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Stephen King's The Dark Tower (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter KGB
- Start date
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
JerseyToughGuys
Tough Guy
belljr
Footballguy
JerseyToughGuys
Tough Guy
Statorama
gangster
The reviews seem to say they shrunk down the material enough to tick off long-time fans and thoroughly confuse people new to it.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I think the powers behind this have done a poor job explaining exactly what this one film is trying to do. Some of that is because it's changed creative hands so much. But I read several reviewers who thought this was the entire story King told in 7 (8+) novels and the story is over other than some nebulous flashback TV episodes. Whoever was in charge of marketing should be fired.
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
At the 7:19 show with my daughter.
Buddy Ball 2K3
Footballguy
Didn't hate it but its not a good "Dark Tower" adaptation
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Johnny Rock
Footballguy
I only read the first book and part of the second. I went in with very tempered expectations.
My 12 yo daughter and I really enjoyed it. Pleasantly surprised. Good pace. Decent special effects. Yes, the story was different but it needed to be because of the disjointed short stories that made up "The Gunslinger" book. As movies go I'd say it was a "good" movie for what it's trying to be. Maybe 3/5* or 3.5/5*.
My daughter didn't read the books but saw the trailer. She totally understood the movie and loved it. We had fun.
I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and we'll see where they bring the series next.
My 12 yo daughter and I really enjoyed it. Pleasantly surprised. Good pace. Decent special effects. Yes, the story was different but it needed to be because of the disjointed short stories that made up "The Gunslinger" book. As movies go I'd say it was a "good" movie for what it's trying to be. Maybe 3/5* or 3.5/5*.
My daughter didn't read the books but saw the trailer. She totally understood the movie and loved it. We had fun.
I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and we'll see where they bring the series next.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Listened to a couple podcasts that were pretty 'meh' on it. Seems like the main points for them were: felt YA-ish, you could tell there were too many hands involved, oddly short, and didn't seem to love Matt M (I guess he had never read the books?).
Buddy Ball 2K3
Footballguy
If you are a fan of the book series I have no idea how you can watch this and say .. "Great Dark Tower movie!". At its best and if you don't associate the books with it, its a mildly entertaining sci-fi fantasy movie. It throws enough nods to the King universe to give King fans those little moments of glee but thats about it.
Statorama
gangster
How about people coming in completely cold? I have a vague outline of the story but would basically be walking in fresh. Worth a matinee?
(as a reference, I caught a matinee of "The Last Witch Hunter" and it was ok...didn't feel ripped off, caught a matinee of "RIPD" and wished everyone involved would get a mild case of cholera)
Buddy Ball 2K3
Footballguy
My wife said she liked it. She may have been trying to placate me, but she insisted she thought for an "action" movie it was decent.
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
Yes.Statorama said:
Frostillicus
Footballguy
Just saw it. I was entertained, but I've read the books. I don't know how you could go in cold and understand it. It was kind of a mess.
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
My 12 yo daughter understood it and loved it. But she is extraordinary.
Let's not act like this movie is Inception.
Frostillicus
Footballguy
Don't see anyone comparing it to Inception.
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
You said you didn't know how someone who went in cold could understand it. What's so difficult to understand? Maybe use spoiler tags if necessary.
Jayded
Footballguy
Not great but not bad. I read the books years ago and felt like the movie rushed into the story a bit much (reminded me of how people think GOT is rushing this season).
I think they did a good job keeping the pace up and telling enough of the story to keep the interest of people who haven't read the books but the end came rather sudden.
I think they did a good job keeping the pace up and telling enough of the story to keep the interest of people who haven't read the books but the end came rather sudden.
wilked
Footballguy
Ya I went with my wife who doesn't follow complicated movies well. She did fine here
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
One (of many) things I think some of the reviewers don't understand is that this isn't the entire story. I've read a ton of variations on "they distilled 4,000 pages down to THIS?". No, they didn't.
I'm still not sure why the people who are running this thing went the way they did (lack of marketing, TV-vs-movies, etc...), but I think most of the criticisms are in the wrong places.
I'm still not sure why the people who are running this thing went the way they did (lack of marketing, TV-vs-movies, etc...), but I think most of the criticisms are in the wrong places.
shifty
Footballguy
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Frostillicus
Footballguy
I didn't think it was complicated, but I thought it was kind of a mess. Maybe I'm not giving people enough credit.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
DaVinci
FairTaxguy
Evilgrin 72
Distributor of Pain
Have you seen it? I'm still on the fence and was actually hoping you'd pop in with a review at some point. You and JTG are two people whose opinions I'd really like to read.
Frostillicus
Footballguy
Evilgrin 72
Distributor of Pain
I didnt say they were the ONLY people whose opinions I'd want to see. I just know that they're both fans of the series (at least I think so) and so I wanted to see what they thought.
Homer J Simpson
I don't push
Frostillicus
Footballguy
Homer J Simpson
I don't push
Frostillicus
Footballguy
Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
If you can get over that it is loosely based on the the books and does not come anywhere close to the same path, it is a good movie.
Calling this a sequel allows for a lot of variation with the story, but as an avid fan of the series as it slowly came out, I have a few complaints:
Calling this a sequel allows for a lot of variation with the story, but as an avid fan of the series as it slowly came out, I have a few complaints:
First, they replaced (some) of the super natural with science fiction (portals).
Second, this movie is the story of Jake, not Roland.
Last, Roland never "forgot" his quest for the Dark Tower, even in the first book when chasing down Walter.
In the end, if they can develop a method to completely tell the next attempt at the Tower, I'll be happy. I'm afraid they took too many liberties with the story that this will be the only part we get.
Second, this movie is the story of Jake, not Roland.
Last, Roland never "forgot" his quest for the Dark Tower, even in the first book when chasing down Walter.
In the end, if they can develop a method to completely tell the next attempt at the Tower, I'll be happy. I'm afraid they took too many liberties with the story that this will be the only part we get.
ghostguy123
Footballguy
Saw it a couple days ago. I knew absolutely nothing about this story going in.
I thought it was pretty "meh". Wish I woulda waited for it to come out on DVD.
My wife liked it, so there's that.
I thought it was pretty "meh". Wish I woulda waited for it to come out on DVD.
My wife liked it, so there's that.
Evilgrin 72
Distributor of Pain
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
I'm in the same boat. Will rent...which based on the reception it's getting should be in a month or two
Evilgrin 72
Distributor of Pain
facook said:
at trombone. Just the image of Roland marching toward the tower playing a trombone is cracking me up.
dkp993
Footballguy
Saw it yesterday and can echo the general feedback given so far. The pace feels extremely rushed, absolutely feels like they were trying to cram everything in to an hour and a half, which is obviously very difficult to do and compromises the story.
It definitely felt more like an action movie then a character driven movie which is unfortunate as the characters are what make the book. And this is where it misses the mark for me the most. It's not the changes that were made or that it didn't follow the storyline. It's that it didn't capture the spirit of the books.
I'm really hoping the new "It" lives up to it's potential as that was alway my favorite King book.
It definitely felt more like an action movie then a character driven movie which is unfortunate as the characters are what make the book. And this is where it misses the mark for me the most. It's not the changes that were made or that it didn't follow the storyline. It's that it didn't capture the spirit of the books.
I'm really hoping the new "It" lives up to it's potential as that was alway my favorite King book.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Me too, but not a huge fan that it's going to be a 2-parter and this one is just the kids.
DallasDMac
Footballguy
Never read any of the books. Went in blind, no clue about the story line. Went with wife who has trouble following the plot of "Run, dog, run!" And we both enjoyed it. Had zero issues following the plot. Was a pleasant surprise.
Bonfire
Footballguy
I'd rather that then the option of hyper compression ala the DT movie seems to be.
Having watched several movies this week and seeing the IT preview over and over, I'm worried it will take the base material and turn it into a jump scare fest. I think the material is much more suited to mood and helpless dread vs BOO!
Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
Finished the books on tape last week and then re-watched the movie.
On one level, if you wanted a stand-alone action movie loosely based on the Dark Tower books, it was done well. IF you wanted to tell the entire 7 book story of The Dark Tower in a 90 minute movie. But, if you wanted to set the the stage for the Dark Tower Universe for future movies/mini-series.etc, it was a totally wasted opportunity. Actors were fantastic, especially McConaughey really understood the Man in Black character. But, we don't find out many elements that were presented in the film until book 6 or 7 (Can-Toi with fake faces, portals with programmable destinations, the Sayer character, psychic bombardment directly on the Tower (not beams, ugh)), yet they're crammed into a 90 minute movie.
Other than Eddie and Susannah, the only things missing are Stephen King heavy self-insertion and the final journey to the Dark Tower.
My wife watched it with me for the first time, her comment was that she felt she joined the movie mid-story. I told her that was true, it's just the books take the time to tell you the back-story.
Total ruined opportunity.
Also, the horn is carried in Roland's gunna (backpack), visible at several points during the movie.
On one level, if you wanted a stand-alone action movie loosely based on the Dark Tower books, it was done well. IF you wanted to tell the entire 7 book story of The Dark Tower in a 90 minute movie. But, if you wanted to set the the stage for the Dark Tower Universe for future movies/mini-series.etc, it was a totally wasted opportunity. Actors were fantastic, especially McConaughey really understood the Man in Black character. But, we don't find out many elements that were presented in the film until book 6 or 7 (Can-Toi with fake faces, portals with programmable destinations, the Sayer character, psychic bombardment directly on the Tower (not beams, ugh)), yet they're crammed into a 90 minute movie.
Other than Eddie and Susannah, the only things missing are Stephen King heavy self-insertion and the final journey to the Dark Tower.
My wife watched it with me for the first time, her comment was that she felt she joined the movie mid-story. I told her that was true, it's just the books take the time to tell you the back-story.
Total ruined opportunity.
Also, the horn is carried in Roland's gunna (backpack), visible at several points during the movie.
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