Stephen King is without a doubt an absolute master of horror. The prolific author has given the genre some of its most iconic stories and, in turn, many of those stories have become equally as iconic films as well. Movies like Misery and IT have long thrilled and terrified audiences and it seems like there are more adaptations of King’s work that come out every year. But when it comes to one specific story, it’s adaptation to screen is considered one of the best—and it’s about to be free to stream.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Coming to Kanopy on May 15th where it’s free to stream with a library card is The Mist. Set in the town of Bridgton, Maine, a day after a horrific thunderstorm, the town tries to recover and search for supplies. But as local artist David Drayton goes to the grocery store with his son, the town is engulfed by a strange mist, leading to those in the store having to fight for survival from monsters both outside and within.
The Mist Is a Fantastic King Adaptation (That is Somehow Even More Grim Than the Book)
The Mist is a great work of horror, both on the page and on the screen. However, not only does the movie do an incredible job of bringing the terror to life, but the film’s ending also is slightly different from the book and it serves as a serious gut punch. In the book, David and his son along with other survivors escape, though without any real destination and we last see them listening to a radio signal. It’s ambiguous, but hopeful. The movie erases all that hope in a truly heartbreaking twist. We won’t spoil it for you—it’s something that should really be experienced—but in the movie, Drayton makes a choice believing that it’s the only way out only to find out said devastating decision was for nothing just a moment later. It’s an ending that even King himself praised.
Of course, it isn’t just the ending that The Mist movie makes some changes to. The movie offers up an elaboration on the origin of the mist, something that the book is much more vague on. It’s a subtle shift, but it’s one that enhances the story and the overall experience of the film. Between the changes to the origin of the mist and the story’s ending, The Mist is a rare example of a film adaptation that improves the book it’s based on. The film was also a hit with critics and performed well at the box office. When it arrives on Kanopy May 15th, it’s the perfect late spring horror film to check out as we transition to summer.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Ufotable -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of Netflix
