I do this movie hits that much harder. We see glimpses of how wonderful of a relationship David Drayton and his son, Billy, have in the opening moments. Billy clearly looks up to his dad and it plays such an important role in the movie. They have plenty of memorable scenes together as the tenderness in David’s heart is shown. David may not be perfect, but he sure tries everything he can to keep the residents thinking logically while fighting with the apocalypse knocking on the door.
The side characters are pretty small town stereotypical but they felt so genuine. Mrs. Carmody and her followers a great example of this; she is a very religious woman who cites the wrath of God as an explanation of what's going on. In the beginning nobody buys it, because she's obviously crazy, right? As the film goes on though and her biblical ramblings seem more and more truthful her numbers grow until she has swayed most of the inhabitants. I feel that if the Mist were to happen in the real world that people would be looking for any explanation they can find to at least try and get some understanding. Mrs. Carmody plays on fear as a way to gain power and it slowly works as desperation moves in. Her villainous ways are only accepted because death is close, and it goes to show that people will do whatever and believe anything just to survive. I hated everything about Mrs. Carmody but her character is fascinating and that is a testament how well written and portrayed she was.
The rest of the supporting characters hit a bunch of small town tropes. The new elementary school teacher, local business owner, and the mechanics, all of whom play a big role in making the movie have that grounded feeling. It seems like any trip to the store until the creatures of the Mist show up. The insect like monsters are incredibly designed in the grotesque fashion you'd imagine. Every scene with them is intense and has me on the edge of my seat, specifically the pharmacy trip. Still unsure of what they are dealing with a group of characters head next door to get medical supplies. Of course this goes off with many flaws as you get a more up close view of what is happening in the mist. The Pharmacy is full of spider like webbing and what would it be if dead people weren't strung up places, and you can't forget to have the eggs laid inside of the dead humans. Again this movie is full of tropes but done in such a fantastic way that I didn't care. I just wanted to see all of them make it safely back to the store. However, the feeling of safety isn't one that The Mist provides too much of.
SPOILER ALERT
It's impossible to talk about this movie without talking about the ending. It's unimaginable and really helps hammer home the feeling of dread. The reality sinks in and survival isn't guaranteed. As the group of survivors have braved the mist in order to get a car. The hope that they can make it to safety. Driving around though they see no end to the Mist in sight. The tank of gas starts hitting empty. It's hard to know what I'd do in this situation, but having to put a bullet in your kid to save him from whatever pain the creatures may present, I couldn't imagine. Having to live with that, especially if they had waited a little longer. As just to really gut punch you in the feelings the army shows up manning flamethrowers that seemingly destroy the mist. Leaving our main character to live the rest of his life thinking, “what if I waited just a little longer?”
I can't talk this movie up enough. It’s a great movie based on a Stephen King novel, which can be pretty hit or miss. The Mist is an intense ride filled with terrific performances, set pieces, and monster designs. It's a movie that may have slipped under some people's radar for whatever reason, but it's one that I think any fan of horror needs to check out.
Comentários