A good movie based on a great book.

Rating: 9/10 (22 November 2007)

Let me start by saying that this is an awesome book-to-film conversion. If you've read the story and liked it, then you probably won't be disappointed.
Acting/characters: The acting in this film is not Hollywood overacting. The characters stay human throughout the film. When things get rough, they shake, fumble around, scream, and do things that make little sense when fear clouds their judgment. At first it may seem lame, as though they're not even trying. But in real life, would you be "trying"? The characters feel like real people, not like actors. My only complaint is about some of the jokes thrown in. Some of them seem more like a script than a real person's reaction, which does detract a bit from the film. 9/10
Story: Well, being based on a book, there's not much to say. The story stays very true to the book except for one part, which still feels very Stephen King. 10/10
Special effects: The computer graphics in this movie are very well done. Not much too much to complain about here. It did seem like it could have been done slightly better in some areas. 9/10
Horror: This movie is scary in more than one way. It's not just about ripping innocent victims apart. It digs into the human mind. When things get bad, people fall apart. These poor grocery-buying citizens don't Rambo their way out of trouble. They are not strong minded supermen and women. They cave in to their fear through denial, religion, and even just plain giving up. While some of the fear comes from the very creepy mist, much also comes from just how weak-minded your average person is and how easily they will give in to pressure. Or how desperateness can cause one to seek any solution, including the extreme or absurd. Also, the horror doesn't come in the form of music building up, just to have a cat pop out of a closet. This film doesn't just take cheap shots at the audience. 10/10
Overall: This movie is a must-see for fans of the book, and recommended for horror fans in general. Everything about this movie seems right, except for the humor in some places which detracted from the realism. 9/10