Stephen King finally done right!!!!

Rating: 9/10 (13 November 2007)

First off, we all know that King never translates well to film. We've seen one disaster after another as his stories fail to impress us in the cinema. Well, this changes that trend, at least for me.
For those of you familiar with the original novella, right away you will be annoyed by how quickly you are rushed through the set up for the story and characters. it's like being taken by the arm and ushered through. However, that is only the first twenty minutes. Once past the establishing exposition, the film settles down into a reasonable pace.
David Drayton (Thomas Jane), after surviving a devastating freak storm with his family, surveys the damage on his homestead. Almost casually his attention is drawn to a strange mist on the river by his home. His neighbor Brent Norton (Andre Braughter) has neglected a large diseased tree which in the aftermath of the storm has crashed through the front window of Drayton's home. Drayton and Norton have a history of animosity that includes an unspecified lawsuit that Drayton won. Not wanting to make more problems, Drayton confronts his neighbor civilly, asking for his insurance information. In an attempt to keep good blood Drayton and his young son Billy (Nathan Gamble) take Norton into town to buy supplies.
The local grocery is packed and they have no power. As Drayton and his son wait in line, a local man runs into the shop covered in blood screaming about monsters in the mist.
So it begins. The film centers on the patrons trapped in the shop. The characters are fascinating, and very well played. Special attention should be paid to the obligatory religious nutcase Mrs. Carmody, played with hate-inducing vigor by Marcia Gay Harden. Also, to shopkeeper Ollie played by Toby Jones. His is a staple King character: the unassuming little man no one really thought much about who proves the greatest hero and the strongest spirit of all of them. Jones really seems to understand this character and his performance is a stand-out of the cast. My personal favorite character is Hattie played by Susuan Malerstein. From what i have gathered, this is her first trip in front of the camera. She plays a wonderful, feisty grandma (another King staple) trapped in the shop and ultimately fights the monsters right next to the best of them.
The special effects were handled by KNB, Greg Nicotero's company and as always he does not disappoint. A combination of practical and CGI effects give us the "monsters in the mist". I saw very few seams in the CGI and blue screen, and the ones I did see were very hard to notice. I only saw them because I'm a nerd and I look for them.
The film has a different ending from the novella, played through from the original ending. It makes sense as a natural progression from where King left off in the original story.
Most of the camera work is hand held which adds to the realism. It is almost a documentary, cinema verite if you will and pulls you into the story. The characters are a little flat, like in many films of this genre, but yet you sympathize with them.
The soundtrack is non-existent. The majority of the film plays out without any music at all, adding to the realism. What music is in the film is used sparingly, including an inspired choice of a track from the goth/emo band Dead Can Dance.
Overall, and without giving too much away, I highly recommend this film. I can't say enough how much i enjoyed it, or how this is the best Stephen King adaption I've seen since Carrie.
you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll kiss 10 bucks goodbye and want to see it again