October 8, 2007
Dark is Rising
Seeker: The Dark is Rising is the story of a boy who discovers that he is a key figure in the fight between the Light and the Dark. The film is based on the novel The Dark is Rising (first in the DiS series) by Susan Cooper. Having not read the book, I cannot say exactly how well the adaptation was, but the film was entertaining nonetheless. The acting was decent, not the best I've seen, but by far not the worst and the special effects were very well done. My only real complaint about the film is that there is not very much character development and the story jumps around a bit. However, considering that the intended audience is kids 10-15 years old, I think it is a well done movie. All in all a decent kids' fantasy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Pre-movie Comments:
At first I was just about out-of-my-gourd-excited that they were making one of the best books in the series into a film, then I saw the trailer. Ian McShane is actually pretty spot-on as Merriman Lyon and Christopher Eccleston has the right degree of malevolence for The Rider, but the actor that they have to play Will is way-unbelievable. The character the most extraordinary in the entire series, and the Old One that they have been waiting decades, if not centuries for. And he is British!! This world doesn't really fit within the mindset of American youths, particularly not the mysticism that drives the entire plot. I am sorry, but the series is a bit dated, in that lovely misty British-ness that so thoroughly pervaded The Chronicles of Narnia. I don't think the movie is going to work for me, which is why the first weekend has occurred without me sitting on the edge of the theater seat.
Perhaps they thought that 'the British schoolboy-protagonist' thing has been over-done recently (yes, I still adore you Harry, and there is room for more than one awesome 'the-boy-who_____' characters!). I will rant further on this in a bit, dear Reader.
Apparently, I am not the only one who is skeptical. I found this rather interesting blog (beware a few four-letter words) on the topic:
http://chocnvodka.blogware.com/blog/_archives/
2007/7/31/3130475.html
I also read the reviews this morning (since RottenTomatoes.com didn't seem to have any, even last week), and one person (*music* Blame Canada!) smeared the movie by calling it "[one of the] legions of the second-rate."
Without even seeing the film, I could be tempted to agree with his assessment of the movie, and I won't believe that he is talking about the books. First of all, I don't believe that he's read them. Secondly, he couldn't possibly call the books 'second rate'; I would offer to go "Uwe Boll" on him and challenge him to box (and tons of other people would line up behind me for their turn).
So here goes the minor rant: the HP books are wonderful, if sometimes a bit flawed. Their magic lies in the way that they have become a pop-culture fad that is actually good for people (give me a book, no matter how bad, over Dancing with the Stars any day!). I will, however, maintain that there would be no Harry without Susan Cooper. I will put money down that dear Jo Rowling has read, or at least heard the plot of the source series (yes, I know that fantasy is not her thing, but how could she escape the influence of these books?). Yours-truly was introduced to another of the books in one of those Honors English classes, as was Lunanshee. I revisited The Grey King several years later, then devoured the rest of the series.
Anyway, even if the books are a bit dated, there is no denying that Susan Cooper is a talent; she was there first. Even if she isn't nearly as en vogue at the moment, she has staying power, as well as a varied and prolific body of work behind her. No one-hit wonder there, while Jo still has to prove herself (no rush to get the next book out, however; I want it to be a good one!).
In any case, we will see
a) How long it takes me to see the movie and
b) What I think of it when I do
I am sure to have something to say about it, and will at least have a more informed opinion at that time.
Post a Comment