The Dark Tower (2017) - Blu-ray Forum

Scottie · 08-02-2017, 09:25 PM

4K UHD

BD

The Great Owl · 08-04-2017, 02:58 AM

Here is my review of the film, from the Movies sub-forum...

The Dark Tower is not a direct adaptation of the popular Stephen King book series of the same name, and, instead, it is a story continuation that follows Roland the Gunslinger through yet another one of his countless repeat journeys to the Tower. Like his previous journeys, this one features different small actions along the way that could possibly lead to a drastically different final outcome. This time around, Roland can be seen carrying the Horn of Eld, which he had with him at the end of the seventh novel.

If you are unfamiliar with the Stephen King series, and are confused by my above paragraph, then don't worry. I would recommend approaching this movie in the same way that you might approach a middling 1980s science fiction/fantasy film, such as Highlander (1986), which starred Sean Connery. Just sit back, eat some popcorn, and enjoy watching the forces of good and evil face each other in battle.

The Dark Tower clues everyone in to the story, in layman's terms, by way of early scenes that feature a boy, Jake Chambers, here on Earth as he sits in a psychiatrist's office and explains his mysterious dreams about a place called Mid-World, a gunslinger named Roland, an evil sorcerer known as the Man in Black, and the Tower itself, which binds our Earth with an infinite number of other worlds. In fact, my only real grievance with this movie lies with these scenes. Films like Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) have taught us that, if you can create a richly detailed world on a movie screen, then you do not need to explain every little thing to your audience. In this instance, however, the filmmakers, or, worse yet, the committees of filmmakers and studio executives who all compromised with one another time and time again to give birth to this movie, ultimately decided upon the most boring way to convey expositional information about the Dark Tower, by having a boy sit in a psychiatrist's office and talk about his dreams and his drawings.

Aside from the above clunky exposition, I actually found this movie to be a rewarding experience. As a Stephen King "Constant Reader" who is well-versed in his Dark Tower books, I really loved seeing various story elements (Charlie the Choo Choo, the "low men", the ruins of Mid-World from an ancient time before "the world moved on", etc.) brought to wondrous life on the big screen right in front of my eyes. I also enjoyed picking up on the many "Easter eggs" that connect this story with other Stephen King tales, such as The Shining and IT. I would encourage Dark Tower fans to focus on the details that this movie gets right, instead of lamenting about the missed opportunities. This is not a great film, and it may not even be a particularly good film, but the creators have not entirely forgotten the face of their fathers.

One of the things that this film gets right is Idris Elba in the lead role as Roland Deschain. The script may not have given Elba a chance to display all of the complex layers of the character, but Elba does succeed admirably in portraying Roland as a man with death in his heart who is haunted by a horrific past. Tom Taylor is too old for his role as Jake Chambers, but he nonetheless exudes a true charisma in the role. Matthew McConaughey, as the Man in Black, Walter O'Dim, does not quite have the unapologetically sinister menace that I would like to have seen, and I would have preferred to have seen a lesser known actor in the role, but he is still a trip to watch, and I still enjoyed watching him ham it up with his character's evil personality.

There are worlds other than these, and The Dark Tower offers up a fun, if somewhat stilted, depiction of one of many possible worlds that can be explored by future movies and by the rumored television series that is still to come. I walked into this movie with "a stick sharpened at both ends", but I am pleased to report that it rose above my low expectations.

jvonl · 08-05-2017, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Here is my review of the film, from the Movies sub-forum...

The Dark Tower is not a direct adaptation of the popular Stephen King book series of the same name, and, instead, it is a story continuation that follows Roland the Gunslinger through yet another one of his countless repeat journeys to the Tower. Like his previous journeys, this one features different small actions along the way that could possibly lead to a drastically different final outcome. This time around, Roland can be seen carrying the Horn of Eld, which he had with him at the end of the seventh novel.

If you are unfamiliar with the Stephen King series, and are confused by my above paragraph, then don't worry. I would recommend approaching this movie in the same way that you might approach a middling 1980s science fiction/fantasy film, such as Highlander (1986), which starred Sean Connery. Just sit back, eat some popcorn, and enjoy watching the forces of good and evil face each other in battle.

The Dark Tower clues everyone in to the story, in layman's terms, by way of early scenes that feature a boy, Jake Chambers, here on Earth as he sits in a psychiatrist's office and explains his mysterious dreams about a place called Mid-World, a gunslinger named Roland, an evil sorcerer known as the Man in Black, and the Tower itself, which binds our Earth with an infinite number of other worlds. In fact, my only real grievance with this movie lies with these scenes. Films like Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) have taught us that, if you can create a richly detailed world on a movie screen, then you do not need to explain every little thing to your audience. In this instance, however, the filmmakers, or, worse yet, the committees of filmmakers and studio executives who all compromised with one another time and time again to give birth to this movie, ultimately decided upon the most boring way to convey expositional information about the Dark Tower, by having a boy sit in a psychiatrist's office and talk about his dreams and his drawings.

Aside from the above clunky exposition, I actually found this movie to be a rewarding experience. As a Stephen King "Constant Reader" who is well-versed in his Dark Tower books, I really loved seeing various story elements (Charlie the Choo Choo, the "low men", the ruins of Mid-World from an ancient time before "the world moved on", etc.) brought to wondrous life on the big screen right in front of my eyes. I also enjoyed picking up on the many "Easter eggs" that connect this story with other Stephen King tales, such as The Shining and IT. I would encourage Dark Tower fans to focus on the details that this movie gets right, instead of lamenting about the missed opportunities. This is not a great film, and it may not even be a particularly good film, but the creators have not entirely forgotten the face of their fathers.

One of the things that this film gets right is Idris Elba in the lead role as Roland Deschain. The script may not have given Elba a chance to display all of the complex layers of the character, but Elba does succeed admirably in portraying Roland as a man with death in his heart who is haunted by a horrific past. Tom Taylor is too old for his role as Jake Chambers, but he nonetheless exudes a true charisma in the role. Matthew McConaughey, as the Man in Black, Walter O'Dim, does not quite have the unapologetically sinister menace that I would like to have seen, and I would have preferred to have seen a lesser known actor in the role, but he is still a trip to watch, and I still enjoyed watching him ham it up with his character's evil personality.

There are worlds other than these, and The Dark Tower offers up a fun, if somewhat stilted, depiction of one of many possible worlds that can be explored by future movies and by the rumored television series that is still to come. I walked into this movie with "a stick sharpened at both ends", but I am pleased to report that it rose above my low expectations.

Thank you. I've come to value your reviews, especially after your run through Miami Vice. I much prefer well-reasoned commentary to breast-beating angst. I loved the books, and expect to enjoy the movie. Thanks again.

Dunemoon · 08-05-2017, 02:43 PM

It'll be a Netflix and forget it feature for me.

Alan_Grant · 08-04-2017, 04:13 AM

Sounds like another huge swing and a miss from Sony.

Krypton_Son · 08-04-2017, 06:30 PM

So far most of the reviews I've seen are pretty negative. Just judging by the trailer I think I'll probably pass on this one. I get that it's a sequel to the series and not an adaptation, but it looks like they just completely missed the mark.

Darkstream · 08-04-2017, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krypton_Son

So far most of the reviews I've seen are pretty negative. Just judging by the trailer I think I'll probably pass on this one. I get that it's a sequel to the series and not an adaptation, but it looks like they just completely missed the mark.

The filmmakers probably should have aimed and shot with their eye and mind, instead of their hand. They've forgotten the face of their story's father, Stephen King.

LetsGetATaco · 08-04-2017, 06:37 PM

Read all of the Dark Tower books and I am a huge Stephen King fan so I have to check this out but my expectations are in the toilet.

Matt Murdock · 08-04-2017, 07:16 PM

It's not as bad as the reviews say. I'm hoping for an extended cut when the Blu-ray comes out, though.

indy24la · 08-04-2017, 07:37 PM

Here's an example of a movie that the "Tomatometer" changed me from seeing it in the theater to renting it at home.

rickah88 · 08-05-2017, 01:09 PM

Won't get a chance to see this in the theatre but definitely getting the 4k release.

RJ Fielder · 08-05-2017, 09:37 PM

Well I'm glad I'm of the mind of seeing a movie and making up my own mind about it, rather than letting reviews/critics decide for me. I enjoyed the hell out of this.

Of course, even though I'm a King fan, his Dark Tower novels are ones I haven't read yet so die-hard fans may find their mileage varies. As a big fan of The Stand, however, I'll say Matthew McConaughey is EXACTLY how I always envisioned Flagg/Walter/The Man in Black. I hope we see him in this role in more future movies, Dark Tower or otherwise.

Overall, it's not a movie I'll go see in the theaters again, but it's definitely a day 1 BD buy for me. On a side note, I hope they use the building/tower image on that 4K placeholder art rather than the Roland/Walter one of the BD.

Bradsdadg · 08-05-2017, 10:05 PM

This is one that I want to see, even though the reviews are not looking good in general. I have read some of the books and wasn't sure how they would keep it true to the original story. Something about it intrigues me, though I am not expecting much of anything going in. I do wonder if they will have those weird lobster creatures in it?

dallywhitty · 08-06-2017, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bradsdadg

This is one that I want to see, even though the reviews are not looking good in general. I have read some of the books and wasn't sure how they would keep it true to the original story. Something about it intrigues me, though I am not expecting much of anything going in. I do wonder if they will have those weird lobster creatures in it?

Dad-a-chum? Ded-a-chek?

As far as I'm aware, they're not in the film (though I don't think they appeared till the very beginning of The Drawing of the Three).

hYPE · 08-06-2017, 07:24 AM

Wife & I just got back from seeing The Dark Tower & I really enjoyed it. I haven't read the books so I have nothing to compare it to but I now I'm more interested then ever to read them all.

Darkstream · 08-07-2017, 02:05 AM

How long before they announce that Elba and McConaughey will not be reprising their roles for the Dark Tower television series?

If it even happens.

hYPE · 08-07-2017, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstream

How long before they announce that Elba and McConaughey will not be reprising their roles for the Dark Tower television series?

If it even happens.

Yeah I'm curious now as well.

ScarredLungs · 06-06-2018, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hYPE

Wife & I just got back from seeing The Dark Tower & I really enjoyed it. I haven't read the books so I have nothing to compare it to but I now I'm more interested then ever to read them all.

Same here. I watched this last night and enjoyed it.

infiniteCR · 06-06-2018, 04:40 PM

This was a strange one. I was on a plane and couldn't sleep so I put this on. I had zero idea what the movie was about or where it came from. It was pretty much 'wtf' in my head the entire time I was watching. By the end, I couldn't call it a good movie....but, it stuck with me a bit. I definitely could have watched more happily. Even now, I'm not sure I'd call this a good movie, but I do want to watch it again lol. The PQ was pretty awesome even on the plane screen. I'll probably pickup the UHD in the future and check it out again.

Daveismyhero · 08-14-2017, 08:22 PM

My wife, son (14) and I saw this over the weekend. I just thought it was okay, but my wife and son really enjoyed it, and my son wants me to grab the BD once it gets released.

I thought too much of the dialogue was hokey, but that was probably consistent with the Stephen King universe. I only read the first Dark Tower book, and that was a long time ago, so I could be totally off base.

08-02-2017, 09:25 PM	#1
Scottie Moderator Top contributor Member since:Oct 2010 Location:Rhode Island Trading Score:647	The Dark Tower (2017) 4K UHD BD

08-04-2017, 02:58 AM	#2
The Great Owl Blu-ray Archduke Member since:Dec 2012 Location:Georgia 4K collection:921 Blu-ray collection:6031 DVD collection:28 Blu-ray reviews: 255 Trading Score:6	Here is my review of the film, from the Movies sub-forum... The Dark Tower is not a direct adaptation of the popular Stephen King book series of the same name, and, instead, it is a story continuation that follows Roland the Gunslinger through yet another one of his countless repeat journeys to the Tower. Like his previous journeys, this one features different small actions along the way that could possibly lead to a drastically different final outcome. This time around, Roland can be seen carrying the Horn of Eld, which he had with him at the end of the seventh novel. If you are unfamiliar with the Stephen King series, and are confused by my above paragraph, then don't worry. I would recommend approaching this movie in the same way that you might approach a middling 1980s science fiction/fantasy film, such as Highlander (1986), which starred Sean Connery. Just sit back, eat some popcorn, and enjoy watching the forces of good and evil face each other in battle. The Dark Tower clues everyone in to the story, in layman's terms, by way of early scenes that feature a boy, Jake Chambers, here on Earth as he sits in a psychiatrist's office and explains his mysterious dreams about a place called Mid-World, a gunslinger named Roland, an evil sorcerer known as the Man in Black, and the Tower itself, which binds our Earth with an infinite number of other worlds. In fact, my only real grievance with this movie lies with these scenes. Films like Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) have taught us that, if you can create a richly detailed world on a movie screen, then you do not need to explain every little thing to your audience. In this instance, however, the filmmakers, or, worse yet, the committees of filmmakers and studio executives who all compromised with one another time and time again to give birth to this movie, ultimately decided upon the most boring way to convey expositional information about the Dark Tower, by having a boy sit in a psychiatrist's office and talk about his dreams and his drawings. Aside from the above clunky exposition, I actually found this movie to be a rewarding experience. As a Stephen King "Constant Reader" who is well-versed in his Dark Tower books, I really loved seeing various story elements (Charlie the Choo Choo, the "low men", the ruins of Mid-World from an ancient time before "the world moved on", etc.) brought to wondrous life on the big screen right in front of my eyes. I also enjoyed picking up on the many "Easter eggs" that connect this story with other Stephen King tales, such as The Shining and IT. I would encourage Dark Tower fans to focus on the details that this movie gets right, instead of lamenting about the missed opportunities. This is not a great film, and it may not even be a particularly good film, but the creators have not entirely forgotten the face of their fathers. One of the things that this film gets right is Idris Elba in the lead role as Roland Deschain. The script may not have given Elba a chance to display all of the complex layers of the character, but Elba does succeed admirably in portraying Roland as a man with death in his heart who is haunted by a horrific past. Tom Taylor is too old for his role as Jake Chambers, but he nonetheless exudes a true charisma in the role. Matthew McConaughey, as the Man in Black, Walter O'Dim, does not quite have the unapologetically sinister menace that I would like to have seen, and I would have preferred to have seen a lesser known actor in the role, but he is still a trip to watch, and I still enjoyed watching him ham it up with his character's evil personality. There are worlds other than these, and The Dark Tower offers up a fun, if somewhat stilted, depiction of one of many possible worlds that can be explored by future movies and by the rumored television series that is still to come. I walked into this movie with "a stick sharpened at both ends", but I am pleased to report that it rose above my low expectations. Last edited by The Great Owl; 08-04-2017 at 03:09 AM.

08-05-2017, 02:43 PM	#4
Dunemoon Banned Member since:Jul 2013	It'll be a Netflix and forget it feature for me.

08-04-2017, 04:13 AM	#5
Alan_Grant Special Member Member since:Apr 2013 Blu-ray collection:46 Trading Score:125	Sounds like another huge swing and a miss from Sony.

08-04-2017, 06:30 PM	#6
Krypton_Son Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Jun 2017 Location:Somwhere out there 4K collection:19 Blu-ray collection:527 DVD collection:88 Trading Score:1	So far most of the reviews I've seen are pretty negative. Just judging by the trailer I think I'll probably pass on this one. I get that it's a sequel to the series and not an adaptation, but it looks like they just completely missed the mark.

08-04-2017, 06:37 PM	#8
LetsGetATaco Senior Member Member since:Apr 2011 4K collection:918 Blu-ray collection:3003 Trading Score:80	Read all of the Dark Tower books and I am a huge Stephen King fan so I have to check this out but my expectations are in the toilet.

08-04-2017, 07:16 PM	#9
Matt Murdock Senior Member Member since:Nov 2015 DVD collection:2 Trading Score:31	It's not as bad as the reviews say. I'm hoping for an extended cut when the Blu-ray comes out, though.

08-04-2017, 07:37 PM	#10
indy24la Senior Member Member since:Jun 2012 4K collection:182 Blu-ray collection:2320 Trading Score:36	Here's an example of a movie that the "Tomatometer" changed me from seeing it in the theater to renting it at home.

08-05-2017, 01:09 PM	#11
rickah88 Blu-ray Grand Duke Top contributor Member since:May 2010 Location:Columbia, MD 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Trading Score:93	Won't get a chance to see this in the theatre but definitely getting the 4k release.

08-05-2017, 09:37 PM	#12
RJ Fielder Member Member since:Nov 2016	Well I'm glad I'm of the mind of seeing a movie and making up my own mind about it, rather than letting reviews/critics decide for me. I enjoyed the hell out of this. Of course, even though I'm a King fan, his Dark Tower novels are ones I haven't read yet so die-hard fans may find their mileage varies. As a big fan of The Stand, however, I'll say Matthew McConaughey is EXACTLY how I always envisioned Flagg/Walter/The Man in Black. I hope we see him in this role in more future movies, Dark Tower or otherwise. Overall, it's not a movie I'll go see in the theaters again, but it's definitely a day 1 BD buy for me. On a side note, I hope they use the building/tower image on that 4K placeholder art rather than the Roland/Walter one of the BD.

08-05-2017, 10:05 PM	#13
Bradsdadg Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Jul 2017 4K collection:361 Blu-ray collection:1835 DVD collection:216 Trading Score:15	This is one that I want to see, even though the reviews are not looking good in general. I have read some of the books and wasn't sure how they would keep it true to the original story. Something about it intrigues me, though I am not expecting much of anything going in. I do wonder if they will have those weird lobster creatures in it?

08-06-2017, 07:24 AM	#15
hYPE Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2009 Location:Texas 4K collection:466 Blu-ray collection:1043 DVD collection:27 Trading Score:61	Wife & I just got back from seeing The Dark Tower & I really enjoyed it. I haven't read the books so I have nothing to compare it to but I now I'm more interested then ever to read them all.

08-07-2017, 02:05 AM	#16
Darkstream Blu-ray Baron Member since:Aug 2012 4K collection:9 Blu-ray collection:118 DVD collection:82 Trading Score:31	How long before they announce that Elba and McConaughey will not be reprising their roles for the Dark Tower television series? If it even happens.

06-06-2018, 04:40 PM	#19
infiniteCR Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Jun 2014 4K collection:327 Blu-ray collection:1649 DVD collection:190 Blu-ray reviews:5	This was a strange one. I was on a plane and couldn't sleep so I put this on. I had zero idea what the movie was about or where it came from. It was pretty much 'wtf' in my head the entire time I was watching. By the end, I couldn't call it a good movie....but, it stuck with me a bit. I definitely could have watched more happily. Even now, I'm not sure I'd call this a good movie, but I do want to watch it again lol. The PQ was pretty awesome even on the plane screen. I'll probably pickup the UHD in the future and check it out again.

08-14-2017, 08:22 PM	#20
Daveismyhero Senior Member Member since:Mar 2014 Location:Osceola, IN 4K collection:8 Blu-ray collection:277 DVD collection:1	My wife, son (14) and I saw this over the weekend. I just thought it was okay, but my wife and son really enjoyed it, and my son wants me to grab the BD once it gets released. I thought too much of the dialogue was hokey, but that was probably consistent with the Stephen King universe. I only read the first Dark Tower book, and that was a long time ago, so I could be totally off base.

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