Above Average Horror Fare

Rating: 7/10 (24 May 2009)

Stephen king now bestrides the horror genre as a colossus and this cinematic interpretation of his novel is a fine one. Although all the thematic devices are obviously there, the screenplay by Frank Darabont provides a pleasing intelligence adding a further credit to his prior successes with the Green Mile and the Shawshank Redemption.
The formula is well concocted. The unexplained mist that descends on a backwater town comes with the same menace as John Carpenters "The Fog". A supermarket provides both a refuge, and a prison for those engulfed, echoing Carpenters "Assault on Precinct 13", whilst the crazed antics of the assailants and their victims are reminiscent of Romero's work.
Thomas Jane is a convincing lead as hero David Drayton with Laurie Holden offering the glamour and a mother figure for Drayton's young son who is also trapped.The stand out performance however is by supporting actress by Marcia Harden as Mrs Carmody playing a fundamentalist Christian convinced that Armageddon is upon them and whipping up a "Witches of Salem" hysteria.
The CGI is largely convincing, the suspense well created, and the gore sufficient for aficionados of the genre whilst not being used as an easy substitute for dramatic tension.The only let down is the ending. just before it I reflected that a certain ending wold be both childishly amusing, and preposterous - and then it happened!Nonetheless the previous 125 minutes more than compensate for this. Recommended.