THE DARK HALF
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating: 7.6 (B, **1/2)
Date Released: 4/23/93 Running Length: 2:00 Rated: R (Violence, gore)
Starring: Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie Harris Director: George Romero Producer: Declan Baldwin Screenplay: George Romero based on the story by Stephen King Music: Christopher Young Released by Orion Pictures
As a young boy, Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton), an aspiring writer, develops a brain tumor. When he's wheeled into the operating room and his skull is opened, the tumor turns out to be the undeveloped remains of a twin that Thad had incorporated into himself while still in the womb. Over twenty years later, Thad is a successful writer with a wife named Liz (Amy Madigan) and two infant children. The books he writes under his own name are "literate," but to keep his income up, he writes violent, formula fiction under the pseudonym of George Stark. When a blackmailer threatens to reveal his double identity and threaten the profitable secret, Beaumont goes public himself, "burying" George Stark. That's when the murders start. As the body count mounts, Beaumont becomes the prime suspect--his fingerprints have been found in the victims' blood--but Thad has no idea what's going on. The question that needs to be answered is whether Thad has a split personality or whether there is some sort of evil entity--connected to Thad--is loose in the world.
Recently, when it comes to movies, everything the name Stephen King has been associated with has turned to dross. In some cases, King has denied any association with the productions (PET SEMATARY TWO, THE LAWNMOWER MAN), but he was much in evidence in one of 1992's worst films, SLEEPWALKERS. Now, King's name is back on the marquee with THE DARK HALF and, while this isn't a masterpiece of the genre, it's an often-entertaining and sometimes-intelligent production.
George Romero, an accomplished horror film director, is at the helm for this movie, and it's undoubtedly his skill that prevents THE DARK HALF from sinking into the realm of the unwatchable. It's easy to see how this could have happened, but Romero is able to keep the characters real and the situations (mostly) believable where a lesser filmmaker might have botched things up.
Key to the success of THE DARK HALF, as is the case with almost every horror film, is the need to suspend disbelief, and it is here is where the movie stumbles. The setup, as well as most of the every-day character interaction, is so normal and "real" that when the consideration of a supernatural explanation arises, it becomes a little difficult for the audience to swallow. Had Romero created a slightly more skewed vision of America (akin to David Lynch's towns in BLUE VELVET and TWIN PEAKS), the eventual transition might have been easier to accept.
Nevertheless, there's a lot that's positive about THE DARK HALF in its examination of a Jekyll and Hyde personality. While the resolution is pure formula (not to mention more than a little silly), the events leading up to it are not. For roughly the first hour of the feature, we're treated to a slick psychological thriller and a whodunnit all rolled into one. The characters are well-written and well-developed, the cinematography is effective, and the special effects are a cut above the norm.
Timothy Hutton, who's other recent role in THE TEMP was an unmitigated disaster, shows excellent range here. Amy Madigan brings some personality to the thankless role of "the wife." If there's a sub-par performance, it belongs to Michael Rooker as the local sheriff, but even his acting is far better than most of what emerges in typical films of the genre.
While there's little doubt that most Stephen King fans and lovers of horror movies in general will enjoy this film, there's enough in THE DARK HALF to attract a wider audience. The gore is not excessive and a successful effort has been made to keep the picture from collapsing into a grade-B flick. While this isn't a complete comeback for screen adaptations of King's work, it's a worthwhile step.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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