First, this is a great horror film with a near-fatal flaw. You won't recognize the actors' names, but you will know their faces. The ensemble includes Thomas Jane from The Punisher, Marcia Gay Harden from tons of films including her Oscar-nominated role in Mystic River, Andre Braugher from various television roles, William Sadler from TV and film, Darabont favorite Jeffrey Demunn, and a wonderful performance from stage actress Frances Sternhagen. Together, they and the rest of the cast capture something that most horror films fail to grasp: real reactions to unreal circumstances. The result is a lot of suspense, dark humor and outright shock. It's a great ride until the final few moments, where the movie departs from the original short story.

Without giving away the ending (for which King declares I should be hung by the neck until dead), I have to say that Darabont just about killed a good movie. (I bet they kill a lot of box office receipts, too, because not only will King buffs hate the ending, but so will casual moviegoers.) The short story, which appeared in 1985's collection Skeleton Crew, ends with the lead character attempting to escape the evil mist with his son. They hole up in a Howard Johnson after creeping through the dense fog all day. The father ends his story by whispering a word in his son's ear: hope.

It is hope that drives the classic tale, but Darabont purged the film of all hope by creating a new ending. I find this new take interesting because the other major observation I have about this movie is the fact that it is brimming with religion, but hasn't a trace of an actual Christian in it. The most important character in the story is not the father/hero. It is the Jim Jones incarnation known as Mrs. Carmody. She's a classic Revelation-loving, Bible-misquoting zea lot with a foul mouth. Her brand of religious fervor is rebuked by a couple of characters, but there is no real representation of God or Jesus Christ. Perhaps that's by design, to show how horrifying the world could be without God. Perhaps it's because Stephen King knows a lot about the supernatural and religion, but nothing about Christianity. (That's not an accusation, just conjecture on my part based on 20 years of reading his novels. There are very few I haven't read.)

Whatever the motivation, it is perhaps fitting that a story that knows nothing of Jesus Christ also has no hope. If you're inclined to see a Stephen King horror movie, you'll enjoy The Mist, despite the ending. If you're a Christian, too, you'll find yourself wishing Stephen King would find himself snowbound in a cabin with someone like Philip Yancey so the master of horror could be introduced to the Author of Hope.