Director
George A. Romero
Cast
Timothy Hutton - Thad Beaumont/ George Stark
Amy Madigan - Liz Beaumont
Michael Rooker - Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Julie Harris - Reggie Delesseps
The Dark Half, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, tends to be buried among unheard of horror movies on some streaming sights. The movie leans far enough into the "under the radar" category (a phrase I like to use a lot) despite it being directed by horror director extraordinaire - the late, great George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Creepshow.)
But unlike other Romero movies, this one ultimately falls flat despite its intriguing psychological thriller story line, and a decent dual performance by Timothy Hutton as the story's protagonist, Thad Beaumont, and the antagonist, George Stark.
Though I have yet to read King's book, the movie definitely has tropes used by King in various other stories - a writer struggling with some sort of demon whether it be alcoholism, writer's block, themselves, or in this case a psychological entity personified. Watching this brought some other of his stories to mind - Secret Window, Secret Garden, The Tommyknockers, and Misery. All these stories share such a trope.
In the movie, author Thad Beaumont writes suspense novels under the pen name George Stark. However, he plans to retire his pseudonym, which he declares to his fanbase, and to all the literary world. A photojournalist takes a picture of him standing next to a mock grave with Stark's name on it - a final symbol of George Stark's death.
Shortly after this all takes place, Stark is suddenly real. I mean, he's a real physical person. And he murders the photographer, Homer Gamache, who shot Beaumont and the fake grave for the news story.
Other people surrounding Beaumont begin to get bumped off, making Beaumont a prime suspect for Castle Rock Sheriff, Alan Pangborn (Michael Rooker - Guardians of the Galaxy, Walking Dead.)
There's evidence to suggest Beaumont is responsible, especially his finger prints being found at crime scenes. Pangborn doesn't arrest him as there's proof of Beaumont being elsewhere at the time of the murders. Even Pangborn begins to agree that something abnormal is taking place.
We learn early on in the movie that Beaumont had a parasitic twin who died in childbirth.
There's a scene that shows a fetus developing in Beaumont's brain. That part was creepy, but its purpose left me confused.
As Stark kills more and more people, Beaumont learns Stark is that twin that supposedly died at childbirth. Yet, somehow, Stark is an entity controlled by Beaumont's writing and his goal is to stop Beaumont from ultimately killing him (i.e. ending his series.)
The movie doesn't go deep enough into this interesting story. How is Stark Beaumont's parasitic twin yet controlled by his writing? The movie just introduces the premise, gets through it with little explanation, and then ends suddenly. It had potential to be a memorable movie, but it missed a great opportunity. Sad!
The story was really intriguing. Some major elements needed more substance and explanation. It's implied that Stark is a paranormal entity.
Sparrows play a part in the movie as harbingers of souls to the afterlife. And they're used to take Stark back to hell. Yet, he's the parasitic twin? Is he the ghost of the twin who somehow, through ghost magic became entangled in the identity of fictitious George Stark? I'm so confused! Please, movie, explain this to me!
The Dark Half had potential, but just missed the pot. The movie tries...really tries...to be that memorable psychological thriller. The movie had a great cast including Hollywood legend, Julie Harris (The Haunting, East of Eden).
Amy Madigan plays Thad's wife, Liz Beaumont. While I wouldn't say she was bad in this move, I liked her better in Uncle Buck. Hers wasn't a standout performance, but she was good in role along side Tim Hutton.
With the presence of Timothy Hutton who won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for the movie Ordinary People (1980), along with Romero's and King's name slapped by the title, The Dark Half tries to be as deep and serious a movie as other King adaptations of that time frame such as Misery (1990), Stand By Me (1986). It missed the bulls eye by a huge gap.
If only more time was given for in-depth story telling, The Dark Half could have been a much better movie. Perhaps so much so it may have been a movie up there among other popular King movies. Maybe? Otherwise, it's now a movie lost among unknown, obscure horror titles on Hulu.
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