The Mist

Un travail brillant. Une conclusion parfaite. Ça vous prouve vraiment que les gens peuvent être pires et plus dangereux que des monstres à tentacules assoiffés de sang. Les sermons bibliques remplissent leur objectif, mais par moments ils sont ennuyeux. Et si ces monstres étaient un peu mieux traités, ce serait un 5* ici. (07/04/2011)

De la béquillardise intentionnelle aux thèmes religieux et à la dimension mystique au-delà de la fantasy traditionnelle. Dans ce film, Frank Darabont combine des sujets existentiels sérieux et l'authenticité visuelle à la Greengrass, avec des tentacules de poulpes numériques et d'autres araignées attaquant. Et avec un budget de 26 millions, il surpasse le contenu de la Guerre des mondes de Spielberg. Un film remarquable, captivant, légèrement intellectuel et non conventionnel, avec une idée de Shawshank inversée sur l'espoir... Une petite œuvre méritant une grande appréciation. (16/09/2008)

I wouldn't compare Darabont's film to a cheap horror flick, or, heaven forbid, measure it through the lens of 1950s monster movies. I think The Mist works equally well as gritty horror, and as a kind of psychological drama where rationality vs. bigotry clashes within a small circle of people. Anyway, even the rather ridiculous tentacles at the beginning didn't spoil my overall very good impression. Scary, at times decently suspenseful and with a very powerful twist at the end. And Thomas Jane finally gave a believable performance (Punisher is forgiven). I wonder what the leaders (if they saw it) of the increasingly growing creationist movement in the United States, where their pseudo-scientific doctrine is already on school curricula and whose luminaries use much the same rhetoric as the deranged, had to say about the figure of the religious fanatic Mrs. Carmody. If Darabont wanted to symbolically smack them with it, I won't hesitate to give it the maximum rating :) I'm tempted to compare it with King's novel. (12/03/2008)

For Darabont, the notion of horror is something completely out of place, given that he can't even handle the most basic genre practices. He borrows from Carpenter here, and Cameron there, only to drape the whole thing with dialogue straight out of a dumb 1960s sci-fi movie. For two hours, the plot spins in a merry-go-round, with maybe a spindle of religious fanaticism pushing the viewer's emotions. Otherwise, except for the very end, it’s an absolutely cold, terribly long, and unintentionally stupid B-movie, which apparently got rave reviews just for the impressive ending. (09/03/2008)

If there is one horror movie this year that deserves a full score, it’s this one. It has an awesome atmosphere, especially in the second half, and I also liked the diversity of the monsters. But it’s not only about monsters, the story has a very strong dramatic line, too. The ending is amazing! More movies like this! Darabont has another successful King adaptation under his belt. (26/11/2007)