Stephen King is one of the finest writers of this generation, and although his stories are heavy on elements such as horror and thriller, his writings have been praised by one and all. Over the years, he has written several brilliant novels and short stories, but The Dark Tower continues to be his defining masterpiece. His fans wanted to see a big-screen or a small-screen adaptation of this novel for many years, and in 2017, they finally got their wish when the long-awaited movie adaptation of The Dark Tower finally hit theaters. Fans went berserk when the movie was released, and hoped for an epic experience. As a fan of the novel series, I was really hoping to see the film on the big screen and be blown away by it. However, what happened was exactly the opposite.
The movie, based on the novel series of the same name, chronicles the journey of a young boy named Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor). He has been seeing mysterious visions in which a mysterious warlock, the Man in Black, is trying to annihilate a tower, bringing ruin to this universe. However, he also sees a gunslinger who opposes the Man in Black and tries to protect the world. As the story moves forward, Jake is followed by the demons of the Man in Black as they try to capture him. In the process, Jake finally meets the gunslinger, Roland Deschain (played by Idris Elba), whom he has seen in his visions. Deschain is also trying to come face-to-face with the Man in Black, aka Walter Padick (played by Matthew McConaughey), for a personal reason. When Jake tells him about his visions, Roland takes the responsibility of protecting the child while continuing his mission, too.
Now, there were many reasons for the fans to get excited for The Dark Tower movie. First, it is one of the most elaborate and brilliant pieces of writing by Stephen King. Second, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker like Nikolaj Arcel was directing a movie, and third was the inclusion of stars such as stars such as McConaughey and Elba. Nothing could go wrong, right? Well, this sentence is not the case for this particular movie.
The biggest problem with The Dark Tower is how it attempts to liquefy a saga spanning eight novels into a single 95-minute movie. The story of a cosmic battle between good and evil, and how an 11-year-old boy teams up with a gunslinger, is actually quite fascinating, but the makers failed to realize that they were cramming too much content into a movie that has such a short runtime. The narrative is overloaded with mythology, multiple character arcs, and action set pieces, yet none of these elements are given the depth or time they need to resonate. The film moves way too fast from one theme to the next without establishing emotional stakes or coherent world-building, which made the books so popular among people. As a result, what we get is a film that feels too rushed and doesn’t live up to the hype and quality of the source material.
One of the main reasons why King’s The Dark Tower is considered a classic is how big the novel is in its scope, and even though it has complex themes, it keeps the readers intrigued. Meanwhile, what the movie does is that it touches upon several key details and simplifies the complex themes. By doing so, the result we get is a generic, superficial narrative that doesn’t have the much-needed emotional depth and philosophical boost that made the novel series so riveting. If you are a newcomer and don’t know anything about the novels, the film might feel like something they couldn’t fully understand because of how rushed it was. For longtime fans of the novels, the changes made to the plot lines and characters might come as a betrayal. That’s one of the main reasons why this movie never really works: it wants to please everyone, and ends up pleasing no one.
On the other hand, the movie’s desperate need to balance two genres makes it an uneasy watch. The movie never clearly decides which genre it wants to belong to. Sometimes it feels like it wants to be a young adult fantasy adventure, and in the next moment, it is a dark, gritty epic that talks about various philosophies. While trying to be consistent with both of these genres, the movie ends up alienating both demographics. Neither does it include the thrilling elements that would appeal to younger audiences, nor does it have the complexity and seriousness to satisfy a mature audience. The screenplay is disjointed. I don’t know who decided to keep several key themes like the interplay between fate and free will, and the metaphysical significance of the Tower, out of the film. Whoever decided to do that is directly responsible for the film’s debacle. Why? It made a compelling storyline into something really hollow.
The only good thing about The Dark Tower is the performances of Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba. As Roland Deschain, Elba brings a quiet intensity and gravitas to the role. Despite having a weak script, the actor manages to convey his character’s pain in a brilliant way. He is one of the reasons why the film seems bearable. However, it’s McConaughey who steals the show as Walter Padick, aka the Man in Black. The Oscar-winning actor perfectly embodies the sinister elements of his character and makes viewers realize why Walter is such a riveting nemesis. Despite being underwritten, McConaughey brings a certain level of unpredictability that keeps the audience intrigued for a while.
I get it that storytellers need to take some creative liberties to tell a more immersive story. However, The Dark Tower is the perfect example of how not to do that. The film is weighed down by poor storytelling, a lack of focus, and a failure to capture the spirit of its source material. For the fans of King, this film will come as a massive disappointment. Even if you’re not familiar with the novel series, it would still feel like a disjointed narrative buried by its own ambitions.
The Dark Tower is currently streaming on Netflix. It is also available to purchase at your digital retailer of choice.
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