From legendary frightmaster Stephen King and Academy Award® nominated writer-producer-director Frank Darabont comes one of the most tense and terrifying films since The Shining. After a mysterious mist envelops a small New England town, a group of locals trapped in a supermarket must battle a siege of otherworldly creatures . . . and the fears that threaten to tear them apart. Starring Thomas Jane and Oscar® winner Marcia Gay Harden.

For thoughts on The Mist, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/Kzb-KRvQnOg?si=m1-_hvc6U-OxOh7z&t=2916]

Video Quality

The Mist debuts on 4K UHD Blu-Ray courtesy of Lionsgate in its original 1.85:1 in 2160p Dolby Vision which offers a rewarding upgrade over the ancient Blu-Ray discs from 2008 included in this package. Thankfully, the company has upgraded both the original theatrical color version of the film as well as the director-approved black-and-white version. Each cut of the film has its own disc, and both of them look amazing on the format. The new presentations provide so much incredible texture and detail to the transfer including specific nuances of some of the clothing and production design that were too unclear to capture before. Elements within this claustrophobic environment are also given much more depth which aids in establishing the heightened paranoia of the situation. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are outstanding, especially within the confines of the shadowy grocery store.

The Dolby Vision presentation allows the film to appear more refined than ever. The UHD disc contains very deep, stable colors in the color version of the film that tones down the exaggerated hues of the Blu-Ray. The black-and-white version likewise handles the grayscale effortlessly. Highlights are brighter and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are particularly deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. It cannot be overstated how much information is gained in the shadows with this update. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including the cuts and grime from certain situations. This transfer is a treat for fans of the film.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray release boasts a Dolby Atmos track for each cut of the film which is a major improvement over the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track on the previous Blu-Ray. This disc is a powerhouse throughout, as this is a movie with an intense sound design that this disc represents perfectly. The dialogue comes through clearly without getting muddied by the music or any sound effects within the chaos. As the action evolves within this confined market, the sounds of the environment flow out of your side, rear, and overhead speakers. Each sound is precisely considered with distinct spatial awareness.

The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of thrilling moments that really make you feel like you are in the thick of this nightmare. Every sequence features some impeccable sound design from the subtle to the bombastic that comes through flawlessly. The environmental effects such as flying creatures and gunfire come through viscerally. There is a significant amount of activity in the low end when the scenes call for it, as it tends to do. The terrific score from Mark Isham utilized in the film comes through with a pleasing fidelity. Lionsgate has delivered exactly what the film deserves with this track. There are English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Writer/director Frank Darabont and producer Denise Huth provide a terrific audio commentary in which they deconstruct the production from the opening shot to the very end without letting up. This is primarily a Darabont showcase with occasional interjections from Huth, who gives additional context when Darabont comes up short. The filmmaker points out the moments that were tweaked with digital effects, explores the casting and contributions of the different performers, discusses how they executed certain moments, and much more which is a pleasure to listen to.

Deleted & Extended Scenes: There are eight unused scenes totaling 15 minutes provided here with optional audio commentary from Frank Darabont who explains why things were changed or omitted from the final film. Even if they were removed from the film, there is a lot of good stuff in here.

A Conversation with Stephen King and Frank Darabont: A 12-minute featurette between the two creatives in which they discuss the themes and structure of The Mist, the ending, dealing with the studio regarding the script, the production limitations, and much more.

When Darkness Came – The Making Of The Mist: A pretty great 38-minute exploration of the creation of this film, how this fits into the career of Frank Darabont, the initial story, the blending of practical and special effects, the shooting locations, the casting of the ensemble, shooting quickly and cheaply, and much more.

Taming The Beast – The Making Of Scene 35: A 12-minute featurette that takes a look at the big action sequence at the center of the film, how all of the departments came together, and the toll it took on the performers.

Monsters Among Us – A Look At The Creature FX: A 13-minute look at the practical effects work utilized to bring these monsters to the screen.

The Horror Of It All – The Visual FX Of The Mist: A 16-minute dive into the visual effects utilized to complement the practical effects, allowing this world to feel more fully realized.

Drew Struzan – An Appreciation Of An Artist: A nearly eight-minute appreciation piece for the iconic artist and his body of work.

Webisodes: A three-part series totaling ten minutes is provided here giving additional insights into a day in the life of this production.

Trailer Gallery: This disc provides the Original Theatrical Trailer (2:29), Trailer #2 (2:31), and Trailer #3 (2:16).

Final Thoughts

The Mist is one of the best horror films to emerge from the 2000s. The ending is extremely divisive, but it represents a bold choice that few filmmakers are allowed to make in mainstream Hollywood. This film is more than an ending, though, as you get to see what happens when humanity is pushed to the brink. The interpersonal dynamics and evolving struggle for survival leave you glued to the screen to figure out how it could possibly work out. The performances are solid and the direction from Frank Darabont brings out the best version of all of these elements. This film is an audacious gem. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a great array of supplemental features. If you love the film as much as we do, treat yourself to this wonderful upgrade. Highly Recommended

The Mist is currently available to purchase everywhere on standard edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray and 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook exclusively at Best Buy.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.