As a fan of Stephen King, only recently did this short story come to me to read and I have to say I was thrilled. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the book clashes with the movie I watched much earlier. The general impression after watching it was quite good, but now after reading the story it is impossible to have the same impression. The story is more or less decently adapted, with the exception of the ending itself and a few more striking things. How can I say that I liked the movie, but also the book ?! So I will choose the best from both the film and the book.
In a small American town (it is assumed that the state of Maine is in question), people live their daily lives. After the storm, which caused a lot of damage to the town, a strange and thick fog began to descend from the mountains. Residents of the town flocked to the local supermarket for the necessary groceries. Among them are local artist / painter Dave Drayton (Thomas Jane) with his son Billy and their arrogant neighbor, lawyer Brent Norton (Andre Braugher). Their purchase is interrupted by a man covered in blood who runs to the supermarket and starts frantically explaining what happened and that there is something in the fog. Not believing anything, some of them head outside, but only terrible screams and calls for help are heard from them while the fog covers them. The others in the supermarket decide to lock all the doors and see what they will do and how they will proceed.
This sci-fi drama with elements of horror is based on the novel of the same name, which was published in the anthology “Dark Forces” by Stephen King. The film was directed by Frank Darabont, a man known for The Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile, which are also adaptations of King’s works, but this time he changed the genre a bit, from pure drama to horror. Darabont did not intentionally deviate from a different ending than in the novel, which is the biggest objection of the majority, but actually took to adapt one of the versions of King’s novel, because the novel leaves such an end, so I can’t take it for evil, and neither is King. who moreover praised Darabont’s directing. The real theme of the film is actually panic and paranoia, based on a psychological basis, and not on visual impressions of fear.
The film has a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere with accompanying music, but I have to say that the music at the end of the film is a failure, too much, even for me. In this film, human reactions are actually more terrible than the supernatural forces that attack them. The gradual transformation of ordinary, normal people into a crazy mass of idiots and fanatics is probably the best element of this film. The mad and seduced (in words) mob is able to sacrifice at any time, even the one who has done nothing wrong to anyone. The very point of the fog is seen in the fact that it is actually a metaphor for death, and the reactions of the characters to the fog are frightening and disturbing enough to cause a truly deep and impressive impression on the viewers as well.
The acting in the film is solid, especially when it comes to the main character. Thomas Jane is one of those average good / solid actors, that was his impression in this film as well, although he is a very nice actor to me. On the other hand, Marsha Gay Harden is great as Mrs. Kermod. With her striking monologues, she maintains the point and the very essence of the film and she is very good at it. She is one of the best actresses of today who carefully chooses the projects in which she will participate.
In conclusion, I will say that this is a very good horror drama with a creepy atmosphere in a modern vision of the horror of Frank Darabont, which will surely satisfy fans of this genre.
