This one is unimaginative and hokey, an adventure nearly as bungling as last holiday season's dragon egg, Eragon
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
US Box Office: $8,746,699
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
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.
The storytelling is clunky but the performances are decent, and Ludwig is both cute and talented.
The dark may have been rising, but my eyelids were repeatedly falling as I struggled to stay awake during the interminable and exhausting The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising.
A flat, boring, and simple-minded fantasy flick about the battle between the dark forces and the forces of light and goodness.
What exactly are The Light and The Dark? The filmmakers sincerely hope you don't ask.
A modest proposal: What say we declare a moratorium on special-effects movies about adolescents on a quest to save the world from darkness?
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.
At its best, The Seeker is a pretty vivid fantasy book come-to-life; it does a decent, passable job of adding to the canon of kid-lit flicks.
The Seeker feels passé and lacks a charismatic lead. Too bad Daniel Radcliffe is an only child.
a lot of shouting offered up as an ineffectual camouflage to the picture's complete lack of ambition.
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.
It's not as detailed as the adventures of a certain other young man who fights against the forces of evil. But it's still an enjoyable fantasy for younger viewers.
Sloppy, lifeless storytelling so limp it guarantees no sequels will be made.
Director David L. Cunningham applies a jarring, disorienting style to much of the action that, rather than mirroring Will's inner confusion, distances the audience from his plight.
Director David L. Cunningham's proffered chills are strictly of the lightweight variety: a menacing flock of ravens, a slimy skein of snakes and a couple of mall security yobs too fat or stupid to overpower even a spindly teenager.
Not-too-impressive CG effects and frenetic camera work but cannot mask what is--or, rather, what isn't there.
[The film features] episodic set pieces with disorienting action, culminating in a face-off that defies logic in its resolution.
Latest News for The Seeker
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October 04, 2007:
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