Stephen King’s eight-book saga has attracted a number of directors; when it finally gets made by Danish filmmaker Nicolaj Arcel, it is workmanlike and drags even through its relatively brief running time.

Pared down thus, it becomes a simple good vs evil tale in sci fi-meets Wild West garb, in which a kid becomes a kind of referee between the two forces — one that wants to destroy and the other that wants to protect.

Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) gets strange and frightening visions, which he draws. Nobody takes his fears seriously, believing that he is traumatised by the death of his father. But he is cannon fodder for the Man In Black, aka Walter (Matthew McConaughey), who wants to use the power of psychic children to bring down the Dark Tower, which will cause the destruction of the planet and unleash monsters (why?). The only one who stands in his way is the last of the Gunslingers called Roland (Idris Alba).

Jake escapes from Walter’s kidnappers and reaches a place he had seen in his dreams and teleports himself to an arid dystopia, Middle World. There he meets up with Roland and gets some idea about what his drawings mean. When Walter’s minions destroy their hideout and the people in it, Jake and Roland come to New York, where, among other things, the Gunslinger discovers cola and junk food. 

Most of the sci-fi is gibberish, and the special effects elementary, compared to what Hollywood has been routinely delivering in its action or fantasy-based movies. Roland eventually teaches Jake the Gunslinger’s Creed-a piece of nonsense rhyme — and they get together to stop Walter.

As a sorcerer McConaughey has way more fun than the grumpy cowboy played by Elba. There are elements of so many films in this one that it hasn’t an ounce of originality left. In spite of its charismatic stars and the perky newcomer, this one is not franchise material.

Rating: 2/5