What's in "The Mist"? Mr. King's Hatred...

Rating: 1/10 (25 November 2007)

I begin by confessing I am a long-time fan of Steven King's work. And while he has some lackluster stories over the years he generally succeeds at capturing the imagination and delivering a good story.
This story, "The Mist" marks an all-time low for Mr. King in my honest opinion. For while it is a well-known fact that whenever Mr. King features a religious person of any rank, they are usually some sort of Christian affiliation, and characterized in a most demeaning way. This, I have always been able to dismiss as Mr. King's childish way of striking out at those he holds in contempt. And too, it never before spoiled an otherwise good story.
This time however, Mr. king has degenerated from the simple cheap-shot, to full blown and RABID obsession. One of the main characters of the movie, and indeed one who nearly dominates the screen for much of the movie is a woman who is Steven's idea of a fanatical Christian, who spouts Scripture (out of context of course) and soon gains cultic control of the others. She then institutes her own twisted system of "expiation" via human sacrifice supposedly based on Biblical passages.
At this point, I ceased to enjoy the movie, and began to feel myself growing angry at Mr. King's twisted and hateful denigration of true Christianity. In short: It was the rant of a rabid, religious bigot named Steven King I was duped into paying for the privilege of witnessing. It truly was SHAMEFUL, and something I had hoped would be beneath even Mr. King... but apparently NOT.
When the self-styled "prophetess/preacher" woman was finally shot & killed, many in the audience applauded, others like myself muttered "Thank God that's over." I was simply relieved that Mr. King's hatefully conceived characterization was over; but I wonder how many in the audience actually identified with Mr. King's characterization, and were receiving some kind of vicarious gratification from seeing her killed? THAT, if anything is what made this movie "scary": It's a cleverly constructed propaganda hit-piece, and it's target is normal Christianity which looks nothing like the character he portrayed except in the minds of men like Steven King.
I recommend people save their money, and rather wait for it to come out on cable. In doing so you will be accomplishing two noteworthy things: (1) You will be sending a clear message to writers such as Mr. King in a language they all too well understand, i.e. - MONEY. And that message is - "There are still lines of civil decency and respect YOU must maintain" (2) It will save you the grief & anguish I felt at having wasted my money pandering to this man's display of hateful religious bigotry.
Regards.