Don't waste your time or money

Rating: 1/10 (23 November 2007)

Ever since I read The Mist (1980), I've been waiting for the movie. I just knew this time it would be great - that they (the producers) would finally get one of SK's stories right. After 30 minutes into the movie, I wanted to walk out (son persuaded me to stay until the bitter end) - frankly, it's one of the worst movies I've ever seen!!! No, I take that back - The Blob is the worst movie I've ever seen and The Mist rates right behind it!! I could not believe my eyes!! None of the characters portrayed in the movie were believable and didn't seemed to match the characters in the novella (except for Marcia Gay Harden's Mrs. Carmody - she got that right!). How could they get it so wrong?!! I bet Stephen King is embarrassed. There was only one good special effect towards the end that was worthwhile (the giant walking monster) AND they changed the ending!!! The ending is not the same as in the book and in my opinion, the movie ending was depressing!! My disappointment is overwhelming as I've been an SK fan since 1974. The only reason I can think that The Mist has gotten such excellent reviews is because most young people today (teens, 20's, 30's) have not seen the old B Horror Flicks that I grew up with. You know, The Bad Seed, The Birds, The Crawling Eye, etc. The mutant insects/animals were right out of a bad B Horror flick - I was so disgusted. There was no imagination whatsoever in bringing SK's mutants to life. No suspense. It was just dumb, dumb, dumb. Wait til it comes out on DVD. ....sigh.... The only SK movie that has been done right is The Shining with Jack Nicholson - at least that movie was believable and had me on the edge of my seat. The Mist made me want to run screaming down the aisle tearing my hair out!!! God forbid if they ever get ahold of The Gunslinger!