Mini-Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

The topic of this post was voted on by the members of my Facebook group HERE WE STAND. If you would like to vote on future posts, feel free to join.
 
I'm hoping to get more reviews out by doing this mini-review format. If I want to go into actual depth on this movie I'll do so via multi-vlog reviews or other posts.

In this review of The Dark Tower there will be spoilers. So if you haven't seen the movie stop reading now and go see it before continuing.

This is a Sequel

In case there is still confusion: The Dark Tower movie is a sequel to the series. How can this be?

The original series ends with Roland finally getting to the Dark Tower and it sending him off to an earlier part of his journey. It turns out that the Gunslinger has been to the Dark Tower many times and so the movie is just another of his journeys. According to some fans, the movie shows Roland's final journey to the Dark Tower.

I was not happy hearing that this would be a sequel due to the fact I've been waiting so long for an adaptation of the series. Sort of seems weird to put the sequel out first.

I can see why the makers of this movie did this, no matter how much I don't like it. This allows them a perfect excuse to make changes while ignoring the text. They can say that certain things just didn't happen the same way in this version of Roland's journey.

It feels like a cop out but it works.

The movie leaves way upon for a sequel with only one problem. There is no real drive to see a sequel. I will see any number of sequels because I loved the books, but I'm unsure if someone who has just seen this movie will feel the same way.

The whole drive of the first movie was defeating Walter and not going to the Dark Tower. Even with the post-credit scene hinting at Walter still being alive, I don't think anyone wants a repeat of this movie. Not because this movie is horrible, but when a series becomes stuck in a rut it usually goes downhill.

Good Casting for Roland and Walter

I'll admit I was worried about the choice of Idris Elba as Roland. One of the worries has to do with a character who has not yet appeared in The Dark Tower movieverse. So that worry will be saved for a possible sequel.
Elba did Roland as well as the script allowed. He was always a powerful presence onscreen and managed to give the character heart.

One of the casting choices I was happy about was Matthew McConaughey as Walter aka The Man in Black. I knew he would have just the perfect demeanor to give the character justice. And give justice McConaughey did.

Walter always was a deadly and unstoppable force onscreen. He was able to go and do what he pleased without any thought to morals. It was a very wonderful performance and I can't wait to see him again if there is a sequel.

Kudos to The Dark Tower fans that are able and willing to see this movie multiple times. Hopefully any sequel will make much needed improvements.

Not Enough Detail for Non-Readers

I have read The Dark Tower books and still remember enough of the mythos to get by. So if you are not a book reader and still saw this movie, please comment below about anything you didn't understand. It might just be that the movie didn't explain itself well enough.

One of the things it failed to mention are the Beams. I had to spend a few minutes talking to my fiance about the basic concept of the Beams. The fact that I had to do this at all doesn't say something good about the movie.

Since the Beams are never brought up it's safe to assume that they've already been destroyed. While this does a good job with pushing for a more apocalyptic end game, you don't get that if you don't know what the Beams are. If you don't know what the Beams are then there isn't any stakes with them gone.

Maerlyn's Rainbow is something that isn't explained at all in the movie. All a movie goer will know is that Walter uses pretty glass balls that do stuff. The words 'Maerlyn's Rainbow' are never said. Basically each ball is something different and dark. It's pretty interesting but the movie never gives the lore the time of day because of the pacing.

If the movie was given more time then it could talk about the lore more. The Dark Tower lore is extremely complex and the first movie in the series should get viewers used to it. Instead we get any piece of lore barely mentioned or not mentioned at all. A sequel will need to improve heavily on this point.

Rating: 3/5

Additional Notes:
*Hoping for Oy in the sequel
*Want Oy plushies
*There may be a tv series to flesh out more of Roland's backstory
*The Beams being gone is a pet peeve of mine
*Hopefully more explanations will be given in future films
*There are plenty of Easter Eggs for Stephen King fans
*The Horn of Eld is never clearly pointed out