Mini-Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

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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.

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The Wind Through the Keyhole (Stephen King)

Title: The Wind Through the Keyhole

Series: The Dark Tower

Author: Stephen King

Released: 2012

Rating: 5/5

Basic Plot: Roland's group finds shelter during a deadly storm. Roland takes time to tell a story about his younger years as well as a childhood story his mother used to tell him.
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The Multi-Story Novel
This novel is told with the three stories interconnecting. It starts off with the ka-tet (long story short: it's Roland's group he travels with throughout The Dark Tower series) finding shelter from a deadly storm called a Starkblast. Once they are sheltered and the Starkblast has started, Roland ends up telling a story about his childhood. This second story opens up to the third story when Young Roland tells a faerie tale to the boy. The third story takes up the majority of the novel's length. When the third story ends it goes back to the second story and finally to the first one. I'm only explaining this at length because it's a little confusing going from story to story. Also I assume, you like me, are wondering how the three stories fit into this novel.


'The Wind Through the Keyhole'
The title of this novel comes from the story Roland's mother used to tell him. In the first story Roland remembers it because the ka-tet are in the way of a Starkblast. I assumed that a Starkblast would be a big part of the title story, but it was only a little part. The majority of the story dealt with a boy finding out about his father's death and how he reacts. While the story is very good, it makes me think that those in Gilead have a very different view about childhood if they tell their kids those kinds of stories.

  
The Dark Tower Series
So you're probably wondering if you should read the other Dark Tower books before reading this one. Good news, you don't have to. Stephen King is kind enough to give you the little information you need to know (to get you caught up to speed). If you're a reader of The Dark Tower series you can put this inbetween books 4 (Wizard and Glass) and 5 (Wolves of the Calla). So don't be afraid if this is your first Dark Tower book you pick up.

Final Thoughts
One of the things I had to grow used to was the language that's used in the book. The dialect that's  used is hard to grasp at first and then grows easier as time goes on. On The Dark Tower wiki they bought out a few errors in the novel. One is about what happens to Roland after he kills his mother and the other is what he knows about the Crimson King. As for the latter, it's revealed during the third story so I didn't find it too hard to think Roland didn't think of that particular fact.

The Dark Tower: Coming Soon

Now, I am one to be excitable. A hot actor (Brian Austin Green), going to Starbucks, or even finding a Stephen King book will get me jumping. On the topic of Stephen King: I found an article talking about how The Dark Tower series (by King) will be getting some much needed treatment.

For those unfamiliar with the series: It's about the gunslinger Roland trying to get to the Dark Tower. Along the way he meets people and has adventures.

It's a great series (seven books in all) and I would highly suggest you check it out. Must warn you that some of King's other books are tie-ins. Such as 'Salems Lot, IT, and Black House (by King and Peter Straub, it being a sequel to The Talisman).

Back to me finding out about its big screen (and little screen) debute: I was excited. I love Stephen King and wanted to see The Dark Tower brought to life again. I looked at different articles that talked about the plans for the series, who was playing who, and other things (mainly from the same site).

I remember running into a fanmade trailer for the series and how the video maker said it was never going to be. Guess what? It is going to happen! True, Clint Eastwood won't be Roland, but it's still going to happen!

I will be following the evolution of this series and hoping for the best.

Who would you want to see playing each of the characters? Do you think this will work (having movies as well in a tie-in miniseries)? What do you think about Ron Howard, Akiva Goldsman, and Brian Grazer being in the forefront of this project?