The Mist Film Synopsis

After a military experiment tears open reality, deadly interdimensional creatures emerge from supernatural fog, trapping townspeople in a grocery store where survival means battling both monsters and religious extremism, leading to devastating choices when hope seems lost.

The Storm and Its Aftermath

A violent thunderstorm wreaks havoc on the small lakeside town of Bridgton, Maine, disrupting the peaceful community. David Drayton, a commercial artist, lives with his wife Stephanie and their eight-year-old son Billy in a home overlooking the lake. During the fierce storm, a massive tree crashes through their property, causing significant damage to their boathouse and windows. The family weathers the storm inside their home, shaken but unharmed.

The following morning, David surveys the destruction left in the storm’s wake. As he examines the fallen tree and damaged property, something unusual catches his attention across the lake. A peculiar, dense mist begins rolling in from the water, moving in an unnatural way that seems almost deliberate. The fog is thick and white, unlike any normal weather phenomenon David has witnessed before. This strange mist slowly advances toward the shore, blanketing everything in its path.

Journey to Town

Needing supplies to repair the damage to his home, David decides to make a trip into town with Billy. They are joined by their neighbor, Brent Norton, a successful lawyer from New York City who owns a summer home nearby. The relationship between David and Brent has been strained due to a property dispute over a land easement, creating an awkward tension during their drive together.

As they travel toward Bridgton’s town center, the group encounters an unusual sight: multiple military convoys moving through the area. Army trucks, personnel carriers, and other military vehicles pass by in an organized procession, heading in the same direction as the mysterious mist. The presence of such a significant military response suggests something far more serious than a typical weather event, though none of the civilians yet understand the true nature of what is unfolding.

Trapped in the Supermarket

David, Billy, and Brent arrive at the local supermarket to purchase supplies. The store is crowded with other townspeople who had the same idea after the destructive storm. Among the people gathered are store manager Ollie Weeks, assistant manager Bud Brown, schoolteachers Amanda Dunfrey and Irene Reppler, and a religious woman named Mrs. Carmody who is known in the community for her apocalyptic preaching.

While shopping, the atmosphere in the store suddenly shifts. Through the large front windows, people observe police vehicles racing past with their sirens blaring. Moments later, Dan Miller, a local resident, runs into the supermarket in a state of panic. His nose is bleeding, and his face displays pure terror. He frantically warns everyone inside about something dangerous in the mist, urging the managers to close the doors immediately. Before anyone can fully process his warning, the town’s civil defense sirens begin wailing.

Store managers Ollie and Bud make the decision to secure the building. They instruct employees to close and lock all entrances. As these emergency measures are being implemented, the mysterious mist that David had observed earlier reaches the supermarket, completely engulfing the building and obscuring all visibility beyond a few feet from the windows. The approximately fifty people inside the store find themselves cut off from the outside world.

First Encounters with the Unknown

Despite the warnings and the ominous atmosphere, not everyone believes that real danger exists in the mist. One woman insists she must leave to check on her children at home. David tries to convince her to stay, explaining that she cannot know what might be waiting outside, but she refuses to listen and walks out into the fog. The automatic doors close behind her, and she disappears into the white void. Her fate remains unknown to those inside.

The supermarket has a backup generator, but it fails to activate automatically. Norm, a young stock boy and bagger, volunteers to go outside through the loading dock to fix the mechanical problem. David strongly advises against this action, but Norm dismisses his concerns. As Norm works on the generator in the loading dock area with the metal door partially raised, something attacks him. Massive tentacles, covered in what appears to be suckers or hooks, wrap around Norm’s waist and drag him screaming under the door and into the mist. Several men attempt to pull him back inside, but the creature’s strength is overwhelming. The tentacles sever Norm’s body, and his remains are pulled away into the fog.

This horrific event confirms that the mist harbors deadly creatures. The survivors immediately begin fortifying their position, using pet food bags, supplies, and shelving units to barricade the windows and doors. Mrs. Carmody begins preaching loudly that the mist represents divine judgment and punishment for humanity’s sins, attracting some listeners among the frightened crowd.

Division Among Survivors

Brent Norton refuses to accept that monsters exist in the mist. He argues that mass hysteria has overtaken the group and that Norm’s death must have a rational explanation. Convinced that leaving the store is safe, Brent organizes a group of like-minded skeptics who wish to walk to the nearby pharmacy or seek help elsewhere. David pleads with Brent to reconsider, sharing his genuine concern for their safety, but Brent dismisses him. Approximately eight people join Brent’s expedition. They tie a rope around one volunteer’s waist and venture into the mist. The rope goes taut briefly, then goes slack. When pulled back, nothing remains attached to the end. Brent’s group is never seen again.

Inside the store, David begins forming alliances with other survivors. He connects with Amanda Dunfrey, a compassionate teacher who demonstrates both intelligence and bravery. He also befriends Irene Reppler, an older teacher who shares Amanda’s skepticism of Mrs. Carmody’s religious interpretations. Amanda reveals that she carries a small revolver in her purse for protection. Recognizing that Ollie Weeks was once a regional shooting champion, she entrusts the weapon to him, believing he can use it more effectively if the need arises.

Night of Terror

As darkness falls, the survivors keep the store lights on, not realizing this decision will attract attention. Enormous flying insects, resembling prehistoric dragonflies or moths with wingspans of several feet, swarm to the illuminated windows. These creatures are drawn to the fluorescent lights like moths to flame. The people inside watch in horror as even larger predators emerge from the mist—pterodactyl-like flying creatures that hunt and devour the insects in midair.

One of the pterodactyl creatures crashes through a window, shattering the glass and creating an opening for both predator and prey to enter the store. Chaos erupts as the giant insects and flying predators battle inside the supermarket aisles. People scatter, seeking shelter behind displays and in storage areas. Two people are killed by the creatures during the attack. Another person attempts to fight back by using a makeshift torch to burn the insects, but he accidentally sets himself on fire and suffers fatal burns. The survivors eventually manage to kill or drive out the creatures and patch the broken window, but the night has claimed multiple lives.

Throughout this ordeal, Mrs. Carmody experiences what she interprets as a miracle. Despite standing exposed during much of the attack, she remains completely unharmed—not a single insect touches her. This narrow escape convinces her that she has been chosen by God to deliver messages to the survivors. Her preaching becomes more fervent and apocalyptic, and she begins attracting genuine followers among the traumatized and desperate people in the store.

The Pharmacy Expedition

The wounded from the previous night’s attack require medical attention, but the supermarket’s first aid supplies are insufficient. David organizes a volunteer group to travel through the mist to a nearby pharmacy to retrieve antibiotics, bandages, and other medical necessities. The group includes several brave individuals willing to risk their lives for others.

The expedition members use a rope system and move cautiously through the fog. When they reach the pharmacy, they discover it has been destroyed and covered in thick, sticky webbing. As they gather supplies, they are ambushed by spider-like creatures the size of dogs. These arachnid monsters possess incredibly powerful and acidic venom. One member of the group is bitten and watches in horror as the venom rapidly dissolves his flesh. Despite suffering losses, the group manages to retrieve medical supplies and fight their way back to the supermarket.

The Sacrifice Demanded

Upon their return, the situation inside the store has deteriorated significantly. Mrs. Carmody’s influence has grown substantially. She now commands the loyalty of nearly half the survivors, who view her as a prophet. She proclaims that the monsters are demons sent to punish humanity and that blood sacrifices must be made to appease the forces that have been unleashed.

Mrs. Carmody identifies Private Jessup, a young soldier who has been quietly sheltering in the store, as her first sacrifice. Her followers seize him and demand he explain what has happened. Under extreme duress, Jessup reveals classified information: he was stationed at a nearby military facility called the Arrowhead Project. Scientists there were conducting experiments attempting to open portals to other dimensions. Something went catastrophically wrong with the experiment, creating a doorway that allowed these creatures to cross into our reality. The mist itself is a side effect of this dimensional breach.

Having extracted this confession, Mrs. Carmody’s followers fulfill her demand for sacrifice. They stab Jessup and throw him outside through the front doors. Within seconds, a massive creature with multiple legs and mandibles emerges from the mist and devours him in plain view of everyone inside. This brutal execution energizes Carmody’s cult-like following even further.

Escape from the Supermarket

By the following morning, Mrs. Carmody has become completely unhinged with power. She announces that God has revealed to her that more sacrifices are necessary—specifically, she demands that Billy and Amanda be killed as offerings. Her followers move to seize the child and the teacher.

David and his allies realize they must act immediately. As Mrs. Carmody’s followers advance, Ollie Weeks raises the revolver Amanda had given him and shoots Mrs. Carmody twice, killing her instantly. Her death breaks the spell she had cast over her followers, many of whom seem to wake from a trance-like state, horrified by what they had been prepared to do.

Taking advantage of this moment of confusion, David gathers a group of survivors who wish to leave: Billy, Amanda, Irene, Ollie, and several others. They make a desperate run for David’s vehicle in the parking lot. As they cross the open space, creatures attack. Ollie uses the revolver to provide covering fire, killing several monsters but ultimately being dragged away himself. More members of the group fall to the creatures before David, Billy, Amanda, Irene, and one other survivor named Dan reach the vehicle and speed away.

Journey Through Devastation

David drives his vehicle through the mist-shrouded landscape, heading first to his home with the faint hope that Stephanie might still be alive. When they arrive at his house, they discover Stephanie’s body cocooned in the same type of webbing they had seen at the pharmacy, with spider-like creatures having clearly killed her. Billy is spared the sight as the others shield him from seeing his mother’s fate.

With no reason to remain, the group continues driving south, hoping to outrun the mist and find help. As they travel through the fog, they witness scenes of complete devastation. Buildings have been destroyed, vehicles are abandoned, and fires burn unchecked. They encounter dead bodies and evidence of desperate last stands by people who did not survive.

At one point, something enormous passes nearby—a creature so massive that its legs alone are taller than buildings. This behemoth moves through the mist like a walking mountain, accompanied by sounds that resemble whale songs or fog horns. The scale of this entity makes it clear that humanity faces threats beyond any possibility of conventional resistance.

The Terrible Choice

The group drives for hours, but they never emerge from the mist. Eventually, the vehicle runs out of gasoline, leaving them stranded on an empty road surrounded by white fog. They sit in silence, listening to the sounds of creatures moving around them in the mist. David checks the revolver and discovers exactly four bullets remain.

Faced with what appears to be a hopeless situation, with no rescue coming and monsters closing in, David makes an unbearable decision. He looks at his companions—Billy, Amanda, Irene, and Dan—and realizes that dying at the claws and teeth of the creatures would be a terrible fate. Speaking softly to each of them, he receives their silent consent.

David shoots Dan first, then Irene, then Amanda. Finally, with tears streaming down his face, he shoots his own son Billy. The four bodies slump in their seats as David sits with the empty revolver. He has saved one bullet too few—none remains for himself.

David exits the vehicle and walks into the mist, screaming for the monsters to come and kill him. He falls to his knees in the middle of the road, begging for death, completely broken by what he has done.

The Cruel Truth

As David kneels in despair, the mist begins to thin. The white fog gradually lifts and dissipates, revealing the landscape around him. Through the clearing haze, David sees military vehicles approaching. The United States Army has arrived in force with flamethrowers, heavy weapons, and trucks filled with soldiers. They are systematically exterminating the creatures and rescuing survivors.

Trucks pass carrying dozens of people who had managed to survive the ordeal. Among these survivors, David recognizes the woman from the supermarket—the one who had insisted on leaving at the very beginning to reach her children. She sits safely in a military transport with her two children beside her, all three alive and well. She had walked through the mist when it first appeared, reached her home, protected her family, and survived until rescue arrived.

The realization crashes over David like a wave: if he had simply waited a few more minutes, everyone in his car would still be alive. His son, Amanda, Irene, and Dan all died needlessly. The rescue he had believed was impossible had been mere minutes away. David collapses on the pavement, screaming in anguish and horror at the magnitude of his mistake, his voice raw with grief and despair as the army convoy continues past.