By Cynthia Ayala

“The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.” —IMDB

You know, I went into seeing this film knowing all the bad reviews that others had given it and I can 100% say this: they are wrong.

I am a pretty picky person, but I am also someone that gives everything a chance. With this movie, I went into it with an open mind and guess what, I loved it.

Let’s start with casting. This film had such a dynamic casting with Idris Elba across Matthew McConaughey. These two actors not only owned their parts giving them spectacular life, but they also had amazing dynamics with one another. They played off each other so well. The dynamics of the film were just so spellbinding on their own. As a team, two sides of the same coin, one light, and one dark, they create such amazing tension that simply drives the film to such a compelling ending.

What makes the film work other than the amazing acting, is the structure of the film. It goes back and forth between the visions and mid-world effortlessly. Nothing was jarring between the scene changes that drive of the film. The film moves at a well-structured pace that builds up the tension and the history within the film without overwhelming the audience. It is incredibly easy to follow as it moves between the characters to build up the story and the tension within the film.

Overall this is a cohesive film that follows the adventures of a young kid caught between worlds. It had amazing tension and character growth. Combined with a thought-out story and stellar dynamics, this movie was amazing to watch. Personally, I hope there’s a sequel. (★★★☆ | A)

—Film Credits—

Directed by Nikolaj Arcel

Screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner, Anders Thomas Jensen & Nikolaj Arcel

Based on The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee & Jackie Earle Haley

Rating | Length | Genre: PG-13 | 1h 35min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Distributed by Columbia Pictures