Film Review - The Dark Tower (2017)

The Dark Tower is based on the Best-Selling book series by Stephen King, and I have to it, this is one of his book sets that I never got around to reading, so had no idea what to expect from this film.

Starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey this 2017 film is available from December 11th on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD. The Blu-ray is loaded with bonus material, including deleted scenes, a blooper reel and ‘A look through the Keyhole’, which features 3 vignettes narrated by Roland and the Man in Black. The filmmakers and Stephen King reveal the plot points that allowed the film to pay tribute to everything great about Stephen King’s novels while making it a whole new experience for fans in “Last Time Around.

Synopsis

The last Gunslinger, Roland (Idris Elba), has been locked in an eternal battle with the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the epic battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.

Review of The Dark Tower spoilers

I wanted to love this film, I’m a huge Stephen King fan, and I always want the films to do well, and the fact that I haven’t read this book series was in its favour, as I find not all film adaptations of King’s work projects onto the screen well.

For me, this film was just mediocre at best. It starts very well, quick pace and a lot of wondering what is going on. Is the boy just crazy? Can he see into another world? But as soon as you see he is not making this all up and enters the other world, it becomes a bit stale, interesting in parts but not enough to keep the attention going for the full 1 & half hours in my opinion.

I loved the IT reference when Roland and Jake are crossing the land, there is an old amusement park with a fallen large clown image and the entrance to the ruins, read ‘Pennywise’, this got my interest, as I’ve read IT and it is scarier than the 1990 version of the film but I’m looking forward to watching 2017 version!

Because the film was not keeping my attention I did find myself thinking about IT, and whether the evil creatures and darkness that Roland is so desperately trying to keep out of the universe is the same evil and darkness that slipped in through one of the cracks every time we have an earthquake and found herself in Derry, Maine!

I did, however, enjoy the gunfight scenes, the effects are great and Idris plays a very moody, lonely warrior who truly shows why he’s the last gunslinger.

I’m glad I’ve watched the film, all be it a ‘middle of the road’ type, but I’m also pleased I went into this film blind, knowing nothing about The Dark Tower beforehand.