A Terrifying Thriller Turns 15 Today And Is Streaming On Netflix
The Mist was released 15 years ago today, and is available on Netflix to terrify you once more.
This article is more than 2 years old
Frank Darabont is a magnificent director who has adapted three works of Stephen King into some very memorable moves. One of the best in the science fiction horror genre is The Mist which celebrates 15 years today, and Netflix subscribers can celebrate by viewing it on the streamer. This star-studded movie will leave viewers scared and shocked by the conclusion.
The Mist is a fantastic science fiction horror film based on King’s novella from 1980, originally published as part of the Dark Forces anthology with an edited version that was also included in his 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.
Released in 2007, The Mist was Darabont’s first choice of a King adaption and was initially meant for it to be his feature directorial debut. He put it off for several years after he opted to begin his King adaptions with the brilliant movie, The Shawshank Redemption (1994). He then moved on to The Green Mile (1999), based on another work of King.
The Mist is set in Bridgton, Maine, where David Drayton (Thomas Jane), his wife Stephanie (Kelly Collins Lintz), and his son Billy (Nathan Gamble), eight years old, experience a severe storm that sees a tree fall on their house. The following day as they assess the damage, they notice a strange fog on the lake.
They head to town to retrieve supplies, and things go south. While the film does have major sci-fi elements, it boils down to survival and how far people are willing to go to save themselves.
Darabont significantly altered the ending with King’s permission, and The Mist is one movie you aren’t likely to guess at the end. They both felt it was time to give viewers a movie where the ending is frightening and gives them a jolt. They also agreed it would be unsettling for the studios.
Even with a modest $18 million budget, there were able to drum up an impressive cast. Joining James, Lintz, and Gamble, the additional cast for The Mist includes Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, Sam Witwer, and Melissa McBride.
The Mist has received critical and commercial acclaim, especially in the horror community, where it has a cult following. Many have cited that The Mist is what an actual horror film should be. It is unsettling, scary, and unexpected. Bloody Disgusting ranked it number four in its Top 20 Films of the Decade in 2009 for Darabont’s spot-on adaptation and frightening use of CGI while focusing on the division of the citizens during a time of strife.
In between The Green Mile and The Mist, Darabont also directed The Majestic, starring Jim Carrey, which was a bit of a failure. After The Mist, he has yet to direct anything but did help to develop The Walking Dead series and served as showrunner for seasons 1 and 2.
If you are seeking a great scary film with an impressive cast, The Mist is one movie you don’t want to miss.
