For a 17-year old movie, this still wasn't half-bad. The creature effects were a little dated, I have to admit (if I'm being honest) but it was still a decent film. In my opinion, this is one of the better screen adaptations of a Stephen King story. (I've read almost all of his books and most of the screen adaptations I am NOT a fan of.) Despite being quite aged, though, I still found this to be a great "creature feature" movie that plays on most of our fears of the unknown, the "something's out there" paranoia that most of us would feel while trying to traverse some deep fog, whether on foot or in a vehicle. The acting was decent by most, in spite of there only being a few recognizable names in the cast. Props to Marcia Gay Harden for her supporting role as "Mrs. Carmody" because she really had me itching to see her "get hers", so to speak. She finally did but it was far too fast and to merciful for what she deserved. LOL Andre Braugher (RIP) of Brooklyn Nine-Nine fame was brilliant and left the story far too early, IMO. The others, as I mentioned, were decent in their roles, certainly playing the parts well enough in a film where the creatures and the mist itself was the primary focus. The huge plus that King's novella had over the screen adaptation was, IMO, the ending. I suppose, had they left the ending in the film as it was in the story, there would have been numerous complaints or questions that detracted from the art of the story itself. Along with that, the novel didn't have that oh-so-annoying droning soundtrack in the waning moments; nothing against the soundtrack itself (as far as the MUSICAL score) but man that "ahhh ooohhh aahhhh.. angelic choir or otherworldly ghastly voices" thing was... well, to quote Princess Fiona from her famous scene with the Merrymen in Shrek : "Man, that was annoying!!!!"
It has its gruesome moments, it's loaded with tension and suspense, it has plenty of characters that you can buy into (some more easily than others), and it has bugs, tentacles, and other things that go "bump" in the fog. Not a bad movie for one of those evenings that you're bored and just want something to entertain you while being mildly spooky at the same time. I've watched this before (a couple times, I think?) and wouldn't be averse to watching it again sometime. I'd love to see a modern-day reboot of this with some modern CGI effects to really ramp up the creatures but again, they weren't ridiculously silly like some movies this old are. I enjoyed it all over again.
Review by ShubesBlockedParent2024-04-01T00:53:36Z
For a 17-year old movie, this still wasn't half-bad. The creature effects were a little dated, I have to admit (if I'm being honest) but it was still a decent film. In my opinion, this is one of the better screen adaptations of a Stephen King story. (I've read almost all of his books and most of the screen adaptations I am NOT a fan of.) Despite being quite aged, though, I still found this to be a great "creature feature" movie that plays on most of our fears of the unknown, the "something's out there" paranoia that most of us would feel while trying to traverse some deep fog, whether on foot or in a vehicle. The acting was decent by most, in spite of there only being a few recognizable names in the cast. Props to Marcia Gay Harden for her supporting role as "Mrs. Carmody" because she really had me itching to see her "get hers", so to speak. She finally did but it was far too fast and to merciful for what she deserved. LOL Andre Braugher (RIP) of Brooklyn Nine-Nine fame was brilliant and left the story far too early, IMO. The others, as I mentioned, were decent in their roles, certainly playing the parts well enough in a film where the creatures and the mist itself was the primary focus. The huge plus that King's novella had over the screen adaptation was, IMO, the ending. I suppose, had they left the ending in the film as it was in the story, there would have been numerous complaints or questions that detracted from the art of the story itself. Along with that, the novel didn't have that oh-so-annoying droning soundtrack in the waning moments; nothing against the soundtrack itself (as far as the MUSICAL score) but man that "ahhh ooohhh aahhhh.. angelic choir or otherworldly ghastly voices" thing was... well, to quote Princess Fiona from her famous scene with the Merrymen in Shrek : "Man, that was annoying!!!!"
It has its gruesome moments, it's loaded with tension and suspense, it has plenty of characters that you can buy into (some more easily than others), and it has bugs, tentacles, and other things that go "bump" in the fog. Not a bad movie for one of those evenings that you're bored and just want something to entertain you while being mildly spooky at the same time. I've watched this before (a couple times, I think?) and wouldn't be averse to watching it again sometime. I'd love to see a modern-day reboot of this with some modern CGI effects to really ramp up the creatures but again, they weren't ridiculously silly like some movies this old are. I enjoyed it all over again.