A film that should definitely be "mist"

Rating: 1/10 (18 February 2008)

A small sleepy town. A storm. Some ominous mist. People trapped in a supermarket. Tentacles attacking. Yup, so far is seems so promising. A monster movie which builds up tension slowly, and when the creepers are first shown delivers with reasonable-looking CGI.
But wait. This ain't no shallow monster flick. We need to include room for characterisation. We need give the story some real depth. We need to get people thinking about stuff.
So many messages. Hey, let's show how when people are scared, they may do stupid things. Hey, we could include a religious nut who's crazy. And better add in some country hicks who are clearly stupid and easily misled. And of course, don't forget that big city lawyers are inevitably self-righteous and unwilling to listen to common sense. And let's show how when people care for their children, like really really care, then they will do anything for them including **spoiler for the most stupid part of the movie** shoot them. OMG, so many messages to deliver. This film is so DEEP!
Needless to say, what started out as a watchable horror film for the first 30 minutes suddenly transforms into one of the most irritating attempts at social commentary that's turned up on the big screen in some time. Its subtlety could be equated to being hit in the head with a sledge-hammer. Repeatedly. For 2 hours.
Do these directors actually _watch_ what they're cutting together? How can they not be embarrassed by their own pretentiousness, or fail to realise how low the standard of their shallow, banal drivel actually is? But at least there was good music towards the end. The loud, screaming choral interjection that suddenly bursts forth from nowhere actually had people laughing out loud in the cinema.