The Mist (2007) - 8/10

Stormy nights, power cuts and strange mist hanging over a lake in a sleepy upstate New York town. It’s nothing too unusual to start, but has that lowkey eeriness on which to build and build it will, fast. David (Thomas Jane) lives there with his family. He doesn’t get on with his neighbour, Brent (Andre Braugher), but I’ve a feeling something might bond them together, albeit briefly. Getting stuck in the local supermarket is a good way to do that. They’re there when, Dan (Jeffrey DeMunn) runs in with a bloody nose shouting “There’s something in the mist!” as the town’s emergency sirens ring out around the streets filled with the army blokes from the mysterious base up the mountain, as the mist surrounds the town. Touch paper lit. It’s a simple premise, but utterly brilliant. No one knows what’s going on, theories run wild, local crank, Mrs Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden) declares “It’s the end of days”. Supermarket clerk, Ollie (Toby Jones) calls for calm heads, they have most everything they need… except answers and any word that people outside the supermarket are okay. There’s been no phone signal since the storm, they’re isolated… and we know what can happen then, tension. It could play this card for longer than it does. There’s strength in what we don’t see, but The Mist isn’t that film. Think instead of Tremors meets The Fog and you’re on the right lines, with creepy tentacles with teeth reaching out of the void to kill anything they can. It could go full monster movie, but the dynamics of fear, coupled with societal strains, locals and out-of-towners, believers and non-believers, keep it firmly on track. It’s a bit trashy yes, but it’s high grade trash. It’s a Stephen King adaptation with Frank Darabont after all. There’s a few ropey performances, but mostly it’s disarmingly fantastic, delivered by lot of familiar faces, Frances Sternhagen, William Sadler, Alexa Davalos, it’s a strong supporting cast. If the opening hour is gripping, the second half is wild! Giant bugs, demonic winged monsters, acid spitting spiders, the creatures department is on its a-game. It’s glorious chaos, but at its core, plain old fear. Fear of what’s outside, the unknown, of having no control, but what’s more dangerous, the monsters in the mist or the monsters within us (well, Americans). Honestly I was expecting some pulpy switch your brain off romp, but this is fantastic! Sure it’s not perfect, it’s a horror thriller with b-movies aesthetics, but crikey it’s a brilliantly satisfying watch and the finale, devastating!!

8/10