Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Dark Tower 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 7, 2017

There are certainly no shortage of movies out there that are based on books, and those movies based on books written by Stephen King tend to be better than most. Sure some of them has flopped or settled into a decidedly "mediocre" place in the cinema history books, but many of them, be they sourced from novels or short stories -- The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, Stand By Me, and It to name a few -- are legitimately great films, some even masterpieces, of the cinematic realm. But perhaps King's most revered realm hails within the bountiful pages of his Dark Tower series, a collection of books quite unlike anything one of the 20th century's (and 21st's, for that matter) most prolific writers had ever published before. Widely considered his magnum opus, the series, much like The Stand, would seem in need of significant breathing room for any screen adaptation to work, never mind do it justice. That's not what's happened with The Dark Tower, Director Nikolaj Arcel's film that capably condenses the story down to its bare essence and into a tidy 90-minute film at that. King purists will probably run and hide, but those looking for a fairly crafted film with some nifty ideas and good acting should find the film agreeable enough.

Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) is a visionary, believing he's attuned to some mystical world away from, but not dissimilar to, his own. His parents, however, believe otherwise, that he's a troubled young boy in need of intensive therapy if he's ever going to fit into the empty society around him that discourages and disbelieves his visions. When "social workers" come to take him away, he realizes that they're agents of "The Man in Black" (Matthew McConaughey), a powerful magician from Jake's own dreams who is hellbent on destroying "The Dark Tower," the one and only thing holding the universe together and preventing it from falling into the madness the Man in Black so desperately wishes to unleash. Jake flees and finds himself drawn to, and ultimately through, a portal to another world -- the very one from this visions, in fact -- where he meets the mythical "Gunslinger" (Idris Elba) who is the one man who stands in the way of the Man in Black's ruthless vision for the future. He's immune to MiB's magic, but as MiB realizes that Jake is the key to bringing down the tower, he'll stop at nothing to take the boy and be rid of his archenemy once and for all.

The Dark Tower's best asset is that it's The Dark Tower. A movie can really only be as good as its source material, and even if that source material has been whittled down to its birthday suit, it's still The Dark Tower and that's still The Gunslinger and The Man in Black up there on the screen. And it had to be one of the most unenviable tasks ever to pinch and cut and rework King's massive series into a 90 minute film, like one of those movie scenes where the airplane has to lose a significant amount of weight if it's going to stay up in the air long enough to reach some destination, where characters are throwing everything but the engine and themselves out of whatever is left of the frame. But even at that no frills, core, basic essential framework, the story still holds up. The Dark Tower is by no means a bad movie. It's just a grossly incomplete adaptation. What's here works well enough as a simple, casual entertainer with some passable characterization and enough action (as insanely goofy as the final action sequence may be) and narrative direction to make it all work. As has been said, fans of the book series will probably be beside themselves with how little the film resembles the entire series, right down to its toned-down PG-13 rating, but The Dark Tower is in itself something of an accomplishment just in how well it does play on such limited constraints.

Characterization is a little flat, expectedly, with all three primary characters -- The Gunslinger, MiB, and Jake -- largely defined by core, crude actions rather than any sort of necessary depth to really give the story meaning. That said, the characters are enjoyable for what they are and the limitations on their construction. Roland's past is adequately fleshed out, and Jake's place in life and abilities likewise go through a crude but effective series of revelations and discoveries. The Man in Black remains a bit more mysterious, and whether by design or necessity, that mystery serves the movie well in a "generic evil-bent villain" sort of way that makes him more a charismatic face in front of unspeakable evil that gives the character, and the story, a bit more opportunity for him to charm and deceive before using his powers to subdue anyone and everyone who gets in his way. McConaughey's work in the film is solid, unsurprising given an actor of his credentials and capabilities. He's a good fit for that clean, smooth, charming villain accustomed to getting his way and hiding that evil streak underneath his more approachable façade. Idris Elba is also well-cast as The Gunslinger, a gritty and gruff man who himself carries the burden of a dark past and who is weathered and worn by his efforts to protect the tower and, now, Jake. Elba, one of the better actors working today, embraces the character and does what he can with a part that's been all but erased down to its very essence. He looks the part and breathes life into the protagonist with a believable burden to follow through and determination to succeed. Young Tom Taylor likewise fills Jake's shoes with enough vision for the character and capably slides in next to Elba as co-hero.

The Dark Tower 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

The Dark Tower's UHD release supports Dolby Vision. Unfortunately, we are not currently capable of reviewing Dolby Vision but are researching equipment options and will be upgrading in the near future. As for the basic 2160p/HDR10 component, it's a winner. Big time. The image boasts serious upgrades over the Blu-ray, particularly in terms of its textural excellence. The movie was reportedly shot at resolutions of both 3.4K and 6K and finished at 4K, so this is a "true" 4K release rather than another generic upscale. There are moments, and chapter 14 serves as a very good example, where the image matches, if not surpasses, most everything else on the market, whether shot digitally or on film. Facial definition is off the charts intimate and complex, and while some might make a case that there are times it appears a tad overly sharp, there's no mistaking its inherent richness and density. Viewers will see every single bump, pore, scar, and bead of sweat with definition that really cannot be beat. Even considering the digital photography, the movie plays with a very filmic quality about it. It feels big and bold as textural intricacies become commonplace, sharpness abounds, and the movie becomes a wonder of 4K excellence. Even Jake's hair looks amazing, both considering its shapely density and its individual strand detail. Environments are sharp as a tack and revealing of every small surface detail, whether inside Jake's apartment or, late in the movie, a gun shop. The HDR color palette offers a modest boost to overall saturation. Colors enjoy a slight, but crucial, uptick in density and vibrancy, appearing more real and occasionally even leaving otherwise pleasing and even punchy shades on the Blu-ray looking a bit dull by comparison. Black levels are strong and flesh tones appear perfect across the spectrum. No noticeable encode or source anomalies are present, and even noise is muted. This is a fantastic UHD picture that's amongst the finest the format has seen, if not right there at the very top.

The Dark Tower 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dark Tower's UHD release features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which offers a nice step up from the Blu-ray's DTS 5.1 track. While the listens are not fundamentally different -- both maintain heightened clarity, attuned positioning, strong low end support, enveloping surround usage -- the added channels, both rearward and overhead, increase the track's spacial capabilities by quite a bit. Environments suddenly feel more alive and full, more open and effortless. The overheads don't necessarily command the stage with a parade of distinct elements, but they do offer support in creating a firmer, more realistic general atmosphere that's obvious in the most hushed of environments and basic dialogue exchanges and in big action scenes alike. Add in all of those basic components -- hearty bass, pinpoint movement, precise sound placement, wide and clear music -- and the track is one to be reckoned with. Perfectly replicated dialogue rounds a high quality track into finished form.

The Dark Tower 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Dark Tower's UHD release contains all of the core supplements on the bundled Blu-ray disc. The UHD contains only the usual Sony "extras" including a cast and crew still photo tab and a collection of categorized "moments" (2160p/HDR [presumably Dolby Vision]/Atmos): Roland, The Man in Black, Jake, and Mid-World. Below is a review of the Blu-ray extras. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Blooper Reel (1080p, 2:50).
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 6:22 total runtime): Original Walter Intro, Original Dream, Diner/Post Diner, and Walk and Talk.
• Last Time Around (1080p, 9:14): Stephen King discusses story origins and building the tale and the piece continues to explore transitioning the story to the screen, cast and performances, story themes, and more.
• Stephen King: Inspirations (1080p, 4:25): Another piece in which King discusses his stories, including some identical clips from the previous piece. King also looks at audience expectations and how the Dark Tower books are different from his other works.
• The Gunslinger in Action (1080p, 8:29): A closer look at the character, Idris Elba's performance, and making a few key scenes. Elba also talks up Director Nikolaj Arcel.
• The Man in Black (1080p, 8:22): Much the same as the previous piece with the emphasis on McConaughey's character and work in the film.
• The World Has Moved On... (1080p, 7:02): A closer look at "Mid-World."
• A Look Through the Keyhole (1080p): Brief story readings set to graphics and clips from the film. Included are And the Gunslinger Followed (1:35), Worlds Other Than These (1:38), and The Gunslinger's Creed (0:37).
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.

The Dark Tower 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Dark Tower certainly could have been much more, and needed to be much more if it was going to somehow remain faithful to the novels that precede it. But even at a very fast 90 minutes that's more or less the story's most unadulterated, no-frills and few-details essence, it makes for a serviceable, and even often enjoyable, surface-level entertainer. Hopefully the series will again be one day revisited, perhaps for the small screen (and please be more faithful than Under the Dome. Thanks.), where it can truly breathe and explore. Until then, this is a solid enough facsimile that will please casuals more than King fanatics. Sony's UHD delivers reference video and audio presentations alongside a healthy little allotment of bonus content. Recommended.