The Dark Tower is a dark fantasy science fiction film produced by MRC, Imagine Entertainment, and Weed Road Pictures. The film is directed by Nikolaj Arcel and features Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, and Fran Krans as the main cast.
Where to Watch The Dark Tower
To stream this science fantasy movie based on the series of books by Stephen King visit a digital service such as Apple TV or Prime Video. Be sure to first watch the trailer.
The Plot
Released on 31st July 2017, The Dark Tower follows the story of a young eleven-year-old boy named Jake Chambers who constantly dreams of different scenarios involving a Man in Black and a Gunslinger who opposes him. A group of workers approach Jake’s parents and offer them to treat Jake in their special facility.
Jake, recognizing that group as monsters from his visions, escapes and heads out alone to find out an abandoned house where he discovers a portal. Jake goes inside the portal which leads him to a post-apocalyptic world called Mid-World.
Jake meets the Gunslinger from his visions who is known as Roland Deschain. Roland explains how he is the last surviving Gunslinger and is looking for Walter Padick, the Man in Black who killed his father.
Roland explains how Walter plans to destroy the Dark Tower, using psychic children’s shine, which will in-turn enable dark forces to enter and destroy the reality of the universe. Meanwhile, in the real world, Walter realizes the incredible shine Jake possesses within him and as a result, kills both his parents after interrogating them one by one.
The two return to Earth only to have Jake captured by Walter and taken away to his base where he plans to retrieve all of Jake’s shine. Jake uses his psychic powers to inform Roland of his location and Roland, in turn, makes his way to Walter’s base, defeating all enemies that come in his way. A final battle takes place between Roland and Walter resulting in Walter’s death. In the end, Roland offers Jake to come with him, to which he agrees, knowing that he does not have anywhere else to go.
The Review and Reception
The Dark Tower film has shown much promise in terms of both action and graphics provided by the visual effects company RISE. According to RISE’s VFX executive producer Florian Gellinger, the company had been discussing every aspect of the film with Nikolaj for quite a while before production had begun. Gellinger further explains how RISE had to work on a variety of sequences including the environment itself after Jake met Roland for the first time.
Other aspects included controlling the fights that took place, especially between Roland and Walter. Talking about the effects used in displaying the environment as it was, Gellinger claimed that the company had used LiDAR 3D scans from the original location. The location was cleaned and textured in order to make it seem more dramatic.
The Music in The Dark Tower
Moving on, the main score of the film was composed by Junkie XL, a Dutch musician who made his name playing in clubs at different parts of the world.
Summary
Overall, the Dark Tower is an entertaining film that managed to do fairly well at the box office by crossing over $113 million. The film is a combination of some intense action, topped up with that typical science fiction element, making it one to watch.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I stream The Dark Tower (2017) online?
You can rent or purchase The Dark Tower in 4K Ultra HD and HD on Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play, or stream it on Netflix and partner platforms depending on your region.
How does the 2017 film relate to Stephen King’s Dark Tower books?
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel, the film blends elements from several volumes of Stephen King’s eight-book fantasy-western series and serves as a continuation in which Roland Deschain carries the Horn of Eld.
Who stars in The Dark Tower (2017)?
Idris Elba stars as Roland Deschain, the last Gunslinger, opposite Matthew McConaughey as Walter Padick, the Man in Black, and Tom Taylor as Jake Chambers.
What is the runtime and rating of The Dark Tower?
The film has a brisk runtime of 95 minutes and is rated PG-13 for thematic material and gun action.
