A terrible bodge.
The Seeker (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:89
Fresh:12
Rotten:77
Average Rating:3.9/10
Consensus: The magic of the book is lost in translation with The Seeker, due to its clumsy plot and lack of heart.
Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] for fantasy action and some scary images.
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:19-10-2007
Synopsis: Based on Susan Cooper's 1973 Newbery Award-winning fantasy novel, THE DARK IS RISING, director David L. Cunningham's 2007 film follows the adventures of young protagonist Will Stanton (Alexander... Based on Susan Cooper's 1973 Newbery Award-winning fantasy novel, THE DARK IS RISING, director David L. Cunningham's 2007 film follows the adventures of young protagonist Will Stanton (Alexander Ludwig), who discovers that he is an immortal being connected with an ancient struggle between good and evil. Aided by fellow "Old Ones," including Miss Greythorne (Frances Conroy) and Merriman Lyon (Ian McShane), Will, an American transplant in England, must face off against shadowy forces bent on world domination, most notably represented by the black-clad Rider (Christopher Eccleston). Taking a different approach to Cooper's revered novel, THE SEEKER, actually drawn from the second book in THE DARK IS RISING sequence, will certainly raise the eyebrows of ardent fans of the series, particularly given screenwriter John Hodge's considerable alterations to the original story. (For example, Will is American instead of British.) For those unattached to Cooper's story, however, THE SEEKER will likely prove to be an enjoyable escapist film, with Conroy (SIX FEET UNDER), McShane (DEADWOOD), and Eccleston (HEROES) adding credibility to a largely unknown cast that is anchored by the likable Ludwig. Presented by Walden Media, the company behind the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA screen adaptations, THE SEEKER may not please Cooper purists, but it will undoubtedly entertain those looking for a diverting fantasy movie. [More]
Starring: Alexander Ludwig, Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane, Frances Conroy
Starring: Alexander Ludwig, Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane, Frances Conroy, Jonathan Jackson
Director: David L. Cunningham
Director: David L. Cunningham
Screenwriter: John Hodge
Producer: Marc Platt
Composer: Christophe Beck
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Reviews for The Seeker
Not very likely to seize that Potter market, this is a disappointing film that starts out okay but goes rapidly downhill, thanks to rudimentary characterisation and storytelling that's designed more to accommodate gratuitous action.
Off-the-shelf teen fantasy not likely to satisfy the post-Potter/LOTR crowd but guaranteed to enrage fans of the source novel. The newly added quasi-religious overtones don’t help either.
An uncanny and unholy blend of The Fifth Element, The Sixth Sense and The Seventh Seal.
A moderate Potter-teen fantasy about an American kid who comes to little old England with his family (dad's on some kind of academic posting) to find that he is the boy-king leader of a group of supernatural warriors.
By Americanising the hero and grotesquely distorting the plot, they can only alienate the fan-base and confuse the newcomer.
Imagine Time Bandits confined to a boring Berkshire village and drained of colour, and you can see why this pig’s ear of Susan Cooper’s well-received children’s story went belly-up at the US box office.
The excessive strobe effects may trigger epileptic fits, but the movie itself will induce narcolepsy.
The Dark is Rising is one of those awful sorcery tales where a spotty young boy (Alexander Ludwig) suddenly gets to save the Earth from supernatural creeps such as Christopher Eccleston.
The script is rather bland, the action sequences are extremely dull and it lacks a big effects-heavy set-piece.
This movie is LAME. The dark may be rising, but the boredom is crushing.
Just another supernatural time travel movie that lacks passion and seemingly evaporates even as you watch.
Throughout its interminable and steadfastly, maniacally bewildering running time, neither the cast nor director Cunningham appear to have even the most rudimentary idea of what is going on from one sequence to the next.
The computer-graphic imagery is impressive, but The Seeker: The Dark is Rising demonstrates once again that when it comes to movie magic, TLC means more than CGI.
The bum execution ironically sheds light on just how dim this film about light and dark really is.
What exactly are The Light and The Dark? The filmmakers sincerely hope you don't ask.
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