A visceral, nerve-rattling apocalypse.

Rating: 7/10 (18 August 2009)

I read the Stephen King novella some 25 years ago and it was already gripping back then in its effective, "Dawn of the dead"-like simplicity (a large group of people gets trapped inside a supermarket as a mysterious mist surrounds them with unspeakable terrors lurking inside it). But to actually expand, extend and IMPROVE it, was beyond my wildest expectations, as Darabont turns this horror-fantasy tale into a visceral, nerve-rattling apocalypse. The supernatural monsters are quite impressively scary (if a bit too CGI-graphic...), but they almost pale in comparison to its human counterparts as the panic mounts with a religious loony in the crowd. There is a truly terrifying human sacrifice scene which will haunt me for a long time... Knowing it was written in the 80's also answers some modern obvious plot questions (umm - anyone got a cell phone?).
A bit long, but thumbs up for really going for the throat and daring to be merciless with its characters to the very end! Another tool is what I've advocated for a long time: a very limited music score; it's ghastly enough as it is - and parents: be sure to keep your kids away from this!
7 out of 10 from Ozjeppe