The droolingly anticipated film version of Stephen King's multiverse novel series, The Dark Tower is finally set to be released on August 4, 2017 and surprisingly has gathered mixed reviews across the globe.
The science fiction isn't really a movie for people who've never read Stephen King's Dark Tower books. The story doesn't serve up any exposition, so all those who haven't read about it are thrown right into the deep end of its convoluted mythology.
According to reports, the first installment combines the elements from several novels in the eight-volume series that take place in both modern-day New York City and in Mid-World, Roland's Old West-style parallel universe. Director Nikolaj Arcel said that the fans will surely know that the film is a sequel to the books' events. However, it seems that something has gone wrong down that line.
The Guardian reviewed the film and said: "While sitting through this uniquely flavorless slog, a viewer jolts out of a waking sleep every five minutes or so to realize that they have not internalized a thing."
"Nikolaj Arcel's efforts to translate and condense Stephen King's long-running series of densely mythologized novels amount to being a western without the majesty of the west, a fantasy without anything even coming close to being fantastic," the review further added.
Variety.com, an online portal said: "Stephen King's eight-novel multiverse has been turned into a slice of lean-and-mean metaphysical action pulp, featuring a stylishly stoic Idris Elba and a magnetically evil Matthew McConaughey."
Meanwhile, The Verge has said that the film is not a bad one, but, the continuous struggle to appeal to both halves of its presumed audience, including the newbies along with the King readers, has left the film "conflicted and erratic, a puzzling mix of highly specific details and frustratingly broad fantasy strokes."
Keeping a track with that, IGN.com has also reported that although the film is deeply flawed but the performances are not at all. It said: "Elba's furrowed brow, curt delivery, and impressive handling of twin pistols effectively channel Clint Eastwood's Man with No Name."
Here are the ratings given by other publications:
Rotten Tomatoes --- 1 star
The Guardian --------- 1 star
IGN ------------------------- 3 ½ star
Indiewire ---------------- 2 star
Metacritic -------------- 2 star
IMDB --------------------- 4 star
Joblo --------------------- 2 star
