The Mist Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

(Re-uploaded) Join Gary and Iain for a review and discussion of, The Mist (2007) by Director, Frank Darabont. Starring, Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, and Laurie Holden.
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[@lesasmart6043]

As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up reasons to kill one another. Why do you think we invented politics and religion? Best quote from Ollie.

[@ChrisVrulez]

Also the fact that the car is facing the same direction of the military is gut wrenching. You find out that they've been driving away from help the entire time.

[@Grandmastergav86]

I found this film to be dull as fuck, the characters bland and tbh the ending - meh.

[@gRinchY-op5vr]

@@Grandmastergav86 you should probably avoid King altogether then as this is some of his better adapted works, stick to Nickelodeon maybe

[@boomstickcritique902]

@@Grandmastergav86 depends on what your looking for the point of the movie is even though the monsters look scary there really just animals that aren't much of a threat shown by the military easily killing them the story an movie is a take on night of the living dead the zombies really aren't a threat it's simply humans being weak minded an easily scared creatures that causes there death.

[@anime_cyko]

BoomStick Critique why did it take so long to kill them if it was so easy?

[@anime_cyko]

gRinchY 230490 Nickelodeon huh? They got better movies? The lies you believe is unreal. This was boring and that damn religious nut made it difficult to finish.

[@ZephusVargr]

I didn't realize how good this movie actually was

[@ZephusVargr]

@Lebo leigh Leigh I suppose.

[@JR28.]

I actually teared up and was deeply disturbed after watching this film and its ending. Truly a masterpiece.

[@petertyson2]

The band is called Dead Can Dance, the track is called "The Host of Seraphim". Fitting music for such a depressing ending to a film. Will have to give The Mist another watch, have not seen it in years.

[@joshuatunis6732]

petertyson2 Thumbs up for a Dead Can Dance fan.

[@sethhoward2060]

To me this film was all about the different camps/types/ categories of people. Religious, brave, cowardly, hopeful, hopeless, desperate, leaders followers etc. Great movie that explores human dynamics, psychology when facing the unknown and extreme external pressures.

[@eduardo_corrochio]

When I first saw the film the ending left me drained. I was choked up and numb. To this day when I listen to "The Host of Seraphim" I get misty because of this movie. And honestly, that ending is simply excellent; it just slaps you hard in the face. It's provocative and brazen and draining. The novella ending, on the other hand, almost felt like it was going to be continued-- there was no real conclusion, merely an ambiguous feeling (like the final scene of Hitchcock's "The Birds"). "The Mist" by Frank Darabont has everything that a fan of monster movies could want. And more. It's a really good horror film. I suggest checking out the blu-ray to watch the black and white version that the director had originally wanted to make.

[@gnc623]

This wasn't my favorite movie, but I almost can't think of another ending that left me with my mouth hanging open like this one did. When that army tank shows up, I'm just like OoO Hardly ever would you be so upset to see help arrive but damn, they managed to do it here.

[@rustykuntz94]

gnc623 Great acting by Thomas Jane portraying what anyone’s reaction would be to that horrible situation. Every time I just say to the screen “just hold off a couple more minutes.” 😞

[@raven800plays]

Imagine being at the end of your rope. no food. no water, no way of knowing if anyone else Is alive to help and having to make the most painful decision in your entire life that leaves you the only one left to regret the choices you've made up to that point...and then finding out that salvation was following you the whole time...

[@reesepacker7983]

LOVED the "Mist Spiders"....a truly scary concept ..maybe even more so then the alien nest from ALIENS

[@varan-1999]

I'd say it is 100 times more terrifying than the chestburster because of the fact that only one chestburster pops out. Imagine having hundreds, maybe thousands of spider eggs inside of you, and all of them just start to come out of you.

[@stefanfilipovits9221]

Thanks for all the great content this year guys

[@irllcd13]

I like the movie ending. I think it also would have worked for the dad to just walk into the mist and not run into the army. The thing that pisses me off is when some woman is like "You killed her! You murdered her!" when Carmody gets shot. I'm like, bitch, you just killed the army guy, tried to kill the child and Carmody said "Kill them all" and you're going to act like the victim? Fuck off.

[@blackpilloverdose1013]

King Admitted that the ending was far better than his original. and this movie is the reason I am paranoid of fog lol

[@hester234]

in a way fog is scarier than darkness since you are full aware of the fact that "turning the light on" wont help you to see what's going on.

[@pinkdolly]

You guys are great. I love that you really take your time with your horror movie reviews/analyses. A lot of people just want to make short videos but I love to listen to you guys while I'm driving because your videos are long! Please keep 'em coming!

[@davidcokeley2918]

Yeah I've never stoped an episode early from these guys!

[@JackKramme]

The scene where they kick the military guy out of the store is such a powerful and harrowing scene, especially when he looks back and says "please" ugh, so many feels. I also LOVE the ending of this film, love might be a strange word for it perhaps, but my god, the ending really messed with me

[@lorehammer40k4]

So I know it's been 4 years, but if you didn't that military guy was Sam Witwer, and he does some incredible work. He was on that US version of Being Human (which was an okay show, but his performance was good) and he does an absolute tooooon of voice work, especially with Star Wars. He's the voice of Palpatine in just about everything these days (among many other voices), and he was Star Killer from The Force Unleashed series. Oh, also, he was the zombie in the tank where RIck gets the grenade in the very first episode of The Walking Dead (Frank Darabont is very loyal to his actors, he was planning to make a a little web series about that soldier's story which never happened, so sadly he turned in to a glorified extra, but still, just look how many of the people in this movie were in early TWD). And as much as I agree about his delivery of that "please" the thing that really got me about that scene is the way he screams as they're carrying him, very heart wrenching.

[@lorehammer40k4]

Hahah like right after I wrote this comment I got to the part where they say his name and that he was in Force Unleashed. I should have known they'd be that thorough, like usual. Oh well, there was some stuff they didn't mention at least.

[@BillBlazejowski]

​@@lorehammer40k4blah blah blah

[@KeithDunnFernandez]

Also, the ending is perfect. Happy endings are overrated! In the real world chaos ends lives of people we love every day.

[@kylemendoza8860]

I have to say I agree. Too many just don't have to guts. But however. Is this ending was gut-wrenching. This movie was never going to have a happy ending. Could have a better ending. But even if they have survived still wasn't going to be happy.

[@yandnat1656]

I laughed my ass off at the end of this film, not because i wasn't invested in the film and it's characters, but because i have no soul.

[@mynameisagame]

You guys are brilliant! I absolutely LOVE your humorous and insightful reviews/commentaries. PLEASE do something similar for THE WITCH (2015). So much to debate and think about in that film. It's one of the best, most atmospheric horror movies in recent memory!

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

This ending taught you that even in hopelessness and Armageddon you don’t need or have to resort to murder suicide - if he and his son and they all went with that Mom who fearlessly and lovingly went to rescue her kids in the Mist, they could have all lived, and even if they all had just waited. That mother had such courage and endless compassion and love and she and her kids survived. The music also is inspiring because it augments the courage of that mother.

[@pyenapple]

Agreed. People really misinterpret the ending. The whole point is the religious zealot was all faith and no hope, the four adults who escaped in the Jeep are no faith and they end up with no hope. Neither extreme was the right answer. The mother who leaves at the beginning has hope when nobody else does, and pushes on to save her kids even though she doesn’t have full faith that she’ll make it. For the sake of the people you love, you must have hope even when it feels like you can’t. And have faith that it’s worth continuing to fight on.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

@@pyenapple Unfortunately it’s hard to explain that to people who are either false Christians, atheists, agnostics, or other religions. You did a wonderful job explaining it - though I will add that it’s the fact that the mother had faith and love and hope, and she was courageous. She and others like her survived, and the rest who didn’t do what they did, did not.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

DAVID'S ANGUISH at the end is HEARTBREAKING

[@somechannel5151]

idk why i love the way this movie is filmed. also thomas jane is such a great actor. Like you guys said, hes a very under used but hard working actor. also the music in the end was so amazing.

[@moomcmoosson1992]

I recommend watching the Black&White version that comes on the BluRay.

[@alexives9274]

you guys should do clockwork orange.

[@maddyhoke3907]

alex ives I second that motion!

[@hester234]

It's absolutely ridiculous that the director Frank Darabont, though writing and directing Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile and The Mist, never got an Oscar for his work. 3 of the greatest films ever made (Shawshank will always be my number one and Andy Dufresne my favorite protagonist). The best Stephen King adaptations by far (actually I liked the movie Green Mile more than the novel).

[@katyrye]

I think that if this movie DIDN'T have this ending, it wouldn't have stood out. It would have been lost among movies with happy endings. It traumatizes us the same way the father ( any anyone in such a desperate situation) was.

[@john9381]

In the novel, David never makes it back to his house. He almost makes it with the Scout getting past most of the fallen trees, however, he eventually runs up against a massive oak that prevents him from getting any further. He can't stop thinking of Steff in her sundress working in her flowerbed while the mist rolled up from the lake behind her. David also never takes stock of their remaining bullets. The novel ends with them reaching a Howard Johnson off exit 3 and spending the night there. David believes that he may have heard two words on the radio, and when he kisses his son goodnight, he whispers these two words to him. "Hartford" and "Hope". David's biggest fear at this point is how they will get fuel, since they only have a quarter tank left.

[@spiraldown2710]

The first time I watched this my shirt ended up soaked from all the tears. I loved the misery of it. Ollie is my favorite too. He’s a hero all his own 💔 Mrs. Carmody is a truly frightening character.

[@MrHereWeGoYo]

Though not a large role, Andre Brauer gave a great performance as well.

[@mcooks5755]

I saw this movie years ago. And I never recognized him until this review. 99!

[@maeinureyes]

That ending emotionally fucked me up! Years later the ending still sends chills down my spine! Love it!

[@andrewblanchard2537]

in the book Mrs Carmody was an old widowed religious lady in her 60's or more

[@electricflesh4534]

I love this movie. Sure, you can tell it’s lower budget but the characters really make up for it. The first time I saw the ending, holy crap! 😧

[@IceStella77]

Read the book, then watched the movie and enjoyed this review so much that I've downloaded the audiobook to listen to at work, cheers guys!

[@MrHereWeGoYo]

"...................................And then the FUCKING army turns up!" Lmao Another great review/discussion. This channel deserves SO many more views.

[@TerryFedora]

This was a great review. I mean, I liked the analysis of the ending. I loved that you basically made it clear that it is a no win situation in their minds.

[@TheBeird]

I think you guys said in your Alien 3 review that it was a toss up between that and The Mist being the most emotional horror movie ever. I can't come up with a definitive answer; they're both awesome and thinking about them too much makes me depressed!

[@crassbandercoot4343]

The highlight in this one is finding out Gary enjoyed The Mutant Chronicles. Everyone i know who's seen it hates on it and I don't care for Ron Pearlman outside of his acting but Mutant Chronicles is up there on my list of sci-fi favorites.

[@Ravuun]

Dead Can Dance and Lisa Gerrard are amazing. She also did some of the singing in Gladiator.

[@anthony_leckie]

Great review. So fun to watch both of you talk movies. You’re so clearly passionate about them.

[@TheTonybudd]

~19:00~ "SHUT THE DOOR" ~ yeah that'll do it . . . lol

[@lewislabuff8862]

I watched this when I was eight with my family, and when Toby Jones shoots Ms. Carmody, I said "Don't mess with the cash register guy." Which created the dumbest continuing saying in my family that still makes us crack up.

[@Giantshredder]

The Mist is my favorite story. I was satisfied with this film, but, the portrayal Mrs. Carmody is my main gripe. The actor is too young and nice looking. Not what my brain conjured up. She actually somewhat ruined it for me, and her minions were a little over the top. They made it seem as every person in whole store turned evil. I'd say the best thing was the Behemoth at the end. It's exactly how I imagined it. Looked amazing. The real reason this ending is better than the book, is because there wasn't really an ending in the book. It just ended with them moving on.

[@razzyrazberries]

The ending always ripped me apart, so tragic.

[@M85619]

happy new years! cheers from San Diego, CA!!

[@gammafighter]

The ending felt more like a Stephen King ending than the actual Stephen King ending

[@maddyhoke3907]

Can you guys do The Shawshank Redemption?

[@FrancisXLord]

I was very upset by the end of this film which is why it still stands as the best film I have only watched once. Upon closer inspection though, having watched your review, I think I would have coped with the ending if it wasn't for that one editorial decision. Namely to show a close-up of the kid waking up and reacting. I think if they had have left that one shot out I may have been able to cope with it. But the idea that the kid knew what was happening rips my friggin' heart out. Reading through audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes there are a lot of people saying that they're parents thus they had a hard time coping with the end. But, as a film-maker myself (not even a parent), I feel they wouldn't have been so emotionally distraught were it not for that one shot of the kid waking up.

[@KeithDunnFernandez]

Carmody says, "My life for you". Ring a bell? It's from the novel and mini-series The Stand uttered by Trash Can Man ALSO in a religious context and also misguided. A brilliant call-back to King's other work and draws a parallel for we who know a lot of his works. Brilliant. I am loving your reviews guys! Please keep it up!

[@elisabethorozco6676]

Awesome review guys, keep it up!

[@renegadedjinn5325]

I may of gotten hooked to you guys about 3 months ago but you guys are awesome. I like your style of reviewing and the movies you review. 2016 was great content, looking forward to 2017.

[@maddyhoke3907]

Silver Spade Yeah. You can tell these guys have a real passion for film. :)

[@AbrasiousProductions]

no joke the ending upset me so much i was literally depressed for about two months when i first watched it.

[@lordmacabre]

Most tragic movie ending EVER! I cry every time...

[@hushedcasket4898]

Personally I have always really wanted to see something from the soldier's perspective coming to the rescue at the end. But then that would provide too many answers to the mist/closure at seeing monsters killed. But at the same time if done right it could also be terrifying from the soldier's POV. Being expected to fight monsters from beyond our dimension that are eating their way across the country.

[@brokefangmagepunk3685]

I think the soldier angle would make a good game!

[@70mustang302]

Laurie Holden's got it going on. Plus I love this movie, especially in black & white

[@jonathanpowers2211]

Excellent video as always, you should totally do "I melt with you" at some point. I would love to hear what you think about it

[@johnw8578]

I preferred the book ending. The way I see it, the main character was doing everything possible to save his son--seemed out of character to do the movie ending.

[@1ofLouisBoys]

this is the FOURTH adaptation by Frank Darabont, as he did make a student film called The Woman in the Room based on a King short story. I think you can find it on youtube along with a few others, King refers to these student films as Dollar Babies.

[@thomaskphillips2582]

Gary & Ian you are cool dudes!

[@michaelcoffey1991]

Top 5 gut punch endings of all time for horror or thriller's...... just amazing. I never read the book but King said it was better then the ending he wrote.

[@boomstickcritique902]

Great film only minor problems the cgi monster tenticales at the start are little weak. Besides that I think the ending provides great punch for the film however I do think the book ending would have worked to but the ending they went with provided way more punch. I also kinda wish they made a sequel to this set maybe in a city setting having to deal with the mist.I think the ending works in the context of the movie about how it deals with peoples reaction to fear an feeling no hope. Would I do the same no because im to much of a fighter but I can see some people would.

[@XB0XDIE2011]

It feels very familiar to the first Silent Hill game. Where you don't feel safe in any environment in the Mist or Silent Hill.

[@gRinchY-op5vr]

The Silent Hill games were inspired by this, alot of other King works and Jacobs Ladder. So not surprising, I find if you like one you will more than likely enjoy the others

[@Selfloathingmisanthrope]

My GF and I purchased this movie on demand at a hotel we were staying at just bc it was a Stephan King movie, and it affected us both on a viseral/personal level. The end is just the absolute worst.

[@andrewsreed03]

I hadn't watched this for eight years but I watched this again when I saw you were reviewing it. Great film. I'll have to read King's novella now. I agree the end of the film doesn't show very good time lapse of their driving. In addition, I think the army turning up 'two minutes later' may have not meant to be literally two minutes but I guess the film needed to end quite quickly with the directors choice of ending. I wouldn't like to have the ending any different. Hope does prevail after all.

[@bigrick3267]

I loved the different ending the movie did even better than the book and that's pretty rare. Awesome review again guys, new subscriber and I enjoy your vids, keep up the good work!

[@LoneWolf81684]

Added to my must-see list!

[@buster1quinn]

I don’t remember it being mentioned in this review or maybe I just missed it but the black and white version is mine and others preferred version over the color version which was the theatrical release one. Gives a totally different feel to the movie and more kinda 50s monster vibe.have seen the movie about ten times but only once in color that’s not to say the color version is not good but just different.

[@porkflaps4717]

Let's just be clear, the lady screaming fire and brimstone IS a religious nut, but the way she acts is NOT Christian. They are two different things. If she were acting as a Christian should, she would have acted with love and compassion and tried to get everyone in that store saved. Just a character posing as a Christian giving Christians a bad name.

[@chrismctwatt7552]

Yeah the story IS basically Bible-y apocalypse story. The 'Lovecraftian' monster is the 6th legged behemoth from the book of revelations. Stephen King draws alot from the Bible in his stories and shows you how harsh it really is. Also the novellas the Mist and Shawshank Redemption both have that same ending of a truck and a bus simply riding off and Darabondt added the end sequence to both. Funny how they're polar opposites in emotion. Someone suggested to me recently that if the religious woman in the supermarket (forgot her name already) was right in what she was saying, that David killing his son was the reason that the army appear and not just a case of piss poor timing. That he had actually sacrificed him instead. Just a thought.

[@katyrye]

You guys need to read 'The Long Walk'. WONDERFUL book.

[@CatsBackLeg]

I've never seen anyone review a film overcome with so much genuine emotion. So much so that it made me all the more sad, which is.... good... like, not good good but you know what I'll. just go over there a bit no no, im ok, just.... yeah the thing over..... - subscribed.

[@unchainedwiththecapt]

Didn't know that painting was from The Dark Tower. I thought it was Clint Eastwood, lol.

[@TRTMN-vs3ew]

I'll give the ending to this film credit in that it truly does feel like an ending Lovecraft would write. None of his endings are uplifting or hopeful (I say uplifting or hopeful because I doubt happy was something Lovecraft registered given his depression, fears, and anxiety). All his endings are completely and utterly hopeless. Lovecraft's characters either go insane, kill themselves, or worse: they realize the truth about our reality. The truth that mankind is just an insignificant speck within a vast, cold, alien universe.

[@chrisnotyou]

The 3D audio play ending is a little more hopeful, It ends with them driving and fiddling with the radio, and a short squeak of voice breaks through the static.

[@DonnaBrooks]

@31:53, you say, "And that's where the book ends." No, it's not. The book ends w/ them in a HoJo's (Howard Johnson's) where David finds a radio & hears nothing but static up & down the dial but then THINKS he hears the word, "Hartford," and it gives him a glimmer of hope that the whole world has not been overtaken by The Mist. In fact, I can quote lines of dialogue & details from the book. "And Ollie just.... unhinged... in a glut of blood." They first try to get back to David's wife, but reach an area where even the Scout can't go any further. Then they encounter the gigantic creature. The boy asks if it's a dinosaur. David says no. He describes the footprints of the creature being large enough to drop the Scout into them. When they get to the HoJo's he says there are only 2 bullets in the gun and the Scout is low on gas. They can fill up on gas there, "but... but it means being outside." Now it's been probably 30 years since I read that book, but unless King released a new version that took out that ending, the gigantic creature, and them ending up at a HoJo's were both in the book. So the book did NOT end with them driving away from the supermarket. I certainly don't have a good enough imagination to make up those details. [Edited to correct the timestamp.]

[@davidj.thompson]

Stephen King musta had a lot of Right-wing Christianity thrown at him when he was young. He, in any of his books I've read, usually has some Bible-thumping zealot who usually becomes a problem, if not a full-blown enemy, to his main character(s).

[@voxdraconia4035]

And he loves showing their hipocracy ... Needful Things comes to my mind here ..

[@Howard_the_Duck]

Yeah, these characters are always ham-fisted and cliched.

[@gRinchY-op5vr]

Least 9 times out of 10 they get what's coming to them

[@boomstickcritique902]

In the stand the lead Christian character is the hero it's religious extremist king hates he himself is religious

[@rydz656]

Not in desperation

[@GREATGAIWAIN]

Lol, I love how you just absolutely refuse to accept that Carmody could be right xD

[@lilspritah]

Dude I love your Big Trouble in Little China shirt!

[@d3nv1]

Love this film so much and the ending too - thanks for the great review guys.

[@aarone1981]

The Mist is perhaps Stephen King's Best book. Shining and Salem's Lot are up there too. I was so happy they included the Goliath creature in the movie, with a better budget, this great movie could have been even better. Great ending, but they should have been alone in the car for far longer, b4 the military shows up, it would make more sense that way.

[@Tyrant96]

I saw this in theater with my stepmom and dad when I was 12 and I was TERRIFIED 😵🤣 They even left me alone for half the movie😵🤣 The people behind me asked me if i was okay🤣

[@juniorsandoval9624]

I really liked the movie adaption over the mini series

[@jacksmith3189]

The novella was excellent As is your review

[@jdzencelowcz]

I love this film! The Lovecraftian monsters, the ending! Classic!! Spoiler>>>>>>>>>>> I loved how tragic the ending is, horror always has sad endings, this is an ending worthy of ol' Howard himself!

[@cardsharkmaster]

what shirt is gary wearing? A-1 review as well!

[@tjenahoj]

Good stuff, worth a rewatch :)

[@TheSlammurai]

I can definitely see this as an inspiration for Silent Hill.

[@Iondeen]

The Host of Seraphim of course

[@andrewblanchard2537]

William Sadler Bill and Ted 2 Tales from the crypt series and movies Demon Knight Bordello of Blood Die Hard 2 Shawshank Redemption Green Mile Star Trek : Ds9 and many others

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

The movie is pretty good although I do hate what the Dad did at the end. I get your arguments but I do agree that he did not need to kill his son and the three other adults. Not everyone who has lost hope kills themselves or others. So that final bit is the largest and most tragic "If only he had waited a bit more", he wouldn't have had to act wreckless and they wouldn't have died. Now that character has to live with the fact that he committed murder for the rest of his life. It is terribly tragic.

[@pyrodiscoflash6115]

The Mist is classic Stephen King takes a Maine Town and Completely Destroys it, the Short Story is Great, the Movie is a Mixed Bag, Great Review Guys

[@ahmetkemal2710]

Fantastic Review guys can you do the Romero dead films, that would be cool

[@lucasalce6010]

Aaaaand it's Back! :)

[@jamessiddle7389]

Great movie, R.I.P. Andre Braugher

[@aleaanderson6600]

The Mist does provide some great commentary on the whole science vs. religion aspect. To me, religion is a nice thing to have as part of our culture but some people like Mrs. Carmody tend to take it too far and use it as a means to cause trouble, sometimes over nothing. People can either keep an open mind and roll with the punches when it comes to things that can't be explained or resort to using science, logic, and religion like security blankets to justify their craziness or ignorance. The 'sane' characters in the film are the ones with the guts to ignore Mrs. Carmody's baseless nonsense and go out into the mist no matter how scared they are, while the others are quick to rally behind her and become like savage monsters themselves just like her.

[@Naldo2001]

I first saw Thomas Jane is Deep Blue Sea :)

[@-Trauma.]

That woman who led them back deserves her own movie.

[@Themurderin]

Who is the black dude at 16:09?? I vaguely remember him as a cop.. I wanna say Brooklyn 99 but I'm not entirely sure.. I know Terry Crews is in that show, but maybe this guy was like the chief or something? And he was also in a gay relationship with some artist or something.. He was a really good actor, so I dunno.

[@MrGrandure]

That spider scene gets my butt cheeks clenched every time 😅

[@sirmichael7085]

idk why... but i really like these two

[@NICK666565]

Guys as always great work, but please check out Thursday with Thomas Jane Directed by Skip Woods

[@joshuatunis6732]

If you guys like Thomas Jane, and are fans of Pulp Fiction type films, do yourselves a favor and watch the movie Thursday. It is a bit of a cult film, but so worth a watch.

[@NICK666565]

Joshua Tunis Yes bro that movie was ace!