One to miss: The Langoliers (1995)
October 1st 2008 05:04
I was all alone on a Saturday night just recently and decided to have a Stephen King movie marathon, with all the old favourites like Misery and The Shining. Some nights you just want to stay in and hibernate. This time I also rented The Langoliers, as the book had given me chills and a friend recommended it. I, however, hated it.
The problem with the film? It's simply not scary.
The story is great - ten strangers on a plane wake up to find themselves the only ones still there. One of them is a pilot, and he manages to land the plane safely but they soon discover that there's no-one else on the ground either. And that strange noise in the distance just keeps getting closer...
The acting is, simply put, awful. There are no notable actors in this film; instead there's a bunch of randoms who seem to think that over-acting is good acting. The worst offender by far is Bronson Pinchot who plays a psychotic businessman that likes to yell a lot. His hammy take on this character is one of the most tragic attempts at acting I've ever seen. Otherwise the cast is dull, with the one possible exception of Kate Maberly who plays the young blind girl with special talents.
The special effects were another thing that had me alternately laughing and groaning. The Langoliers themselves were chillingly created in King's novel but onscreen they looked ridiculous - think Pacman with silver chainsaw teeth. The timing was way off too; it was hilarious for all the wrong reasons. And the music? Completely forgettable. I could go on and on...
Somehow, director Tom Holland just managed to take a really scary story and turn it into something that wouldn't scare your three-year-old daughter. Therefore as a film, it was simply a waste of time to watch. So if you're looking for a scary Stephen King movie, skip The Langoliers and go watch the Kubrick ones instead.
Pacman gone bad
The problem with the film? It's simply not scary.
The story is great - ten strangers on a plane wake up to find themselves the only ones still there. One of them is a pilot, and he manages to land the plane safely but they soon discover that there's no-one else on the ground either. And that strange noise in the distance just keeps getting closer...
The acting is, simply put, awful. There are no notable actors in this film; instead there's a bunch of randoms who seem to think that over-acting is good acting. The worst offender by far is Bronson Pinchot who plays a psychotic businessman that likes to yell a lot. His hammy take on this character is one of the most tragic attempts at acting I've ever seen. Otherwise the cast is dull, with the one possible exception of Kate Maberly who plays the young blind girl with special talents.
The special effects were another thing that had me alternately laughing and groaning. The Langoliers themselves were chillingly created in King's novel but onscreen they looked ridiculous - think Pacman with silver chainsaw teeth. The timing was way off too; it was hilarious for all the wrong reasons. And the music? Completely forgettable. I could go on and on...
Somehow, director Tom Holland just managed to take a really scary story and turn it into something that wouldn't scare your three-year-old daughter. Therefore as a film, it was simply a waste of time to watch. So if you're looking for a scary Stephen King movie, skip The Langoliers and go watch the Kubrick ones instead.
| 67 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by NoaIzumi
Fine Politics
Anime Bottle