The Mist (2007)

Why did it take me so long to watch this?  I'll admit, I'm not one to ever watch things right away, but I'm trying to change and become more regular at it.  But nearly 5 years for The Mist.  I'm a fool.  I always knew I would get to it, and 5 years later I have.  One of the reasons I put it off was a couple of my friends telling me how great it was.  Those friends are pussies when it comes to horror, so I didn't believe them.  Maybe I should get my head out my arse and listen to more recommendations.

As you may know, I'm trying to watch every single Stephen King penned story adapted to the screen. I thought I'd play it safe tonight and go with one I felt I'd enjoy.

Once again Frank Darabont directs a Stephen King story, and rightly so, because he's the best at it (I mean, he did give us one of the best films ever with The Shawshank Redemption) and with the material to work with here, he's brought another classic.  And let me stress the word ''classic'' because it's a modern horror masterpiece.

The premise is simple - a man, his son and their neighbour head into town the morning after a thunderstorm, only to be hauled up in a supermarket with a mysterious mist outside with something even more mysterious lurking in it.  And it's totally different from The Fog.

Everything about this screams generic.  For a start, the title just reminds you of Carpenter's classic I mentioned in the previous paragraph.  In addition, the premise isn't even the most exciting Stephen King story on paper.  However, what is contained within these false assumptions is something special.  The atmosphere is amazing throughout, with a constant feeling of threat and claustrophobia.  Furthermore, the performances are fantastic but that's no surprise considering it stars Thomas Jane and William Sadler., but it's Marica Harden who truly shines. It maintains constant suspense and climaxes with an unforgettable ending.

Classic.