Who knows … it’s weird how that works.

Phillip, for me, I found the ending hopeless, but not utterly hopeless, if that distinction makes sense. Everyone in the film who chooses to play god, who chooses to take matters of life and death into their own hands, pays dearly for it. The film’s entire premise is about the scientists and the military playing god, and how that has terrible consequences. Mrs. Carmody is perhaps the worst, playing god by pretending to be on God’s side. She dies as well. But the one who is punished the most is Thomas Jane’s character, who decides to take the lives of those around him, including his own son. If–IF!–he had chosen to embrace hope instead in the face of all odds, things would have worked out wonderfully. But he offered up a big “Screw You!” to God (even if it wasn’t intentional) and took matters into his own hands. Isn’t the road to hell paved with good intentions?

Nihilism means that no action is better than any other action because God doesn’t exist. Morality and life are meaningless. I didn’t find the ending to be nihilistic, but wrathful. This is what happens when you forsake your creator, when you decide that you know what’s best. That is why it stunned me, why I rated it so high. It took my breath away, a cold spiritual slap in the face that made me take stock of things. How often do I play god in the small things? How often do I say “Screw you, I know what’s best” to God? Always, perpetually, constantly.

The film is hopeless for the characters, but not necessarily for us. But isn’t that the way the world is? How many people’s lives end in hopeless despair? But does that mean there aren’t other, more hopeful, redemptive paths to take? Even though Darabont isn’t offering other solutions, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

At least, that’s what I came away with. Ramblings over.

Although I thought it was superbly scripted and acted, the ending left me with possibly the largest feeling of emptiness I’ve ever experienced after a film. Don’t get me wrong, the ending works wonders for the film, but the utterly hopeless nihilism put me in a funk for the rest of the night. By taking the characters to the absolute limit of desperation, Darabont and King seem to be implying that when human beings are tested by the most excruciating circumstances the best option is for them to end it all. Sure, these choices are shown as foolish but the irony at the end is so, so cruel that I couldn’t find one shred of hope.

Did this really come from the same man that directed The Shawshank Redemption, the most hopeful film I can think of?

Gotta love subjectivity.

Great review, though. I dig this site. There seems to be more intelligent discussion and thoughtful debate than other sites I’ve visited.

thanks for the review on what is certainly one of the most underrated films of last year…i unfortunately missed it at the theater but caught it on dvd last weekend…the “exclusive blockbuster content” (which is total crap) is a discussion between darabont and king where basically the former sucks up to the latter…i thought it was interesting, however, that when darabont went to the weinsteins to pitch the movie, the first thing he said was, the ending stays as is…he told them that if they changed the ending, then they were going to have to give him a helluva lot more money, but that if they kept the ending, he would make it for as little as possible

I would lace all of the red meat with rat poison, alka selzter, alcohol, ex-lax, and any other substance of dubious origin I could find. I would chuck it all outside, a veritable meat-chemical buffet, and watch the deaths, inebriation, and inconvenient bowel movements begin!

Hopefully that is just entertaining and serious enough to net me the prize.

I’m not sure if you are aware of this but there is a give away for the Mist 2-Disc DVD and four other Stephen King movies: http://film-book.com/the-mist-dvd-contest/

There is something special about the 2-Disc set. It houses the Black and White version of The Mist, a version I can’t wait to see personally. I wrote a story about with video by Darabont: http://film-book.com/frank-darabont-on-the-mist-in-black-and-white/

In the plot details, I found it believable, where others might have seen cheese. There is a symmetry of purpose to the script that I think is masterful - everything ties into the same themes. I think most critics aren’t seeing the forest for the trees, which is, perhaps, understandable.

You know, my opening paragraph makes a lot more sense to me now. It will be interesting to see your response, Phillip.