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Review

A star rating of 2 out of 5.

Matthew McConaughey prepares to unleash hell on Earth while dressed, distractingly, as a 1980s magician in this cynical adaptation of Stephen King's book series. Directed by Nikolaj Arcel, it is a pick-and-mix of ideas taken from across the eight volumes, with generic fantasy elements thrown in. Meanwhile, a shift in protagonist and its bloodless action enables it to fit comfortably into the young adult bracket. Tom Taylor plays a troubled youngster living in New York City who is plagued by visions of another world inhabited by a disaffected gunslinger (Idris Elba) and a dastardly sorcerer (McConaughey) who's bent on destroying the tower that stands at the centre of the universe to ward off evil forces. The action is vaguely diverting, Elba glowers suitably and softens convincingly, while Taylor is blandly credible. However McConaughey quickly lapses into self-parody - he's less sinister, more smug. The Dark Tower favours flashy spectacle and relentless exposition over characterisation as it hastens to a depressingly open-ended dénouement. Rather like the casing that falls from the gunslinger's pistol, it has been stripped of impact, and hits the ground as an empty shell.

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Credits

Cast

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Roland Deschain / The GunslingerIdris Elba
Walter O'Dim / Man in BlackMatthew McConaughey
JakeTom Taylor (3)
ArraClaudia Kim
PimliFran Kranz
TiranaAbbey Lee
SayreJackie Earle Haley
Lucas HansonNicholas Hamilton
Laurie ChambersKatheryn Winnick
Steven DeschainDennis Haysbert
Dr HotchkissJosé Zuñiga

Crew

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DirectorNikolaj Arcel

Details

Theatrical distributor
Sony
Released on
2017-08-18
Languages
English
Guidance
some violence.
Available on
DVD and Blu-ray
Formats
Colour
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