Actual mist is created with suspended droplets of moisture, and is not to be confused with fog (which has greater visibility) or haze (which is a different color altogether). And Stephen King, pop kitsch horror writer-turned movie mogul, is not to be confused with a writer who actually offers some value. If weather phenomenon frighten you and you’re at all interested in seeing yet another movie about losing visibility and being beset by scary occurrences, go see The Mist. If you started to get bored with King, stay away.

So, here’s the setup. Bunch of people living in Maine, everyone’s just doing their thing. All of a sudden, a strange mist (not a fog, mind you, a mist) rolls into town. Frightened and dismayed, citizens hole up in a grocery store to escape this ever-encroaching mist. How likely is that, honestly? You’re out and about, you’re shopping, a thick mist rolls in. Do you lock the doors, batten down the hatches and wait it out? Or do you just take your groceries home? Honestly now. Anyway, the film takes place

in the grocery store and features CGI effects which at least saves the movie from being a complete waste of time. Did I mention there are some sort of weird monsters living in the mist? Mist monsters?

Inside the store, you’ve got your classic two-dimensional characters – that’s what King does so well. The hard-working family man.  The Bible-thumping crazy (a throwback to Carrie, one of King’s early successes).  The hard-nosed logical lawyer. This all plays out for many minutes, as the audience is given a chance to find out who these characters are – a complete waste of time, as these characters are highly static and inspire very little feeling. Then the monsters finally show up, and there’s the usual gore and fear. Just another masterpiece from the leader of the horror genre, Stephen King.