‘The Dark Tower’ Review: A Fun, But Sometimes Confusing Adaptation

A boy from New York City, Jake (Tom Taylor), is transported to another world where he meets the last remaining gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), who is on a quest for revenge against an evil sorcerer, The Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), whom he hopes to kill before he can destroy The Dark Tower — the central point of the entire universe that holds all worlds together.

As I’m sure many Stephen King fans already know, while so many of his written works have been adapted into movies or TV shows, The Dark Tower series of novels have undergone a long, long road to make it to the big screen. The first book in the series, entitled The Gunslinger, was published in 1982, but now, 35 years later, director Nikolaj Arcel has finally managed to give us a feature film version of The Dark Tower. So, was it worth the incredibly long wait?

Also read: Watch The First Official Trailer For ‘The Dark Tower’ Here

Before I get started, I feel it’s relevant to note that I have only read the first two books in The Dark Tower series. At the end of the day, I can only review this film through my own experience with the material. I wanted to try to be as knowledgable about the property as possible, but in hindsight, I’m not sure this was the right decision on my part. The particularly interesting thing about this film is that it is actually a sequel to the books and is canon to the events of the series, but to explain any further would lead into spoiler territory, for the books, at least (our own Grant Davis does a terrific job of explaining it here, if you’re interested). I’m not entirely sure that was a great idea though. What director Nikolaj Arcel wanted to do with this film is to use it to introduce the story and the world of The Dark Tower to a wider audience. So, for the most part, that is the criteria for which I must judge the movie on.

First things first, I want to touch on the characters themselves, which I felt was one of The Dark Tower‘s strengths. From what I’ve read of the series, I thought the film did a remarkable job of bringing the novels’ characters to life. Idris Elba is a fantastic choice for the Gunslinger, Roland Deschain. It might not be what some readers pictured while reading the books, but Elba truly is wonderful in the role. I’m such a big fan of his, I’d watch him play my grandmother. Seeing him as the lead in a film like this was exciting and it’s something that doesn’t happen nearly enough for my liking.

Tom Taylor also did an excellent job as the boy, Jake Chambers, a character who plays a large role in the books. To me, it felt like this movie was more his story than Roland’s, but that worked for me. We’re seeing things through his eyes because he’s the character that is easiest to relate to, which aides in achieving the filmmakers’ goal of introducing the franchise to a wider audience. I thought Taylor was very charming as Jake and he had a great chemisty with Elba. The two of them being from such vastly different worlds leads to a lot of the film’s humor.

I always love these types of fish out of water stories, where a strange visitor from another place or time visits the world as we all know it (Star Trek IV, Thor, etc.) and when this duo return to Jake’s world, our world, it was some of my favorite stuff in the movie. Also, oddly enough, it was these parts of the film that felt truest to the source material (especially aspects of the second book, The Drawing of the Three, which is where Roland starts to interact with our world more), because the Mid-World stuff just didn’t feel like it did in the books for me. While Jake has a lot of the humorous moments, Roland has the absolute best line in the film. I was still laughing several minutes later because I just couldn’t get over how perfect the moment was (they’re on a bus when he says it, so look out for that).

The final major character in The Dark Tower is its villain. I thought Matthew McConaughey did a fine job as The Man in Black. He struck all the right notes for me. He was charming and funny when he needed to be, but when he needed to be creepy or sinister, he could just as easily slip right into it. He’s such an interesting counterpoint to Elba’s stoic Gunslinger. Out of the three main characters, though, how The Man in Black was used and his role in the story was the one that I was most on the fence about, but it was really just McConaughey’s performance that sold me on the character more so than the writing in this case.

Also read: Idris Elba & Matthew McConaughey On What Drew Them To ‘The Dark Tower’

The casting across the board is pretty solid, even in some of the comparatively minor roles. Katheryn Winnick was great as Jake’s mother, Laurie. Dennis Haysbert was a fantastic choice to play Roland’s father, as small of a role as it is. I really liked Claudia Kim as the seer, Arra. It was also great seeing people like Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), José Zúñiga (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road) in the film. Also, as a huge Joss Whedon fan, it was nice to see Fran Kranz, who appeared in both Dollhouse and Cabin in the Woods (a movie I adore!), have a decent role in the film. I love that guy. I do wish they would have done a little more with him, though.

The story of the film is probably the most lacking. While I thought the decision to make the film a sequel to the books was actually a pretty bold decision, I probably would have preferred a straightforward adaptation. With my knowledge of the first two books, it actually made things a bit more confusing for me. From my experience, the first two books employ a nice blend of the fantasy and western genres, with a decent sprinkling of horror as well, as Stephen King does best. However, the film also has a large amount of science-fiction in it. While this didn’t feel as authentic to what I’ve read, upon doing some further research, I found that a lot of these elements, which seemed really strange and out of place to me at first, might have been inspired by things in the later books. In fact, I found that a lot of people, places and things in the film were plucked from here and there from throughout the series as a whole. However, as I said before, I can only review this film through my own eyes, and the sci-fi stuff just didn’t really work for me, regardless of whether or not they were taken from the books. I think the best way to enjoy this film would either be to not read any of King’s novels beforehand or read them all. Anything in between, and you might be as lost as I was.

I thought that Nikolaj Arcel did a fine job directing the film. The world of Mid-World didn’t look quite look as I had imagined it while reading the books, but that is a common thing for adaptations of this sort. It didn’t look bad, it was just different than what I expected. There is also a Marvel Comics adaptation of the series, so I think a bit of my judgement comes from how the artwork of those comics depicted the world. The film’s version just wasn’t as visually interesting. At the end of the day, though, it’s always about the characters first for me, and I think Arcel succeeded in breathing life into the ones that are featured in the film in a way that respected what was on the page. At least that part of it rang true. There’s also a few nods to some of King’s other works in the film which was cool.

The shootout sequences were fantastic. We’ve seen guys who are supposed to be good with guns in hundreds of films, so I found it interesting that one of the ways the filmmaker decided to depict this on screen was not as much about how good he shoots, though he is good, but the style and grace with which he reloads. For a gunslinger who wields two six-shooters, I thought this was a cool idea. The effects were also solid, especially considering the film’s budget, though I could have done without the beam of light shooting up into the sky thing that we’re seeing in way too many films these days.

Something I quite enjoyed about the film was that it’s a breezy 95-minutes. Not every film warrants a 2 1/2 hour runtime (I’m looking at you, Transformers!), which is honestly what I would have expected in this case, so I found it incredibly refreshing that this film didn’t go that route. It tells the story it set out to tell and doesn’t waste any time in the process. Some viewers may have expected something a little more grand or epic, but I enjoyed that it was something a bit more character-driven than most blockbusters.

Also read: ‘The Dark Tower’ Director On What The Sequel Would Be About

The runtime also sort of leads right into another thing that I thought was a smart decision on the part of the studio and filmmakers: the budget. So many studios these days spend $100-$200 million on these potential franchise starters and we’re always hearing about their plans for a 3 or 4 or 6 film series (**cough**cough** Power Rangers!). The budget for this film was $66 million. Plus, while most studios are promoting their films six months, nine months, sometimes even a year or two in advance of the film’s release date, we didn’t get the first trailer for The Dark Tower until May, three months before the film’s release. This is just another sign that Sony is not being frivolous with the ol’ checkbook. Finally, an instance where the studio is not dumping boatloads of cash on a film, expecting it to be the next big franchise because that’s what they’re paying for it to be. It’s nice to see a movie actually have to earn it first before we start talking sequels. Now, that’s still the goal, of course, and Arcel has even spoken about what he would do if given the opportunity to make a sequel, but at the very least, the studio is taking the wait and see approach with this one. I feel like that’s the best way to play it with these sort of things, and I’m really hopeful that this film does work out for them and we get to see another, especially since it would bring in characters who play a larger role in later books. With a budget so low and marketing costs being kept in check, I think The Dark Tower might actually stand a chance to turn a profit, so perhaps we may see a sequel. If not, hopefully the proposed TV series might be the next best thing.

As a whole, I enjoyed The Dark Tower, in spite of its flaws, and I even had a lot of fun with it at times. This is mostly due to the cast and characters, as well as the fish out of water elements that I loved from the books. However, at the end of the day, I just wanted to see a bit more of the Gunslinger’s world as I knew it from the novels. If you’re already a fan of the books, you may be more into this film than most, but it’s hard to say for certain without reading the entire run. If you haven’t read them yet, maybe give the film a shot first just to get a small taste of what Stephen King’s imagination has in store for you and then perhaps you’ll be so inclined to dive into the books for a more well-rounded journey into Mid-World.

Score: 7/10

The Dark Tower hits theaters on August 4, 2017.

Top 10 Movie Trailers From This Summer That Will Fire You Up

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Every year, an avalanche of trailers, teasers, TV spots flood the Internet, trying to grab the attention of busy and overstimulated audiences. It’s gotten to the point where now, trailers are such a commodity, that the trailers themselves have teasers. There’s a reason: trailers, when they’re good, can be an artform all their own.

I love trailers, being the guy who is always rushing his friends and family to the theater early “so we don’t miss the previews.” Every summer, I make a YouTube playlist of my favorites that acts as my own personal radio station because frankly, sometimes, I vibe more to how the trailer is cut than the music in it or, in bad cases, the movies themselves when I finally catch them on-screen. It’s gotten to the point that I imagine and dream in a trailer format, with music setting the pace for a smash-cut of scenes that I want to write or just enjoy the fantasy of.

If you love a good trailer like I love a good trailer, this list is for you. Here’s what I consider the top 10 trailers for the summer 2017. Click Next to start!

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‘Marvel’s The Defenders’ Episodes 1-4 Review: Heroes Not For Hire

If you’re expecting Marvel and Netflix’s first team-up series to begin with the street level heroes teaming up right off the bat, don’t. The Defenders takes its time re-introducing us to Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones) as it establishes them within their own storylines that will no doubt converge at a place we’re already familiar with later on.

S.J. Clarkson does a fantastic job blending all four of the individual shows into one in the first episode. Each character is perfectly re-introduced into the Netflix corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe along with the introduction of the series big bad, Alexandra, played by Sigourney Weaver. Weaver’s Alexandra makes her debut in a way that humanizes her and makes you instantly care about her. But make no mistake, she’s definitely bad. The problem with Alexandra is that The Defenders relies on Weaver’s presence more than it does give you a reason to be interested in her character and that only holds up for so long before it starts to become frustrating that we aren’t learning anything new about her. That, in and of itself, serves to highlight the biggest problem with the series, which is that for the majority of the first four episodes, we as an audience are left in the dark along with the heroes as to what exactly is happening in their city. The mystery of it all proves to be more and more frustrating as the series moves along.

As for the tone of The Defenders, it’s rather generic. Compared to the other four Marvel Netflix series, it’s closest to Iron Fist more than any of the others but that’s not a bad thing. The tone itself manages to create a balance that works in order to blend all four shows together but if there was anything I missed, it was the flavor of Luke Cage more than the moody, gritty or noir feel of Daredevil and Jessica Jones. It’s present throughout Luke’s scenes in the first episode, but beyond that, it vanishes almost entirely mainly due to the fact that Luke’s story takes him out of Harlem, so the absence of it itself does make sense.

So far, the plot of the first four episodes is solid but a bit uneven. While the first episode ends on an impressively strong and propulsive note that makes it seem as if the series has kicked into high gear, things slow back down to a rather sluggish pace with Danny, Jessica, and Luke each in their own individual storylines except for Matt who is left dealing with the fallout of the Daredevil Season 2 finale. While it’s necessary to see Matt struggling with the loss of Elektra and the space between him and his friends, it ultimately makes him feel more like he’s tagging along in the story than it does make him feel part of the plot once things start moving forward.

It isn’t too long until the heroes separate paths begin to intersect with each other though. Luke and Danny’s first encounter makes for a quite hilarious and entertaining fight sequence. But once the series gets Matt and Jessica in a room together, it’s clear the two could carry the series on their own. Together, Charlie Cox and Krysten Ritter shine on screen, but more on their dynamic later.

The real standout early on his Elodie Yung who delivers an almost child like performance as Elektra is reborn with no memory. She shares several scenes with Weaver in which she manages to steal all of them as Alexandra takes on a motherly role to her. But to Weaver’s credit, Yung’s performance works so well only because of how she is able to play off of her.

Once the individual plots finally all converge at Midland Circle, we’re treated to a thrilling fight sequence glimpsed in the trailer. While Danny’s, Jessica’s, and Luke’s storylines make sense for them to all conveniently arrive at the same time, Matt’s is a bit forced in. Luke’s entrance is also so jarring that it loses some of its affect. But seeing him fight together with Iron Fist on screen is something fans have been anticipating for a long time and it does not disappoint.

While most fans are eagerly anticipating the dynamic between Luke and Danny from the comics brought to life on the small screen, the dynamic in the group that proves to be the most entertaining is the one between Jessica and Matt. Jessica cuts down Matt with her dry and sarcastic wit every chance she can get. Jones’ reactions to Danny being a mythical warrior are quite entertaining as well. Ritter’s performance essentially helps to lighten up the mood and breathe some fresh air into the drama that may have felt a bit too heavy without her.

Once the group finally does come together, it’s clear that The Defenders themselves don’t exactly gel with each other and that’s a good thing. Each one of them can learn a lot from the other. Luke and Danny have a particularly smart scene where Luke helps Danny see the world from his perspective in order to help understand that not every problem needs to be solved with his fist and not everyone working for The Hand deserves to die, even if he’s not ready to hear it.

Although it’s been a slow burn to get all four of the heroes together, the pay off is ultimately worth the wait as we’re finally given more exposition about The Hand than Daredevil or Iron Fist ever gave us. While not all of the heroes want to accept the reality of the situation they are in until they have some hard evidence, most of them are willing to see things through in order to get the answers they seek. But once they come to terms with what’s happening, the real war for New York begins.

Overall, the first four episodes of The Defenders are satisfying and entertaining but the slow pace and mysterious plot bog down Marvel’s first team-up series on Netflix. For what is the culmination of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron fist, I expected it to pack a much bigger punch than what these four episodes have offered so far. With only four episodes remaining, Marvel is going to need to kick the series into high gear and deliver on the potential it has with the action of these four heroes fighting together for the series not to end up a disappointment.

Grade: A-

All episodes of Marvel’s The Defenders will be available to stream on Netflix August 18, 2017.

5 Reasons To Be Excited For ‘Marvel’s The Punisher’

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One of the greatest things about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that it is branching and ever-expanding. There are several movies, shows and other mediums that have expanded upon its huge narrative. The television endeavors have been really successful in showcasing characters and heroes that may not appear in the MCU feature films. These series allow for other great Marvel heroes to flourish and no other character fits the mold better than Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher.

Castle is more commonly known as The Punisher and the series based on this iconic anti-hero is coming later this year. This is certainly an exciting time to be a Punisher fan. There are several reasons why the show has the potential to be a monster hit. I know as a fan myself I’m truly excited for the show’s potential and what can come from it.

Here are 5 reasons to be excited for Marvel’s The Punisher. Click Next To continue.

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