'The Dark Tower' Movie Review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   The Dark Tower is directed by Nikolaj Arcel, and it stars Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Taylor. When a young man has visions of a mysterious Dark Tower that protects the universe from evil, he quickly becomes enveloped in an adventure that takes him across many worlds. The mysterious Man in Black has his mind bent on destroying the tower, it is up to the young man and the last of the Gunslingers to stop him.

   Right off the top, it’s important to know that The Dark Tower is nowhere near as good as it should’ve been. This film is based on a series of highly acclaimed novels written by Stephen King, and many people have been looking forward to this movie for a long time. As for the actual film that was delivered, it was fine enough. It was a fun movie to watch, and I would watch more films in this series, but I can’t help but feel like it should’ve been a lot more.
   My biggest complaint with this film is that it wasn’t long enough. The film is just barely over an hour and a half long, and it easily feels like there could’ve been another hour at least. What could’ve been a two-and-a-half hour epic of a film, turns into a film that can be pretty fun at times and that I’d maybe watch again one day, but it doesn’t really leave any lasting impressions.
   The most interesting this about The Dark Tower is by far the mythology and the world that they built. The whole idea of the Dark Tower and all of the worlds that it protects was very interesting, although they never really dig too deep into it. For example, they didn’t really get into what the Gunslingers actually were, but from the little that they gave us they seemed to be very interesting. I was curious to know more about them. What exactly happened to them, and what makes Idris Elba’s character so different from the rest of them? Both are questions that weren’t really answered all that much, but I feel like they definitely should’ve been. Still more interesting than that though, was the entire idea of The Man in Black played by Matthew McConaughey. His character was extremely intriguing. He was enigmatic, and he gave off this vibe that he knew exactly what he was doing at all times. Every time he was on screen, the audience's attention immediately focuses on him. It was such an interesting and complex character, but once again, I feel like they should've done more with him. If they do continue to make films in this series, I hope that they bring him back, because he was by far the most fascinating character in the film.
   Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey were both perfectly cast in their respective roles. These roles feel like the type of roles that should be highlighted on each of their already impressive resumes. The performances they gave certainly warrant that, and if the film were as amazing as it should’ve been then that’s definitely what would’ve happened. However, since the film doesn’t really live up to its potential, The Dark Tower just becomes another addition to their IMDb pages. Which is a shame, because they both gave very good performances and they had excellent chemistry together. You really bought into this rivalry between the two of them. They had a hatred for one another that could’ve easily become one of the best good guy/bad guy combos we’ve seen on the big screen. Unfortunately, like everything else in the film, it doesn't really go anywhere. The filmmakers had all of these great things to work with, but they didn't really do a whole lot with them. They're still great, just underutilized.
   There isn’t a whole lot to say about The Dark Tower. It’s a film that could’ve very easily been one of my favorites of the year, but it doesn’t live up to its potential. It’s still an entertaining film, and I’d recommend it, but it’s too short and not one that you’ll be raving about. Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey give very good performances, and they worked very well together. The mythology built in this film was interesting, and I would definitely have liked to know more about it, but the film leaves you in the dark about most things in that universe. The Dark Tower could’ve been so much more, and that’s what makes me sad about this it. There is still a decent amount of fun to be had, just don’t have sky-high expectations.
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7/10

   So what did you think of The Dark Tower? Did it live up to your expectations? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this review, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back then for more movie reviews and other miscellaneous movie thoughts!
 
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