A cautionary tale of human behavior amidst a horrific crisis

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2008)

This movie had a lot of great elements of a what would be expected in a horror-genre film. But underneath the blood, gore, and creature-maiming is an incredibly complex examination of the human species dealing with excessive pressure over a long period of time. The dynamics and changes that occur over this time relate to the human need to survive, even if certain questionable actions are sanctioned to meet this imperative.
That said, Frank Darabount's adaptation of the Stephen King novelette, meets the criteria of a scary, even disturbing view into the dark side of human nature, and has monsters and creepy crawly things that are very threatening. The ensemble cast was convincing for the most part. I had moments of trepidation when Thomas Jane's character was in sorrow in pivotal emotional moments, but for the most part did well in the lead.
Overall, I recommend it for its watch-ability, scary situations, and it's a must see if you enjoy downer endings, (man this one's got a doozey).