The Dark Tower (2017) [Redux]

The Dark Tower (2017): adapted by Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner, Anders Thomas Jensen, and Nikolaj Arcel from the series by Stephen King; directed by Nikolaj Arcel; starring Idris Elba (Roland), Tom Taylor (Jake), and Matthew McConaughey (Walter): On second viewing, The Dark Tower still works better for me than its audience or critical reception. Idris Elba is great, Tom Taylor is great, and Matthew McConaughey is OK, though direly in need of a sandwich or three. It's also one of the few movies I saw last year in a theatre that I wanted to be longer. Recommended.

See also

The Dark Tower (2017)

The Dark Tower (2017): adapted by Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner, Anders Thomas Jensen, and Nikolaj Arcel from the series by Stephen King; directed by Nikolaj Arcel; starring Idris Elba (Roland), Tom Taylor (Jake), and Matthew McConaughey (Walter): Shortly before its release, The Dark Tower was called a sequel to the 8-novel+ Stephen King series by its creators. And it actually makes sense as one if you've read the series. 

Is it a great movie? No. It's bracingly short and compact, though maybe 20 minutes' more questing and world-building would have been nice. Idris Elba does fine work as a more tortured Roland the Gunslinger than we see in the novels. Tom Taylor does fine work as Jake, the boy on 'our' Earth who dreams of the Gunslinger and his fantastic quest to save the Dark Tower at the centre of reality. And Matthew McConaughey is suitably smarmy and smug as Walter, the Man in Black who's trying to bring down the Dark Tower in service to his own dark god(s). 

There are Stephen King Easter Eggs galore (Hello, Charlie the Choo-Choo! Hello, Room 1408!). There are rat-men and assorted other servants of darkness. Its weakness is occasionally seeming rushed, though that's better than bloat in my book any day. The Dark Tower also understatedly offers a multi-racial cast, something that seems to have gone unremarked upon the curious critical rush to pan the movie. Oh, well. Recommended.

Charlie the Choo-Choo (2016) by Beryl Evans

Charlie the Choo-Choo (2016) by Beryl Evans (Stephen King) and illustrations based on original artwork by Ned Dameron (whatever that means): Fun, sinister spin-off from Stephen King's Dark Tower series gives us the children's book that warned Jake about psychotic AI/public transportation system Blaine the Mono[rail]. Beautifully produced and fun for Dark Tower fans of all ages. Will King also write the version of Charlie the Choo-Choo credited to Claudia y Inez Bachman? Only time will tell. Highly recommended.