A ho-hum exercise in mysticism and hocus-pocus.
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.
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:00-00-0000
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
Marketed as a family-friendly adventure about a kid with magical powers, this adaptation of Susan Cooper's Newbery Award-winning book is hopelessly glum.
Think 'Harry Potter' meets 'Bridge To Terabithia'. While perfectly fine entertainment for people age 12 and under, adults will find the whole thing a bit of a snooze.
That seventh-son-of-a-seventh-son business sounds like Muddy Waters singing, 'Got my Mojo Workin'.'
What exactly are The Light and The Dark? The filmmakers sincerely hope you don't ask.
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.
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.
If I were a twelve-year-old child, I would have loved this film... However, as an adult, I saw too many plot holes and goofy characters.
[A] ponderous, clumping fantasy with confusing and seemingly contradictory internal logic.
Whether you fully embrace the Harry Potter phenomenon or simply live with it, there's no question that J. K. Rowling is an imaginative story-spinner. The trouble is that she has ruined the field for the legions of the second-rate.
Though it frequently feels like its missing most of its formative folklore, and trails off into fits of formless meandering about two thirds of the way through, The Seeker is actually a rather good ripping yarn.
The ultimate question is, was the movie purposefully made into a blur to play directly into the pockets of the fans, or do we chalk this up to standard-issue directorial incompetence? I vote the latter.
What's the fun of being a seeker if you don't actually get to do any seeking?
This might be the first movie where I hoped I would fall asleep in the middle
Remember hearing that the early studio inclination with Harry [Potter] was to Americanize him? This tedious, plodding, thoroughly unmagical movie could well be what that Hollywood Harry might have been.
Screenwriter John Hodge strips Cooper's story of its details and charm, reducing it to a kind of characterless, elemental video game -- an apocalyptic scavenger hunt.
Finally [Susan] Cooper's fantasy comes to the screen this weekend with The Seeker.
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