The Mist

[wayfriend]

In case anyone wants to catch up with this story at AintItCool.

Frank Darabont moving on THE MIST'!'

Frank Darabont Finally Ready! THE MIST Is Coming! And He’ll Tell You About It Himself!

Punisher reaches a new Dimension with THE MIST!!!

[Marv]

I thought it was good except for the ending. I just didn't feel that the situation, although dire, was bad enough to go to the sort of lengths they did-

Spoiler

y'know, suicide (killing your own son!!).

Not sure if that was the fault of the acting, directing or the story. That said, I felt pretty devastated for the dad.

So, what did you guys make of the movie?

[lorin]

I thought it was good except for the ending. I just didn't feel that the situation, although dire, was bad enough to go to the sort of lengths they did-

Spoiler

y'know, suicide (killing your own son!!).

Not sure if that was the fault of the acting, directing or the story. That said, I felt pretty devastated for the dad.

So, what did you guys make of the movie?

i liked the end just because it wasnt formula. the end kind of reminded me of the end of the Original Night of the Living Dead.

[Cail]

I liked the ending for a number of reasons. Primarily, because it put me in Thomas Jane's character...What would I do? And having come to the same conclusion that he did, I don't fault his decision. The ending is one of those horrible ironies that John Carpenter used to do so well (and I think that Darabont meant for the film to be a tribute to Carpenter).

In all, the film is immensely satisfying to me, especially when framed as a tribute to John Carpenter's apocalyptic works.

[sgt.null]

i was surprised by the changed ending. but i believe it was better than the ending King had written.

[Guest]

the ending is for all who would knowing walk to their deaths sans struggling for survival

[sgt.null]

but expecting different it was a shock to the system. and it is nice seeing out military as better than competent. this also happens in CLoverfield.

[Kevin164]

Personally, I would have shot the nutcase. Then aimed my gun and it's remaining bullets at the store windows and told everyone to STFU and sit down. If my son and I are dying in the jaws of some horrible monster so are they, especially after putting up with all of their douchebaggery.

[Earthfriend]

I found the end of the movie challenging, so for that alone it should be praised, especially since most Hollywood movies these days are so incredibly formulaic you can save the price of admission and just watch the trailers.

Having said that...it did feel a little tacked on. I mean, why would you just keep driving until you ran out of fuel? Why not attempt to switch cars, or find a gas station? If you are going to give yourself to the Mist anyway - as Jane's character does - why not at least have a go? And why shoot yourself straight away, the very moment you run out of juice? Unless, of course, you've gotta hurry up and kill your only son so you can set up a shocking end for the movie.

The moral of the story seemed to be that if something apocalyptic happens, revert to religious fundamentalism and wait for the government to sort everything out.

[Loredoctor]

Because any gas station they stop at would be infested with the horrors in the mist.

I was watching the documentary about the filming of the Mist, and Stephen King said that if he had thought of an ending, like that in the movie, when he wrote the story he would have the novella end that way.

[Avatar]

Nearly watched this the other day, but the damn dvd was faulty.

I'd always wondered if King deliberately left the ending so open to allow for a follow-up, maybe even a novelisation of the short story. (Which has always one of my favourite by him.)

--A

[Earthfriend]

I thought he'd left it that way because King tends to favour 'happy endings' (comparatively speaking), at least in what I've read of him.

Because any gas station they stop at would be infested with the horrors in the mist.

Granted, but my point is if you are going to off yourself by giving yourself to the Mist anyway, why not have a crack? They could've pulled up near a safe-looking gas station, Jane's character could have left the gun with the old man and said, "Hey, if this doesn't work, go ahead and shoot everybody, kay?"

Or alternatively, when they ran out of gas, they could've spent more than say 5 minutes before killing themselves. What, were they going to all die of starvation right away?

[wayfriend]

Earthfriend, the gist that I got out of it is that they preferred dying in a relatively painless way, rather than by being ripped to shreds by voracious monsters and dying in terror. And perhaps, there is a subtext that points to wanting to control their own ends, after having lost control of their whole world. Along those lines, how long would they want to sit there thinking about how they will kill themselves? If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly, as someone once said.

[Stone Magnet]

If you read the book, the hopelessness of the situation is explained a bit more. The very fabric of the world has been distorted, with the earth twisted into new shapes and roads bent out of shape. The characters have no idea whether this extends across the entire United States, or indeed will spread to the entire world. I thought the suicide represented a Lovecraftian-type response to an insane situation.

The characters had experienced severe mental and physical trauma, and for all intents and purposes, all real hope was lost. Suicide (especially to "save" the child from further torments, as the father promised the child he wouldn't let the monsters get him) seemed like a fairly logical out as opposed to being torn apart or impregnated with 10 legged spider-things.

The one part of the film ending I didn't so much like was the reveal of the military cleanup at the end. Yes, it added an extra layer of tragedy to the suicide pact, since it was ultimately unnecessary, but it gave a sense of "mankind will triumph over all", which was totally contrary to the soldiers suicide in the supermarket. Those soldiers knew they were screwed. Why would they commit suicide if they knew there was a good chance a government cleanup would fix the whole mess?

In my opinion this "government cleanup" angle took away from the apocalyptic tone of Kings ending, which offered no real salvation, but did offer a hint of (probably false) hope. Of course an ending like that wouldn't have been well received in theaters. Perfect song for the ending though: The Host of Seraphim by Dead can Dance. Redeeming choice.

[Avatar]

...the apocalyptic tone of Kings ending, which offered no real salvation, but did offer a hint of (probably false) hope.

Yeah, I liked King's ending. In the book, they had no idea of how far it stretched, or what caused it. For all they knew, it could only be in the near vacinity of where they were. They drove out into the mist hoping it would be limited, and fearing that it wouldn't.

Oh, Earthfriend, I've never considered King a "happy ending" kinda guy...maybe in a sense he is, but I've always loved that he's never usually been afraid to kill off major characters, and that his stuff ends with people maybe alive, but definitely a hell of a lot more messed up (psychologically) than they were. Now Koontz, there's a happy endings writer. (And a formulaic one at that. Which hasn't stopped me from reading his books, but that is not the point. )

--A

[High Lord Tolkien]

I think it was difficult to convey the hopelessness they were experiencing on film.
They touched on it but it wasn't obvious.
Here's where I think the few minute drive at the end falled short on expressing:
That drive through Maine (a full tank of gas is potentially 250 to 300 miles) at a slow pace (maybe 6 or 7 8? hours) and seeing nothing but a transformed world before them....
And then seeing that beyond imagining giant creature walk over the highway (how tall was that thing supposed to be anyway?) told them beyond all doubt that their world was gone.

The suicide ending just killed me.
I love that movie!

[Earthfriend]

Earthfriend, the gist that I got out of it is that they preferred dying in a relatively painless way, rather than by being ripped to shreds by voracious monsters and dying in terror.

But that was exactly what the lead character did after shooting the rest of his crew, including his son. He knew he didn't have enough bullets, regardless of how many times he kept pulling the trigger and hoping against hope for one more live round. I just think - knowing that - he should have at least tried. The rest of the group could still 'painlessly' end their lives if he failed.

And perhaps, there is a subtext that points to wanting to control their own ends, after having lost control of their whole world. Along those lines, how long would they want to sit there thinking about how they will kill themselves? If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly, as someone once said.

I like the idea of the subtext wayfriend - I hadn't considered that. I still feel that the lead character is far to ready to off his own child as early as possible. Still, perhaps the time constraints of the movie came into play here.

I have read the short story Stone Magnet; it's one of my favorite King stories. And in the novella, the main characteristic of the lead character is his determination never to give up - at least in my opinion. I also think that trait is played up in the movie - right up until the point of suicide. After escaping the supermarket with it's Lord of the Flies society, making it to the car at the cost of one man, and escaping the town, the plan was to....what? Drive until they ran outa gas and then kill themselves? I'm sorry - I just don't buy it.
And that's a great point you make - why would the soldiers off themselves if there was a possibility of the military saving the day? And remember the woman Jane wouldn't help look for her kids right at the start in the supermarket, when the Mist hits? That is her, at the end, riding in the back of the military truck with her kids, right? So, either the Mist isn't really all that pervading, or she was real lucky, or the film-makers thought that would rub more salt into the wound. Either way, it felt contrived to me.

Oh, Earthfriend, I've never considered King a "happy ending" kinda guy...maybe in a sense he is, but I've always loved that he's never usually been afraid to kill off major characters, and that his stuff ends with people maybe alive, but definitely a hell of a lot more messed up (psychologically) than they were.

We-ell, i haven't read everything he's ever done, admittedly, but I reckon he does like to have the good guys 'win', eventually. It, The Stand, Salem's Lot, The Eyes of the Dragon,The Green Mile, ; that's all i can think of off the top of my head - and yeah, he does kill off some main characters, but 'good' always triumphs in the end. Oh - The Tommy Knockers is another one. (The hero dies but 'wins', doesn't he? been a looong time since I read that one, lol.)

[Stone Magnet]

After escaping the supermarket with it's Lord of the Flies society, making it to the car at the cost of one man, and escaping the town, the plan was to....what? Drive until they ran outa gas and then kill themselves? I'm sorry - I just don't buy it.

I think my mind would've snapped somewhat after seeing the impossibly tall creature. Someone asked about the size, its described as making a blue whale look like a trout. I think that one scene, with Host of Seraphim playing in the background, and the reactions of the characters, show that they realize they've escaped the feral supermarket and the town for nothing. Eddies sacrifice (if you can call it that) was for nothing. Everything's Fucked. There is no recourse.

And that's a great point you make - why would the soldiers off themselves if there was a possibility of the military saving the day? And remember the woman Jane wouldn't help look for her kids right at the start in the supermarket, when the Mist hits? That is her, at the end, riding in the back of the military truck with her kids, right? So, either the Mist isn't really all that pervading, or she was real lucky, or the film-makers thought that would rub more salt into the wound. Either way, it felt contrived to me.

Yea it is her. Again, that takes away from the apocalyptic feel and just feels like a shameless plot device.

a) What are the chances she survived the first 10 minutes in the mist?

b) What are the chances her kids survived the first 10 minutes?

c) What are the chances they were rescued by soldiers?

d) What are the chances that after succeeding in a), b) and c), they would be driving by on a truck right after he'd just shot everyone, just to emphasize the tragedy and futility of his actions?

The fractions quickly approach zero. I know its Sci-fi, but come on!

[Morning]

Darabont has two movies on my top 50 list, and this is one of them - Shawshank Redemption being the other. I almost had a stroke when DCD's The Host of Seraphim cued in.

[sgt.null]

recently saw the movie again and had fun picking out cast members of the walking dead.