The Dark Tower

Idris Elba and Tom Taylor are the standouts of The Dark Tower, perfectly capturing the spirit of the books

Confession time: if the filmmakers behind The Dark Tower would’ve made a straight adaptation of the first book in the book series, The Gunslinger, I would’ve hated it. Though the series has a rabid fan base, it’s no secret—even among uber King fans—that The Gunslinger is a bit on the slow side. Not only that, but it’s kind of weird in the sense it’s very easy to picture fans reading it and thinking, as I did, “What is this? Is it a western? Fantasy? Sci-Fi?” It definitely doesn’t conform to any one specific genre. So when news broke that a film version of The Dark Tower was in production (for real this time!), I was both concerned and intrigued that it would be a mixture of aspects from the series instead of a page-by-page adaptation of The Gunslinger.

Having seen the film, is it—and the future of a potential Dark Tower film franchise—better for it? In some ways, yes; in others, no. Combining aspects of the books (specially book one, The Gunslinger, and book three, The Wastelands) makes sense on a thematic and storytelling level since the characters of Roland and Jake are tethered on an emotional level. The film’s partial New York setting also allows viewers a place they recognize which offsets the otherworldly qualities of the worlds and places familiar to Roland. On the other hand, it maybe introduces a bit too much of the series’ sprawling mythology that might throw casual viewers for a loop (pun completely intended).

So do the Pros outweigh the Cons? Is it a faithful adaptation? Is the future of The Dark Tower film series in danger? Let’s talk it.

For those unfamiliar with the basic premise, the film follows Roland (Idris Elba), the last of his people (gunslingers, sworn to protect the titular Tower) pursing revenge against a nefarious enemy called the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey) for killing his family. But all of that changes when he meets Jake (Tom Taylor), a boy from our world plagued by dreams of Roland, the Man in Black, and a score of other things of which he should have no knowledge.

It is usually the case in book-to-film adaptations that viewers are pleased the characters look the same, but complain the essence isn’t there—the intrinsic sense of what makes them them. In The Dark Tower, the opposite is true: the characters may look a little different from their literary counterparts, but the essence—the coldness, single-mindedness, and skepticism of Roland; the innocence and bravery of Jake—is totally there. And so I wonder of viewers saying the opposite: would they be happy either way?

Idris Elba is fantastic as Roland, perfectly matching the source material counterpart’s cold, loner exterior, his single-minded determination, and proficiency with guns. He’s a commanding on-screen presence and brings an intensity to the role with his body language and expressions that the script sometimes doesn’t quiet achieve, not to mention great comedic one-liners as a fish out of water. He marvels at Coke, hot dogs and, in a particularly humorous scene, gives a New York City doctor a pair of ancient coins for her services.

McConaughey also gives a great performance as the Man in Black, harnessing the psychic abilities of children in attempt to bring the Tower down. He’s darkly comic, both fearsome and enticing, and plays the Man in Black with a sense of dark glee that lets you know he clearly enjoys causing chaos wherever he goes.

But as good as Elba and McConaughey are, it’s Tom Taylor as Jake who’s the real standout. Jake is saddled with much of the film’s big moments and Taylor couldn’t be more perfect. Ranging from portraying a haunted sadness that no one believes his dreams, to fear of the Man in Black’s pursuit, to an awe and boyish innocence regarding Roland’s origins, to a particularly pained moment in the film’s third act, Taylor nails the role and Jake’s emotional journey and it’s not hard to see why the decision was made for the film to feature him so prominently.

As good as Elba and Taylor are individually, it’s when they come together—the Roland-Jake relationship—that’s the highlight of the film. Jake’s innocence and candor softens Roland’s hard exterior, while Roland provides the role of a father figure Jake’s been missing. The scenes of them bonding, trusting, and learning about each other are pure magic, completely capturing the spirit of the books, and sure to make dire-hard Dark Tower fans pleased the filmmakers understand the relationship’s emotional beats. (Among their screen time together, one scene of Roland teaching Jake how to shoot while reciting the gunslinger’s credo gave me both chills and watery eyes.)

In addition to the film’s action sequences and Roland’s exciting final confrontation with the Man in Black (which I would’ve liked to be a bit longer), one of the things the film got completely right was the landscape of Mid-World—harsh, dry land; craggy mountains; a barren, alien landscape. The location scouting and landscape utilization is a definite plus. However, it makes it disappointing in a way because when the film got something so completely right as this, it’s barely featured before we’re whisked off to the next location or set piece—the Manni village, an ancient theme park, the Dixie Pig, Devar Toi. All of them work, but the short amount of time we’re afforded to spend in each makes me think they didn’t utilize all the cool settings to their advantage since everything moved so quickly. It’s kind of the equivalent of going to a carnival, seeing a cool ride, and your parent grabbing you by the hand to move you onto the next thing when you’ve only had a taste of the one preceding it.

Which leads into my main issue with the film: pacing and editing. The opening of the film should’ve been a smooth introduction into the world(s) viewers were about to see, but the editing, especially in the film’s first third, was so choppy, sloppy, and jarring, that all I could help thinking was that there had to have been a better, simpler, more streamlined way to introduce viewers to the characters, quest, and worlds of The Dark Tower. Early on, we bounce between Jake, his visions, flashbacks of Roland, and present-day Man in Black. It’s a little much early on. (Aside: as much as I love Jake, I feel like the film should’ve started with our protagonist, Roland the gunslinger.) Because of runtime and budgetary restrictions, it seems they were trying to introduce too much at once instead of letting the audience become introduced to the story’s various pieces at an organic, relaxed pace. It does allow itself to wind down after the climax, but the abrupt ending does leave a little to be desired. A kind of, “that’s it?” without feeding the viewer any morsel of information or intrigue to give them any reason to hope for a sequel.

To say The Dark Tower has a rich mythology is an understatement. Not only are we introduced to a mythical Tower that, if it falls, chaos will reign supreme, but there’s also the aspect of the beams that keep the Tower in place, Taheen, vampires, and ominous graffiti that reads ALL HAIL THE CRIMSON KING. Fans of the books will no doubt recognize the terminology and its implications, but it’s a lot for the casual moviegoer to take in when everything moves so quickly. I’m not so sure the film’s mythology would be completely grasped upon first viewing. While it offers exciting possibilities for potential future installments, it wouldn’t have hurt to have more expositional detail about the more fantastical elements of the story and why we should care.

Ultimately, the film is a case of “More please!” Would I have liked more action? More Roland interacting with the Man in Black, perhaps giving the viewer a deeper insight into their relationship and the mythology surrounding them? More time spent in the Manni village, the Dixie Pig, and all of the film’s other cool locations? Yes, definitely, because these are good things. What’s in the film works; there’s just not enough of it.

I have a feeling I wouldn’t have enjoyed The Dark Tower quite as much as I did if I wasn’t a fan of the books. It’s not a straight up, page-by-page adaptation (structurally or otherwise) and the editing and pacing is a little off, but it’s a good introduction into Roland’s world. The characters and acting all work, it’s escapist entertainment in the best way, and most importantly, the spirit of the novels is fully intact.

The road to a Dark Tower film was a long and rocky one, but now with its foot is in the door, there’s more than enough material for future installments and adventures in Mid-World if we are lucky enough to be invited along on them.

8/10

Atomic Blonde

Charlize Theron brings a relentless intensity, dominating physical presence, and icy coolness in this action-packed spy thriller

Move over James Bond, there’s a new spy in town…and her name is Lorraine Broughton.

For the holdouts who believe a woman can’t kick as much ass as a man, well…let’s just say you wouldn’t want to meet Lorraine in a stairway.

MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is tasked to go to Berlin in order to retrieve a top-secret list of undercover operatives. The only problem is she’s not the only person who wants it…and her cover is blown early on…and Germany is in social turmoil preceding the toppling of the Berlin Wall. So it’s safe to say she’s got a lot on her plate.

Theron is fantastic in the role of Lorraine, capably portraying an iciness while still letting the viewer know she hasn’t completely lost her humanity. She has a job to do, and while she’s working, that’s her priority (“I’ve never lost a package,” she says with pride to an asset she’s protecting). Theron reportedly did most (if not all) of her own stunts, and it shows. Her precision in the action scenes along with her ferocious intensity is captivating, so much so that you almost forget there’s an actual plot behind all the action. Then again, the whole film could’ve featured nothing but close-ups of her feet as she walks down Berlin’s sidewalks, pours glasses of vodka, and soaks in porcelain-white bathtubs filled with ice, and it still would’ve been captivating.

From the film’s opening seconds it’s immediately clear that in Atomic Blonde, mood itself is a character as big and important and dominating as Lorraine herself: the chilly atmosphere mixed with 80s German grunge of baggy shirts, leather jackets, and mohawks; lighting in muted blues, greens, and reds interspersed here and there with neon; grimy stairwells and buildings in disarray that somehow look…glamorous. And we can’t forget that killer soundtrack.

The music was a huge part in setting the mood of the trailer, so I was extremely glad to see it wasn’t just a marketing gimmick and was applied to the entire film. And you know what? It works. I didn’t know that seeing Charlize Theron banging spies’ heads against freezer doors to the tune of 80s pop like Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” and After The Fire’s “Der Kommissar” was something that I needed, but I do! The songs are never intrusive or weirdly placed and will most assuredly have your feet tapping along as operatives are shot and strangled. Tyler Bates’ original tracks are pretty great, too, almost as if they’re unused, unearthed music from the 80s. It all works and it’s all fantastic.

The action is definitely one of the film’s main highlights, fully commanding your attention with its ferocity and skillfully long takes, so it’s a shame that there’s not more of it. There’s plenty, believe me—freezer door head-banging, exploding vehicles, ice picks to the head, and more bonkers ways to threaten, maim, and kill that will have you covering your mouth with equal parts shock and glee—but Atomic Blonde is definitely more of a spy thriller than a straight up action film. We have covert operations, double crossings, and assets to protect, everyone with their own motivations and worries about who to (and not to) trust. Unfortunately, it’s the spy parts of the “spy thriller” that ends up slowing down the action train Lorraine’s driving. It would’ve been a real treat if the entire movie had the same frenetic energy as its action scenes and set-pieces, but unfortunately the pacing is one of its downfalls. Even an action film needs to have some semblance of plot, but Atomic Blonde could’ve done more with less. If the spy aspects were not completely complicated, per se, they were unnecessary. The scenes of espionage, interspersed with a present-day Lorraine retelling her time in Berlin, tends to slow the film down and take the audience down from the high of whatever action sequence preceded it.

Aside from the pacing, my other problem (which could also be a compliment) is that it needed more Lorraine. As much as I appreciated the supporting characters and their actor counterparts (James McAvoy as Lorraine’s Berlin contact, Sofia Boutella as a French operative, and John Goodman and Toby Jones as her present-day interrogators), I couldn’t help feeling that every time they showed up, they were only taking away time we could’ve been spending with Lorraine, diving deeper into her plot, backstory, and what makes her tick. I understand having a well-rounded supporting cast of characters, but I almost feel like director David Leitch wasn’t completely aware of how much of an awesome character he had in Lorraine. Plus, since some of the double-crossings and character motivations were a bit hard to keep straight (or nonexistent), nixing some of the characters entirely in favor of additional ass-kicking time with Lorraine would have been more than welcome, killing two birds with one stone.

Theron’s Lorraine fills Atomic Blonde with such a relentless intensity, dominating physical presence, and an icy coolness, that it’s not difficult to imagine her coming back for a few sequels. It also doesn’t hurt that there’s still a good chunk of intrigue about her backstory to unpack. But if an Atomic Blonde franchise is on the horizon, to paraphrase an artist whose songs aren’t featured in the film: a little less espionage, a little more action, please.

7.5/10