Review of Langoliers Movie

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Neil W

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2008
1,203
2,592
Isle of Wight UK
Stephen King's enjoyable novella about a planeload of passengers who,
thanks to a very odd storm and a warp in space/time, find themselves stranded in an unpopulated and rapidly decaying version of their own world (because time has moved on into the future)
is turned into a possibly over-long three-part TV miniseries.

There is much to like here. The adaptation is moderately faithful, the casting and performances are good (Bronson Pinchot is a bit over the top, but that is a requirement of the character), and there are some nice production touches - the gradual de-saturisation of the colour works well to demonstrate what is happening.

Not so good are the Langoliers themselves. They had to be a special effect, but they could have usefully consumed a bigger chunk of budget: they should be terrifying because of what they do but, unfortunately, they come across as rather comical.

And, as I said, the thing is too long. Three hours is taken to tell a story which could have been told in half that time, and you'd have been on the edge of your seat all the way through.
 
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blunthead

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2006
80,755
195,461
Atlanta GA
I watched Misery, Needful Things, and The Langoliers and considered them favorites before I knew they were related to Stephen King. As a pre-sK fan I was captivated by the uniquely strange, interesting and unpredictable story of the Langoliers. It's almost coincidental that I later become a well-versed (in my way) CR in order to unintentionally rediscover The Langoliers, a favorite before the fact.
 

robertine stam

New Member
Mar 16, 2016
2
2
62
I have seen most to, now we have under the dome on tv but ,Im sorry to say, it is no match to the book! Langoliers is my favorite, and the green mile, now reading the book , hope they dit not change as much as with under the dome
 
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