“The Dark Tower” Movie Review

by Adam Huddleston

So, I attended the premiere of “The Dark Tower” last night, and I wanted to throw my two cents in about the movie. Due to the fact that there are many who have not read the source material, and I absolutely loathe folks who spoil the story for others, I will do my best not to ruin the plot for you.

Ok, after months and months (years actually) of speculation and chatting on Reddit about the movie, I went in cautiously optimistic. If you read online reviews of the film, you will see a myriad of responses; some constructive, most destructive. My overall impression was this: it was mediocre.

I understand that, when trying to appeal to a wide audience (most of whom have never read the novels), you have to make the story interesting without overwhelming people with exposition. The filmmakers included a good mix of several of the books and most of the performances were great. I felt that Matthew McConaughey’s portrayal of the Man in Black was sufficiently menacing. Isris Elba and Tom Taylor did a respectable job as Roland and Jake, respectively.

The action was probably the best part of the film, even if it did border on absurd a few times. The dialogue was hit and miss, mostly miss (it seemed like sometimes they were just throwing in phrases from the books to try to make the “Constant Reader” happy). I’m hoping that the movie will make enough to allow them to proceed with a television series. According to the filmmakers, the series would be closer to the canon of the novels.

Anyway, whether or not you are a fan of Stephen King or have read the novels, I suggest you at least give the film one viewing. You just might like it!