Whilst it might seem odd to review a film about a real-life small town tragedy and Frank Darabont’s latest Stephen King adaptation side by side, it is actually quite fitting in that both films offer compelling studies of people placed in extreme and horrific situations, and although not planned, the double-bill viewed last night saw each film strangely complimented by the other.
Out Of the Blue is a fine docu-drama from New Zealand regarding the Aramoana massacre (wiki-link). The film follows the tragic events as they unfold, offering little explanation along the way. Although director Robert Sarkies spends plenty of time with lone gunman David Gray his real focus is on the residents of the small settlement and the responding police officers as they struggle to comprehend what is happening around them. Such is the disbelief of the townsfolk that even when bullets are kicking up the dust around their feet they cannot figure out what is going on – this scene in particular is a powerful illustration of the filmmakers contention that events are sometimes so unexpected that we cannot even see the obvious.
Out Of The Blue never tries to fully understand why thirteen people were killed, instead it simply and effectively relays events as plainly and accurately as possible. This approach is handled with such surety that even the presence of ‘Hollywood’ name Karl Urban does not unbalance the film. As such films go this is almost a match for Gus Van Sant’s superb Elephant and should be credited for bypassing that film’s fictionalization of reality.
The Mist, of course, is a million miles away from being based on a true event. Stephen King’s original novella sees residents in a small town laid siege to by a
strange mist. Firstly, it is an inconvenience but it soon turns into a nightmare as it becomes apparent that the mist is home to terrifying creatures.
In many ways Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redeption, The Green Mile) has delivered one of the greatest B-movies ever made. The town is seemingly populated with stock genre characters (played by stock Hollywood B-listers) and the mist itself allows for plenty of ‘get ready to jump’ moments and the film certainly delivers the required shocks. What really puts this film above others (please dispel any notion that this is a retread of The Fog – in either of it’s incarnations) is the various reactions of those that become trapped in the local convenience store. Like Out Of The Blue, The Mist centres on ordinary folk faced with impossible situations but then goes one further and examines how this plays out over an extended period. As one character ominously points out, “you throw people in the dark, you scare the shit out of them – no more rules.” This is as much a film about primal instincts as it is about monsters eating people.
As an adaptation, I think that Stephen King fans will not be disappointed. King has a good relationship with Darabont and has even given his thumbs up to the changes that have been made. As a semi-fan (I like some of his books but couldn’t finish most) it was surprising to recognise his writing style in the dialogue and to feel so strongly that you were in a particular person’s domain. As in the previous film the acting is top draw but particular mentions have to go to British actor Toby Jones as store clerk Ollie Weeks as well as Thomas Jane and Marcia Gay Harden in the lead roles.
I spoke a week or so back about the disappointment felt when a film does not quite live up to expectations… well the opposite is also true. I settled down to watch a supposedly small film that is the latest in a long line of, admittedly dubious quality, Stephen King adaptations, so it was an immense joy to discover such a incredibly brilliant movie that works as both an entertaining ride and a solid character study.
Out Of The Blue: 8/10 cast & crew info trailer
The Mist: 9/10 cast & crew info trailer
Out Of The Blue is available to rent / buy on DVD. The Mist is not released in UK cinemas until 4 July 2008 (a full seven months after it’s US release!) but is already available to buy on Region 1 DVD. The double-disc set also contains a black and white version of the film that, whilst it contains no extra footage, Frank Darabont considers to be his ‘director’s cut’.
