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"Hey -- Why Can't
We See All the Scary
Monsters???" |
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Directed by Frank
Darabont - Written by
Frank Darabont
Starring Thomas Jane,
Andre Braugher, Laurie
Holden, Amin Joseph,
Frances Sternhagen,
Alexa Davalos, Sam
Witwer, Marcia Gay
Harden, Toby Jones
Distributed by Dimension
Films -
2007 - 127m - Rated R |
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TC Candler's Review
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D+ |
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"The Mist" is one of the most joyless films I have ever seen. It is so
devoid of any light that it would render a terminally ill patient
utterly suicidal.
It is a soul-crushing movie that will have viewers questioning their
entertainment choices forever. |
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However, with all that
being said, the film is not without skill. It is generally well
acted and has some salient and provocative ideas and themes. It also
works as a competent monster movie with enough scares and gore to
satisfy the least demanding in the audience.
The premise is simple -- a small town and its people are enveloped
by a dense white mist and a gathering of the most quirky are trapped
together inside a grocery store. A gory death occurs early on at the
hands/tentacles of an unknown creature in the mist. That death sets
into motion a makeshift lockdown inside the precariously
glass-walled supermarket.
The few dozen characters in the store work together to fortify the
store against basketball-sized locusts, pterodactyl-like creatures
and massive tentacles.
Our hero (Thomas Jane) and his son are the primary focus of the
story. There is a hysterical Jesus-freak (Marcia Gay Harden)
preaching the "end of days" and convincing the simple-minded and
fearful that she might be right. There is a dorky supermarket
manager who happens to be a crack-shot with a revolver. There are
hicks and mothers, token black guys with attitudes, kindly old
couples and biker dudes... etc. Oh, and there are a few army cadets
who have guilt strewn across their faces (inevitably, this has
something to do with the ludicrous explanation offered late in the
plot).
What plays out is a series of CGI battles and courageous stunts set
against a backdrop of heavily-laden political and religious
commentary. Unfortunately, the film completely lacks subtlety in
this department. The effects are mediocre, at best -- Could there be
a more convenient contrivance than a dense mist when it comes to FX?
The morality "message" is cinematically tired and lacks any real
insight or punch.
It all stumbles toward one of the most despairing and gut-wrenching
conclusions ever captured on the silver-screen. I felt like I'd gone
12-rounds with Lennox Lewis... and then got up and ran a
triathlon... and then climbed Mount Everest. It was not a pleasant
feeling and it won't be for you either.
The main problem with "The Mist" is that it is devoid of wit or
profundity. It lacks everything that could elevate it above the
typical monster movie fare. It doesn't have anything original to say
-- and what it does try to spoon feed us about the state of politics
and religion today is spread so thick that one feels like gagging.
And when we finally arrive at the fade-to-black, we are treated to a
big fat ass-raping that only the most masochistic would enjoy. I
hope for your sake that you aren't "that guy". |
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© Written by TC Candler -
Email Me! |
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How We Rated This Film
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TC Candler -
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D+ |
| Richard Propes
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Jacob Hall
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Richard
Propes' Comment
n/a
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
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