Nothing to Fear?

Last updated on: April 8, 2008 at 9:22 am by J. Ryan Parker

Nothing to Fear? 2008-04-08T09:22:24-07:00 J. Ryan Parker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Well, I guess that depends on whether you are carrying the Olympic torch through San Francisco this week, or if you are a Warriors fan anxiously awaiting Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets. It has been a busy couple of weeks out here on the left coast. Deadlines breathing down my neck and a film project on the horizon are vying for my time and attention. I have, however, managed to get in a couple of good movies over the past two weeks. I caught Martin Scrosese’s new documentary, Shine a Light, that focuses on one of their more recent concerts. This is no Last Waltz, but it is still good fun. The requisite theater experience aside, this film is probably best viewed in the comfort of your home where you can get up and imitate a Mick Jagger strut. I guess if you’re bold enough, a theater aisle would work even better. However, another film on DVD grabbed my attention, and I have been thinking about it on and off since I watched it. Most people might be turned off by seeing Stephen King’s name above a movie title, fearing that the film might be another B horror movie. Fortunately, The Mist transcends this stereotype and offers an interesting commentary on our current, fearful political climate and fear itself.

Based on a novella by Stephen King and directed by Frank Darabont (perhaps most famous for The Shawshank Redemption), The Mist tells the story of a small northeastern town invaded by a mysterious fog after a severe thunderstorm. The story focuses on a group of townspeople who barricade themselves in a local grocery store after they see a blood-stained man emerge from the mist warning them not to go outside. As the film progresses, we quickly see that grotesque octopus/spider hybrid monsters occupy the mist. If the tentacled-ones don’t get you, the web slingers will. However, they are not nearly as scary as some of the trapped humans, most notably Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden in a devilishly hateful performance). The main character and de facto leader, David Drayton (Thomas Jane), must figure out the best way to keep his son and his neighbors safe from the (non)human monsters. Though the film implies that the mist is a military experiment gone wrong, Mrs. Carmody begins preaching apocalyptic gloom and doom that soon wins over her fearful neighbors. Mrs. Carmody’s deranged interpretation of the events leads to the just as many deaths, inside the supermarket at least, as the monsters do. David soon realizes that whatever is “out there” certainly cannot be as terrible as what is inside the supermarket. He braves the creatures and the film ends with a stunning conclusion that Darabont apparently clung to with an iron fist throughout the production process.

Rather than relying on dramatic special effects to freak out his audience, Darabont instead focuses on the reaction of the townspeople to the threat of the external enemy. I recently heard a critic comment on the popular Sci-Fi television series Battlestar Galactica by saying that if the producers had a million more dollars it would suck. This assessment certainly applies to The Mist as well. Had Darabont had the resources to create creatures as “realistic” as, say the monster in Cloverfield, the film would have become simply another horror/thriller flick. Instead, by focusing on the townspeople’s panic, we quickly see that the film becomes something much more important, a commentary on fear itself and the fearful times in which we live.

Film

Previous Post

April 6, 2008

Death of Pop Religion Icon...

Next Post

April 9, 2008 Potential Horizons: Friedrich and Ford

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Classics DVD Film Music News Pop Culture Events Print Sports Television Uncategorized Video Games

Select a Month March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was Barnabas' original name?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Silas Mark Timothy Joseph