I did not see this movie until later after its release. Way later. I also began (really) reading King until after seeing it (Skeleton Crew is the book if you want to read the story).
Nonetheless, I am a film and book person...and I am a now a massive Stephen King fan. I am currently watching The Mist again, since a very long time..and I find it to be fascinating.
It is a good movie (for what it is). What it is a monster movie, but it is not just that. The movie is full of paranoia and what happens when a group of people that are trapped together.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the films based off of his work reigned. Of course there is Carrie, Misery, The Dead Zone, Stand By Me, Pet Semetary, and of course, The Shining (less us not forget Cujo, Silver Bullet, and Creepshow).
Nonetheless, the 1990s were a different game. The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. I love the latter, but Shawshank is a classic to me, and is very heartfelt The rest of the 90s were full of TV movies that many people might remember, IT (of course), The Stand, The Langoliers, Rose Red. It seemed like the end of an era.
But, the Master of Horror, I don't think, had a true revamp until someone (That someone being behind the Walking Dead, and Shawshank..Frank Darabont)
The Mist is in a funny place and era. 1408 came out beforehand as did Heart in Atlantis (a weird mush between stories), but. as fun as they were... I do not find it to have the same kind of atmosphere as The Mist. In fact, as movie monsters go...that movie does it (i mean Lovecraftian horrors...and skull spiders that spin acid?!), Nonetheless, I found The Mist to be true to the story, and very sincere to King's work.
Since then, there weren't a lot of films adapted by Kings work. Most of them were shitty sequels, on demand, Then..thing changed, 1922, Gerald's Game, IT and soon.some of his lesser known work
The Mist brought Kings horror work back into the fold (in cinema). It was also one of the first modern films (and the best in that sense) that brought back his horror.
The movie is not mean't to be as serious as The Shining or Misery or Carrie...but it still full of dread, and I would expect nothing less.
Also, the music is amazing for this film. Love it or hate it.