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Stephen King's Desperation [2006]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Director Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers), also recruited by Stephen King to remake The Shining, knows how to capture King's horror aesthetic on film. Desperation, based on a more recent King novel, is a pastiche of earlier King novelties, such as the psycho in uniform, this time Sheriff Collie Entragian (Ron Perlman), and dogs summoned by the devil, this time by TAK, an ancient Chinese demon. A town called Desperation in Nevada has a collapsed mine full of Chinese immigrant ghosts, whose spirits are trapped with TAK until they're accidentally unleashed. The TAK-possessed local sheriff is killing everyone, save a few travelers who stumble through on road trips. In the opening scene, Mary (Annabeth Gish) and her beau are pulled over by Sheriff Entragian, framed by his placing of marijuana in their trunk, then read their rights with a Satanic "I will kill you" thrown in. Later, Steve (Steven Weber), Cynthia (Kelly Overton), and Vietnam vet John Marinville (Tom Skerrit), ride into town, and they too encounter the evil policeman's wrath. They all meet a brave, imprisoned boy, David (Shane Haboucha), with whom they team up to end the mayhem. Desperation uses blue and green lighting to embrace the funhouse look, and camera shots highlighting the Sheriff's deranged face make the film occasionally spooky. But the rehashed plot detracts from the fear-factor, leaving one to pine for earlier King story adaptations, such as Misery or Cujo. --Trinie Dalton

Editorial
Synopsis

In this TV adaptation of Stephen King's book, Ron Perlman (HELLBOY) plays Collie Entragian, a possessed cop in the desolate town of Desperation. A self-appointed authority in this tiny bend in the road, Entragian arrests an entire family in one night, as well as four other people passing through, and throws them in jail. Gradually, it emerges that the policeman is in need of bodies to contain the evil demon that now occupies him, and that the only hope for the captives lies in the strange powers of a little boy.

A pleasant surprise
Review date: 2008-07-15 Rating: 6 out of 10

Having recently read and quite enjoyed King's novels Desperation and Dreamacatcher, I thought I would check out the films of the books. While Dreamcatcher was a big budget (almost $70 million) mess, with unbelievably misjudged casting and abysmally wooden acting, this TV movie gets most things right. Tom Skerritt and, especially Ron Perlman, put in good performances which gel together a solid cast.

The movie is a sensible, well written and streamlined adaptation of King's novel, and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying it. While it is no Misery, Shawshank or Green Mile, it is still entertaining in a way that the disasterous Dreamcatcher could only dream of.

Having said all that, it's still a country mile from being a genuinely good film. I give it three stars because it does many things I was pleased about such as failing to make my toes curl, not boring me or irritating me, nor making me switch off before it had finished. The whole religious vibe was a bit preachy in a "good old God" Little House On The Prairie manner, but I can forgive that.

Concluding, I'd say that fans of the book would probably enjoy the film, and those who haven't read it will have a pretty jolly couple of hours, too.

Now if only I could erase Dreamcatcher (the film) from my memory...

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Reviews


PRETTY GOOD
Review date: 2008-04-12 Rating: 8 out of 10


GOOD BUT MAYBE TOO LONG AT 2 HOURS

THE STORY GOES IN A DIRECTION I DID NOT SEE COMING

WORTH WATCHING

THE SHERIFF IS VERY SCARY

Not a great Stephen King book
Review date: 2008-02-22 Rating: 4 out of 10

Disappointing. The story line is not up to Stephen King's normal standard. I'd say only buy it if you've nothing else to hand.

Not very good at all.
Review date: 2008-01-31 Rating: 2 out of 10

I rented this film without having read the book. Basically, most of the acting was bad, the props (dead people etc) didn't look real, the body double was not! I was expecting the TV commercials to come on every 15 minutes. It reminded me of an episode of Tales from the Krypt. I was so bored I was nearly dropping off! I do not recommend this film.

I Just Wish Tak Had Won
Review date: 2008-01-17 Rating: 8 out of 10

Unusually with Stephen King Films, I found myself liking about the film exactly what I liked about the book. I found myself equally irritated by things that I disliked about the book - which the film really could have taken the opportunity to address.

Set in a former mining colony in the desert, the best part of the film (and book) is the first part. Here we have plenty of weirdness and tension as a sinister (and huge) cop, excellently realised by Ron Perlman, patrols the outskirts of town hauling in travellers and visitors on trumped-up charges and displaying a marvelously acted mania, jumping from easy chat to screaming insanity and back again as he grills his victims on just what exactly they are doing in town.

The second part of the film deals with what this cop actually is, and why the town's population lie butchered and strewn around (in scenes slightly reminiscent of the 1980s Stephen King film "Children Of The Corn").
But my major gripe, notwithstanding the excuse that someone was trying to keep close to the original story, is the heavily layered preaching from the smart-arse boy. It became pretty wearying pretty quickly. Despite the survivors having lost wives, husbands, baby daughters within the last 12 hours, the boy's frequent reminders about why it's ok for a loving wonderful God to be so cruel (Conclusion: it's because he's God - well, that's alright, then) someone should have kicked him up the arse and straight down the mine shaft.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Annabeth Gish
Charles Durning
Steven Weber
Tom Skerritt
Ron Perlman

Creators:
Ron Perlman (Primary Contributor)
Tom Skerritt (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900830102
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2007-10-22
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 126 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Original Language)

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