Coincidentally I read the novel by Stephen King only some 6 months ago, so I was pretty anxious to see this new movie-adaptation. Well, it turned out as a huge disappointment. Not so much because they let the story err substantially away from the book, - film-makers have every right to make their own choices -, but because it's basically a bad movie.
The narrative is so fragmented, that it's very hard to follow. The whole background of Charley's powers is done away with in flashy flashbacks during the opening credits. The character Rainbird seems to come out-of nowhere, and the connection he abruptly claims to feel with Charley is totally incomprehensible. The mental U-turn that Charley in the end makes from frightened but morally scrupulous little kid to a relentless killing-machine is just as mind-boggling. As is the end: Charley and Rainbird hand-in-hand heading to a joined future (it's almost an insult to the Stephen King novel!).
The special effects are okay, but after three or four of these fire-blazes it becomes a bit tedious. Apart from the action- and fire-filled moments, the rest of the movie is extremely talkative and slow-paced. Ryan Kiera Armstrong does a great job, but the part of her father is rather wasted on Zack Efron, it's so trivial. The only thing I liked was the strong music score, by John Carpenter no less, it's extremely creepy and full of looming doom. But even here I had reservations: it didn't really fit such a (wannabe) action-filled blockbuster movie.
All in all: a waste of my time! I would advise to read the novel, it's really great!
The narrative is so fragmented, that it's very hard to follow. The whole background of Charley's powers is done away with in flashy flashbacks during the opening credits. The character Rainbird seems to come out-of nowhere, and the connection he abruptly claims to feel with Charley is totally incomprehensible. The mental U-turn that Charley in the end makes from frightened but morally scrupulous little kid to a relentless killing-machine is just as mind-boggling. As is the end: Charley and Rainbird hand-in-hand heading to a joined future (it's almost an insult to the Stephen King novel!).
The special effects are okay, but after three or four of these fire-blazes it becomes a bit tedious. Apart from the action- and fire-filled moments, the rest of the movie is extremely talkative and slow-paced. Ryan Kiera Armstrong does a great job, but the part of her father is rather wasted on Zack Efron, it's so trivial. The only thing I liked was the strong music score, by John Carpenter no less, it's extremely creepy and full of looming doom. But even here I had reservations: it didn't really fit such a (wannabe) action-filled blockbuster movie.
All in all: a waste of my time! I would advise to read the novel, it's really great!