The Mist (R, 2007)

common sense media says

Fear reigns in so-so Stephen King monster flick.

parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this Stephen King-inspired horror film features monsters (who proceed to rip up bodies), unseen threats, and bloody injuries and deaths. People use axes and guns against the monsters and also hurt each other (shooting, hitting, stabbing). There's intense suspense that could make younger kids very anxious, as well as several suicides -- and the final scene is especially upsetting. One scene shows cigarette smoking, and a few characters get visibly drunk. Language includes multiple uses of "f--k," plus other profanity.

Positive messages: Characters have a range of responses to the mist/monsters, including nobility, selfishness, fear, and courageousness. Teachers and parents are brave, a militantly religious woman rouses the crowd to blame and attack others.

Violence: Lots of bloody violence, most committed by monsters against humans (the reptilian, buggy, dinosaur-like baddies are fond of ripping victims' guts out and faces off). Man with bloody face describes scary encounter, causing a young boy to cry and go into shock. Several scenes show parents holding frightened children. Young man is dragged out a door, screaming and fearful, bloodied and wounded during the process. Man on fire later appears badly burned. Man is cut in half, his bloody legs and entrails left behind. Monster spiders wrap victims in webs; one body breaks open to let loose cascades of creepy baby spiders. Man stabs another repeatedly. Suicide victims (hanging). Woman urges crowd to deliver a horrified victim to the monsters. Woman bitten by a giant bug swells up horrifically before she dies. Weapons wielded by humans -- against each other and the monsters -- include axe, gun, and fire (torches and aerosol can). A couple of alarming shooting scenes resulting in bloody injuries, splatter, and upsetting deaths.

Sex: Brief cleavage shot. Brief kissing between designated cute young couple, in close-up.

Language: Includes several uses of "f--k" (some with "mother"), lots of "s--t"s and fewer instances of "ass," "hell," "bitch" (with "son of a"), and anatomically inspired expletives ("c--ksucker," "p---y").

Consumerism: Assorted products visible in the grocery store, including Budweiser beer and Snyder's pretzels, as well as generic cans and paper.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Soldier smokes a cigarette, indicating his worry. Addled mechanics drink beer and get visibly drunk.

Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about how people respond to being scared. Why do you think the characters react the way they do? How do you think you'd react in a high-stress situation? And, speaking of being scared, why do you think people are drawn to scary movies? What's the appeal of being frightened in the theater? What's scarier -- threats you can see, or those you can't? Why?

What's the story?

THE MIST begins with a conflict between neighbors in Castle Rock, Maine. Following a raucous storm, neighbors David (Thomas Jane) and (Andre Braugher), who share a troubled past, agree to head into town together for supplies. At the store, they face more immediate danger, and their tenuous alliance breaks down. Dan (Jeffrey DeMunn) arrives bloody-nosed and stunned, announcing, "There's something in the mist!" The camera turns to show the scary, opaque wall rolling in. It brings monsters -- tentacled, big-jawed, and prone to ripping people apart. Afraid of what they can't see, the trapped shoppers begin to blame each other, looking for order in end-of-days pronouncements (courtesy of a local fundamentalist played by Marcia Gay Harden) or in secret experiments conducted at a nearby military base. Tensions rise and paranoia grows as the confined characters argue, plan, and worry about their homes and families. David reluctantly takes charge of one group of survivors, but he's got his work cut out for him as more and more terrified individuals make bad choices and turn on one another.

Is it any good?

The Mist's moral and physical geographies are familiar, if excessively literal. Divisions occur between inside and outside, good and deranged. David's choices at each moment are shaped by his belief in what he sees and his distrust of other people's rationalizations. He's the film's most reliable guide, showing how fear makes populations strangely obedient, willing to accept any explanation that exonerates them and blames someone else. Though The Mist indicts blind belief (and features a stunning ending that differs from Stephen King's source novella), it remains burdened by generic clichés.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details

Studio: Dimension
Director: Frank Darabont
Cast: Andre Braugher, Marcia Gay Harden, Thomas Jane
Genre: Horror
Run time: 119 minutes
Theatrical release: November 21, 2007
DVD release: March 24, 2008
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: violence, terror and gore, and language.

This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs

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What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

skating132
teen, 16 years old

Movie is pretty good throughout except for the ending. kinda ruins it. except tells to never give up. pretty scary. the monsters are not, but there is one lady who makes a couple scenes pretty scary. at least for me. pretty bloddy. matters how your kids can take scry movies. i would say a mature 13 year old could see it and a less mature starting at about age 16

What other families should know

Movie Details

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Genre

The Mist (R, 2007)

common sense media says

parents & educators say

What parents need to know

More on The Mist

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

What's the story?

What's the story?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?

Movie themes & details

Movie Details

Review It

Review The Mist

What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

Dispite what you other people say

SUCKY ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheesy but in a fun way!

The endings nice. :)

Great for kids 14+ up, make sure to point out the morals

great movie

A unique, and chilling creature feature.

AWESOME

You'll hate it if you have read the book, but if not, you'll love it

Pretty Good Movie, Also Pretty Violent

not good for young kids

not the best movie.

the mist review

Not a Good Movie

A good book for someone who is board and needs a good adventure!!

Pretty bloody, mildy entertaining monster movie

awsome

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