Story
In The Dark Tower, a young boy named Jake (Tom Taylor) has recurring dreams about children being tortured by an evil sorcerer named Walter (Matthew McConaughey). The children’s psychic energy (called the ‘Shine’) is channelled through a weapon that is designed to destroy a dark tower (which protects the Universe from its centre). Jake’s dreams also feature a good Gunslinger named Roland (Idris Elda), who is tracking Walter to seek revenge for his father’s death.
When two people come to Jake’s house to offer him psychiatric treatment, Jake recognises markings on their skin as the same as markings in his dreams. This confirms what he has suspected all along – that his dreams are actually visions of reality. Jake’s escape from the two impostors leads him to a portal that crosses over to another world, where he meets the Roland. Roland confirms that Jake’s dreams are real and that Walter is chasing Jake for Jake’s unprecedented psychic power. Walter needs Jake’s power to destroy the dark tower.
Themes
Good vs evil; revenge; the supernatural; extra-sensory perception; trust
Sexual references
None of concern
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
The Dark Tower shows some use of substances. For example, Roland takes a bunch of painkillers all at once, despite Jake’s advice not to do this. Roland isn’t human and knows that he can handle it, but this scene might send the wrong message to children. This is partly because Roland later says, ‘I feel the best that I have in a long time’.
Nudity and sexual activity
None of concern
Product placement
The following products are displayed or used in The Dark Tower: Coca-Cola.
Coarse language
The Dark Tower has infrequent coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
The Dark Tower is a science fiction action movie based on a book series by Stephen King.
The main messages from this movie are about choosing good over evil, trusting your instincts and valuing relationships. Despite heavy opposition, Jake always struggles to do the right thing. Following his instincts, Jake seeks the help of Roland the Gunslinger and together they take on the evil sorcerer Walter. It’s the strength of this relationship that ultimately overcomes evil and saves the Universe.
Despite the fact that The Dark Tower features a young boy as its main character, this movie isn’t suitable for children under 12 years and isn’t recommended for children under 15 years. This is because the movie has scenes and characters that are likely to scare young viewers, as well as the violence and supernatural themes that earned it an M rating.
Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include the importance of strong relationships with family and friends.
This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues like the consequences of taking drugs, including prescribed medication. You could talk about how important it is always to follow the instructions on the packet so that you avoid the risk of overdosing.