蜜芽传媒

This week, movie expert Jacob Stolworthy is entrusted with the job of reviewing the biggest new releases, while Ali Plumb is away on holiday.

At the centre of this adaptation of Stephen King’s sci-fi book series is a tall structure named - you guessed it - the Dark Tower - the key that holds the universe together preventing (in ways that we’re never really sure how) forces of evil from getting in. A young boy named Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) has recurring nightmares of this tower and finds himself caught up in the eternal battle between Gunslinger Roland Deschain (Idris Elba) and the devilish Man in Black ( on villainous form) who wants to tear the structure down using the screams of children (think a twisted Monsters Inc).

Pros:

1. The film starts well and whisks along at a brisk pace getting straight to the heart of the story - it presents the otherwise complex universe of Mid-World in quite a concise fashion and you feel like you’re ready for what’s to come whether you're a fan of the books or not.
2. Both McConaughey and Elba impress while playing against type - the Luther actor's fish-out-of-water moments in New York prove a highlight while McConaughey convinces as a villain. Tom Taylor, the young kid who leads the film, is a great talent, as is the actor who plays his friend Timmy (Michael Barbieri, last seen in Spider-Man: 蜜芽传媒coming)
3. It’s a brisk 95 minutes long.

Cons:

1. The film is a bit of a mess. No scene is given room to breathe and while the briskness is a relief to begin with, it almost feels as if all involved couldn’t wait to get home at the end of the working day. Some scenes are cut off before they’ve reached their natural conclusion - problematic when key moments meant to pack a punch later on in the film fail to do so.
2. All of the battle sequences are incredibly rushed. Despite huge potential, they will all leave your brain as soon as the credits roll - a shame considering the Gunslinger’s moments of coolness suffer as a consequence.
3. The dialogue will leave you wincing.

Three word review: A towering failure

Michael Bryce () - the world’s top protection agent (well, bodyguard) - is left reeling after a screw-up finds him dishonourably demoted. Years later, his, er - let’s say unorthodox - services are required to help transfer the world’s most notorious hitman, Darius Kincaid (), from his prison cell to the Hague. Why? Because an Eastern European dictator (Gary Oldman) will stop at nothing to kill him en route. The only problem being Kincaid is Bryce’s sworn enemy, and the pair have been trying to kill each other for years. Chaos, as you'd expect, ensues.

Pros:

1. This really is the most fun Samuel L. Jackson has had in years - he’s genuinely hilarious and seems completely relaxed in the role. He even improvised a song for the film which ended up on the soundtrack - who knew the man was such a crooner? Salma Hayek also impresses in a small role as Jackson’s very irate wife, Sonia.
2. In many ways it’s an easy film to get on board with because it doesn’t seem to be trying to impress you. It exists on its own merit and nothing holds it back. The action set pieces are directed blisteringly by Patrick Hughes in such a way that you can keep up with who’s shooting who, etc - and for what, on the surface, is a mindless action film, you feel invested in both Reynolds' and Jackson’s characters by the end.
3. The film is a bit of everything so you’re guaranteed to like something.

Cons:

1. Many of the scenes in the film are largely improvised and there are numerous occasions where the camera’s left rolling for way too long, meaning certain exchanges outstay their welcome. It doesn’t help that everyone on screen is convinced they’re in one of the funniest comedies of all time.
2. While a likeable enough presence, Reynolds is upstaged by Jackson at every given turn - it’s almost like he’s fighting the urge to scramble around for a Deadpool costume to try and keep up. Also, the film is guilty of underusing Gary Oldman which is borderline unforgivable (despite him treating the material like it’s Shakespeare).
3. The film is a bit of everything so you’re guaranteed to dislike something.

Three word review: Watch for Samuel