Post by benxtaron on Nov 21, 2007 21:10:55 GMT -5
It has been 20 minutes since I left my seat, silent and musing, after watching The Mist. When I had first heard that The Mist, easily the greatest short/novella story Stephen King has ever done, was being made into a movie, I was ecstatic. When I then heard that Frank Darabont, the brilliant writer/director of acclaimed films "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile" was tagged to write and direct this film, I became apprehensive. Don't get me wrong, Darabont is the only filmmaker that comes to mind that has ever done justice to a Stephen King story, and his works are among my all-time favorites. But "Shawshank" and "Green Mile" are about hope and faith, and both had, once you stopped to think about it, generally happy endings. "The Mist", the novella, that is, on the other hand, has a very sad and, for lack of a better word, depressing ending. I was afraid that Darabont would not be able to pull off such a thing.
But I was wrong.
This is not the Darabont of old, my friends. This is not the "hope is eternal" Darabont. This is not the "with hope and faith, you can accomplish anything" Darabont. I will not spoil it for you, but the ending to "The Mist" is more Stephen King-esque than even Stephen King was when he wrote it. It is almost as if Frank Darabont looked into the eye of humanity, and came out changed. And its a good change.
This movie is powerful, triumphantly sound in not only its story, but in its acting, its message, everything. There was not one minute where I sat back, frowning over one thing or another. It is brutally frank with you; unabashed in showing you the (true?) depths of the human soul. There is a scene where some of the characters are together, relaying their fears about a situation, and one of the characters says that they cannot believe that people would do something like that. The response to this character's feelings is profound in its truth. This is what Stephen King was pointing out throughout the entire story as he wrote it, and Frank Darabont not only does it justice, but seems to far exceed that which King tried to do.
I will not say that this movie is better than "Shawshank" or "Green Mile" because they are almost polar opposites of one another. But I now have no doubt that Darabont could pick any one of King's stories, and do it supremely well. In fact, I will even go as far as to say that he should write and direct "The Dark Tower" series because I know that Darabont would grasp the soul of Stephen King's magnus opus. He has done it three times already, and I have no doubt in him anymore.
Go see this film. Well, first read "The Mist" by Stephen King, and then go see this film. It is powerful, remarkable, and harsh in every single scene. Hopefully, I will wake one day, and see on the internet that Frank Darabont is working on another Stephen King story. And you know what I will do? I will smile; because I will know that no matter what story it is, whether it be "The Dark Tower", "The Talisman", or even "The Stand" (if God wills it), Frank Darabont will not only do it justice, but will make sure to tap into the very soul of that which Stephen King has written.
Final Score: 10/10.
But I was wrong.
This is not the Darabont of old, my friends. This is not the "hope is eternal" Darabont. This is not the "with hope and faith, you can accomplish anything" Darabont. I will not spoil it for you, but the ending to "The Mist" is more Stephen King-esque than even Stephen King was when he wrote it. It is almost as if Frank Darabont looked into the eye of humanity, and came out changed. And its a good change.
This movie is powerful, triumphantly sound in not only its story, but in its acting, its message, everything. There was not one minute where I sat back, frowning over one thing or another. It is brutally frank with you; unabashed in showing you the (true?) depths of the human soul. There is a scene where some of the characters are together, relaying their fears about a situation, and one of the characters says that they cannot believe that people would do something like that. The response to this character's feelings is profound in its truth. This is what Stephen King was pointing out throughout the entire story as he wrote it, and Frank Darabont not only does it justice, but seems to far exceed that which King tried to do.
I will not say that this movie is better than "Shawshank" or "Green Mile" because they are almost polar opposites of one another. But I now have no doubt that Darabont could pick any one of King's stories, and do it supremely well. In fact, I will even go as far as to say that he should write and direct "The Dark Tower" series because I know that Darabont would grasp the soul of Stephen King's magnus opus. He has done it three times already, and I have no doubt in him anymore.
Go see this film. Well, first read "The Mist" by Stephen King, and then go see this film. It is powerful, remarkable, and harsh in every single scene. Hopefully, I will wake one day, and see on the internet that Frank Darabont is working on another Stephen King story. And you know what I will do? I will smile; because I will know that no matter what story it is, whether it be "The Dark Tower", "The Talisman", or even "The Stand" (if God wills it), Frank Darabont will not only do it justice, but will make sure to tap into the very soul of that which Stephen King has written.
Final Score: 10/10.