Monday 7 August 2017

The Dark Tower (2017)

Attempts have been made to make a film based on Stephen King's The Dark Tower series for decades and now that it's finally here it's likely not the film that anyone expected, and perhaps not the film many can appreciate. The Dark Tower book series is a hard sell to begin with. It follows no archetypal narrative structure, and merges elements of far too many literary motifs to be generally accessible. It is the ultimate "genre" story in many ways, being a mix of western, fantasy, science fiction, and horror with shades of Tolkien, Lovecraft, and heavy doses of King's specialty sprinkled throughout. So how do you approach a film version that audiences can grasp on to? One that can appeal to long time fans and neophytes?

One way would be to do a direct adaption of the first novel. Perhaps that could have worked. What works in a novel doesn't always work in a movie. Perhaps it would have here. That is not this movie. This is a completely different approach.

On the one hand this film is a "sequel" of sorts to the book series. Without spoiling too much one could believe the events of this film follow the events of the book series. Or one could view this a a different take on the story. Like the Bourne movies, this may take the same characters and tell a different story on similar themes. For some, regardless of how you look at it, these approaches will be disappointing. There may be those who want to see the novels they love be adapted directly. There may be those who need to be eased into a story which is going to be challenging to grab onto. This isn't that movie.

For many who haven't read the novels, the film presents a different challenge. It employs a B-movie approach of just throwing us into the action, the mashed up western/fantasy/scifi/horror action which employs a number of devises which much be explained and accepted. It's like watching a show on the syfy channel with a limited budget and grand ambitions. It by definition requires a great deal of suspension of disbelief. The film doesn't spend time building up this world(s) for us and expects us to just go along for the ride. This will lose a lot of people along the way as it's not a likely way to sell a story. 

The Dark Tower film is remarkably short (similar to the first book in the series) and honestly feels a bit rushed. Perhaps this is lack of faith by the bank rollers behind the film. Perhaps it is an artistic choice to keep the story feeling hectic. Whatever the reasons the film throws us in the deep end from the beginning. It's a sink or swim scenario. A risky gamble for sure.

So we have a film which doesn't stick faithfully to its source material and forces us into an awkward, non-typical narrative which requires a lot of explaining along the way. This is not the recipe for mass appeal. But I found it fascinating and exciting. In reading the novels (twice now) I had pictured this story come to life a number of ways, but never like this. I think the surprise was what I responded to the most. The film defied my expectations at every turn. It went a different direction from what I expected. I went into it resigned to the fact that this wouldn't be the Dark Tower film I would make. But would it win me over?

The story starts by taking us into Jake's mind and presenting him as a potentially insane individual. For those not familiar, Jake is a recurring character in the novels, but not normally the point of view character. Even if you haven't read the books, we know, as we've seen too many movies, that he is actually prescient and it's the world around him that are missing some marbles. The film then takes its frantic approach which keeps us unsettled and I think makes things work in a way they wouldn't have other wise. We get a father/son story arc which brings us into the world of the Gunslinger effectively and tantalizingly. This is Jake and the Gunslinger as we haven't seen them before. They're relationship is reinvented. It has to be re-earned. The film acts as an introduction and leaves us in a spot where there could be more. It explores themes from the novels but mostly as hints. It leaves a lot to still do. But that didn't feel like a flaw to me, it felt like promise. I liked the way the film opened its story and I was open to seeing where it would take me.

Does the film cut corners? Yeah, probably. I felt Nikolaj Arcel does wonders with the limited resources he is given. It plays its B-movie sensibilities to its advantage giving it a "grindhouse" feel. Does the film oversimplify the themes and story of the books? Sure. But it feels like it is a gateway, a way in. If there is a series of films to come from this, the story could easily grow to include more of that. The final moments of the film felt as rushed as the rest of the movie, and perhaps a little pat. But they promised there could be a lot more.

And at the centre of this are the performances of Elba and McConaughey. Elba has all the screen presence of the classic movie stars. He should be a bigger star than he is and his turn as Roland is not only weighty but evidence of his star power. And McConaughey plays mythic villain with just the right amount of bravado without overdosing. In each case I felt like I wanted more, not in an "I've been cheated" way but in a "can't wait to see what's next" way.

The Dark Tower is not what anyone was expecting, and it certainly wasn't the Dark Tower film I was waiting for. But it was a film which I enjoyed immensely and it wet my appetite for more. Like a teaser it shows us possibilities, hints at connections to something I have enjoyed in the past, and promises to take us somewhere I can't quite predict. For me that's a success. We'll have to see if we ever get any more of the Gunslinger and his quest for the Dark Tower or not.

The Dark Tower
Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Denis Heysbert, Fran Kranz
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Writers: Akiva Goldman, Nikolaj Arcel, Jeff Pinkner, Anders Tomas Jensen

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