The Mist, A Stephen King Comedy

    A comedy?  Well, yes, but this isn't one for the kids; it's also very much a horror movie and it is rated R.

    This film is set in a small vacation town.  Thomas Jane plays a local resident, David Drayton.

    After an unusual storm, he heads into town, with his son, to get supplies.  They end up holed up in a grocery store waiting for a heavy fog like mist to lift.  Trouble is, there are monsters lurking in the mist that prove to be very dangerous.

    Surely Stephen King intended this to be a horror story, and it IS.  But, director Frank Darabont seems to have the exceptional ability to have made the picture into both a comedy and horror movie, while still following reasonably close to the original book.  Not only that, but he does so without making the experience feel choppy;  there is no effect of switching back and forth between the two genres.

    All of the effects are very realistic, unlike the cheesy gore expected from a typical horror movie.  Even the monsters themselves possess a high degree of realism.  And, yes, it seems the entire audience - including myself - was laughing periodically at the "lighter" moments.

    One character in the store does get particulary annoying, but the movie goes into another aspect of the story at just about the right time to prevent it from becoming too bothersome. Surely those who have read the book know who this is.

    Now, this movie does contain foul language, but it's done in such a way that fits in perfectly with each affected scene.  There's none of that vulgarity that really stands out as excessive or inappropriate, like in many of today's films.

    This picture is a very enjoyable mix of suspense, horror and comedy.

    Overall, this is an outstanding movie; let's call this a "must-see".