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Movies / On DVD / The Seeker
The Seeker

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The Seeker (2007)

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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

[See More Credits]

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    Interrogation Room
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    We Are The Old Ones
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    Even The Smallest Light Shines In The Dark
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  • Will Meets The Rider
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    Production Design
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    Flooding The Manor
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1 - 4 of 7

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Reviews for The Seeker

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41 - 60 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Devotees of the source material will no doubt grouse at the liberties taken, but [Ian] McShane does what he can to keep the torches and pitchforks at bay.

Full Review Source: The Stranger (Seattle, WA) | comment Comment
10/05/07
Andrew Wright
Andrew Wright
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

[The film features] episodic set pieces with disorienting action, culminating in a face-off that defies logic in its resolution.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
10/05/07
Annlee Ellingson
Annlee Ellingson
Boxoffice Magazine

Ecclestein and McShane are so captivating it's almost worth putting up with The Seeker's inept script.

Full Review Source: CinemaBlend.com | comment Comment
10/05/07
Joshua Tyler
Joshua Tyler
CinemaBlend.com

Poor writing and production values like these bring no light to Cooper's novel -- or the audience.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
10/05/07
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post

Cooper presented this rather basic good/evil mythos in more low-key, atmospheric form than the film allows, leaving thesps (particularly McShane) having to poker-face their way through lines like, 'The future of the human race rests on you!'

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/05/07
Dennis Harvey
Dennis Harvey
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The movie ultimately emerges as a lackluster tale of teenage empowerment and doesn't fully conjure the requisite sense of magical escape necessary to truly captivate and immerse us in the tale.

Full Review Source: USA Today | comment Comment
10/05/07
Claudia Puig
Claudia Puig
USA Today

Though stylishly produced, this clumsy parable will probably engender more boredom than sequels.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/05/07
Ken Fox
Ken Fox
TV Guide's Movie Guide

It communicates almost no sense of its own identity; everything seems borrowed and tired.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
10/05/07
John Hartl
John Hartl
Seattle Times

Ludwig, a relative unknown with some TV and film experience, is awfully cute, but lacks the needed gravitas and charm to turn Will into more than a caricature.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
10/05/07
Ruthe Stein
Ruthe Stein
San Francisco Chronicle

The special effects are not spectacular, but they are certainly adequate and Cunningham keeps the action moving so that the pace never flags.

Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
10/05/07
Pam Grady
Pam Grady
Reel.com

Although the plot remains essentially the same, little else is left of Cooper's original story, as the film's title implies, and the results are anything but magical.

Full Review Source: School Library Journal | comment Comment
10/05/07
Kent Turner
Kent Turner
School Library Journal

The shameless Potter/Tolkien recycling is the least of this movie's problems.

Full Review Source: Oregonian | comment Comment
10/05/07
M.E. Russell
M.E. Russell
Oregonian

Final score: Book 1, Movie 0.

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
10/05/07
Tasha Robinson
Tasha Robinson
AV Club

The Seeker feels passé and lacks a charismatic lead. Too bad Daniel Radcliffe is an only child.

comment Comment
10/05/07
Jeannette Catsoulis
Jeannette Catsoulis
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Given superpowers, Will does approximately nothing with them (he can command fire, but uses it mainly to throw cool supertantrums). He's as passive as a dead mackerel.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
10/05/07
Kyle Smith
Kyle Smith
New York Post

A reasonable choice for bored tweens -- as long as they don't demand too much magic from their movies.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
10/05/07
Elizabeth Weitzman
Elizabeth Weitzman
New York Daily News

A modest proposal: What say we declare a moratorium on special-effects movies about adolescents on a quest to save the world from darkness?

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
10/05/07
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star

[The filmmakers] jam together action sequences that are too intense for younger viewers with a story too dumb for teens.

Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune | comment Comment
10/05/07
Sean Means
Sean Means
Salt Lake Tribune

The storytelling is clunky but the performances are decent, and Ludwig is both cute and talented.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
10/05/07
Liz Braun
Liz Braun
Jam! Movies

It's simply product for a pre-conditioned marketplace, pushing familiar buttons without doing anything remotely creative.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
10/05/07
Bruce Westbrook
Bruce Westbrook
Houston Chronicle
 
 
41 - 60 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
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