I borrowed this DVD, and it feels like I should hurt the person who loaned it to me..

Rating: 1/10 (22 May 2010)

I can think of a few choice words for this movie, but I'm sure most of them would be unappreciated on a public forum, so I'll refrain.
I have never been a fan of Mr. King, I have liked SOME of his work, but I've never liked his books as a whole. That being said I tried not to let that blind me to the movie, and it didn't, I disliked this movie but for many reasons entirely unrelated to King.
Instead I think I'll point out what upset me most about this movie, It's potential. I'm a huge fan of monster flicks, and this one was no exception. Or rather it wouldn't have been, if this were a Monster flick.
This movie had an oppressive atmosphere, a dark backdrop and a huge mysterious monster, these together should have made for a fantastic monster movie, or at the very least an entertaining one. Instead I was subjected to two hours of near uninterrupted boredom. The main problem was that there was nearly 0 monster, and you kept seeing different ones. First it's a tentacle, then its giant mosquito's, then 4 winged imps/bats, then spiders with acid web, thing incorporeal praying mantises...where does this end? Had the film picked a monster and stuck with it, I cant help but feel it would have been much better. Though if it had, it would have only marginally helped, the monsters looked like something I could pick up at my local hobby shop around Halloween, not scary or intimidating, they seemed silly, the only monster that interested me was the Mantis, because you barely see it, and it actually had an imposing presence.
The acting was poor, there are no two ways about that, It took me 20 minutes before I found a character who actually displayed emotion, and when they did I often felt they were 10 minutes too late. The attempt at shoe honing in social commentary was noticeable, you can have messages without hitting us over the head with it, but apparently the filmmakers thought they literally had to TELL US THE MORAL in order for us to get it. THe film does this on several occasions, and it's insulting each time.
The idea that being trapped and scared can bring out the worst in people is sound, it would be easy for people to seek help in such a situation, and as such I have no trouble believing that the one offering them salvation could sway the peoples ideals. But not in such a time, in less than 2 days these people go from decent, caring people, to raving lunatics who stab and sacrifice an innocent man, then attempt to do the same with a young boy. The worst part is, she's not even offering salvation, at no point does she say she can save them, only that this is judgement. I've read the bible, and the faithful are judged too.
The sticking point for many I saw was the ending, and I personally liked the ending, until IT'S ending. In the end the Main character SHoots his passengers, including his son, to spare them having to be maimed by the monsters that surround them, a noble gesture, as he is then forced to carry the weight of their deaths alone until he too is consumed by the beasts around them. Until he isn't, the army rolls in and saves the day, leaving him with nothing. WHY!? What would have been so wrong in having him wander to his death, why torture him that way? I was fine with the depressing ending, I like downer endings, breaks the monotony of all those films who wrap everything up in a neat little bow, but this was just painful, I didn't even LIKE this guy and I still felt like he was being punished unfairly.
Bottom line. The acting was wooden, the monster were silly, the story dragged in 1001 subplots that went no where, for no reason. Main story points were weak, paper thin even, camera work was shoddy, and this film contained a character who contends for the MOST ANNOYING person in recent cinema memory. There were the ingredients for greatness, unfortunately these ingredients were left to rot, and then they served us this.