The Mist (2007)

The Mist (2007) is an American horror/sci-fi adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novella directed by Frank Darabont. The Mist features a group of people who become stuck inside a supermarket because of the deadly mist. The fog, which appears after the great destructive storm, conceals mysterious creatures and kills the people caught in it. 

The protagonist David and a few others, Amanda, Ollie, Dan, and Irene, look for ways to get out of the market and try to maintain order. The people trapped in this supermarket gradually split into two groups as time goes by because the religious fanatic Mrs. Carmody considers herself the chosen person to preach God’s words and preaches that the mist is the divine punishment.

Mrs. Carmody blames “the other group,” including our protagonist David, for the mist because she believes people like them go against God’s words and are sinful, so they are all punished. The invasion of giant flying insects breaking through the windows accelerates the chaos in the atmosphere. Mrs. Carmody, who prays during the attack, narrowly survives and hereby gains more followers.

Mrs. Carmody gains such power and influence that she convinces her followers that a human sacrifice must be made to God. The convinced followers show their trust in Mrs. Carmody, and as the level of violence increases, the conflict between the two groups reaches a higher and irreversible point.

For me, though it is not the best directing of Darabont, especially considering his other wonderful productions like The Shawshank Redemption or The Green Mile, The Mist raises interesting points about politics, religion, and human nature. The film presents two ideas, the main reason behind the separation of two groups. While David’s group tries to act and find a solution rather than waiting and surrendering to their fate, Mrs. Carmody’s group prefers a religious resignation and waits with the understanding of a guarantee in the supermarket.

Moreover, the film refers to the philosophy of human nature. Amanda believes that people are basically good, decent, and civilized and does not believe that people go astray and become savages; unlike her, David, Ollie, and Dan suggest that people may act primitive and be aggressive under certain circumstances. And as the movie progresses, we realize that David and the others are right. Their idea and the film remind the audience of the Latin proverb "Homo homini lupus est,” meaning “Man to man is a wolf.”

I really like watching twist-ending movies, but this one made me a little annoyed and upset; my jaw literally dropped, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed when I watched the ending. Although the visual effects may seem inadequate and cheesy to some, fantasy and apocalyptic movie lovers may give this movie a chance.