October has officially arrived, which means horror movie fans have every excuse to curl up in front of their screens, big and small, for this year’s scariest offers. Among the novelties Coming to Netflix in October this is Mr. Harrigan’s phonean adaptation of a Stephen King novel, e.g. scheduled for October 5 at the broadcast site. The horror film features Stephen King’s veteran stars in Jaeden Martell (THIS IS Yes IT: Chapter 2) and Donald Sutherland (2004 sales lot miniseries ), and critics must express the critics’ opinion on the film, including the trailer looks pretty creepy .
Mr. Harrigan’s phone tells the story of Craig (Jaeden Martell), who gives a cell phone to his elderly friend, Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland), and after the old man’s death, scary things begin to happen with proprietary technology. It is usually a good sign when the author gives him approval, and Stephen King looks incredibly happy with this interpretation, so let’s see if the critics agree. we will start with 24 News Bulletin’s review of Mr. Harrigan’s phone with Eric Eisenberg only giving him 2 out of 5 stars. He says the story that works like a short story has difficulty translating on screen:
Mr. Harrigan’s phone isn’t actually one of King’s more cinematic stories, and the lack of action to correct this fact has problematic results. I mean, it’s a dull, boring movie that tries to be both a coming-of-age drama and a supernatural horror movie, and it ends up having no emotional impact on either genre.
Allison De Grushe distract attributes 2.5 out of 5 stars to the film, praising Spanish composer Javier Navarrete for the film’s soundtrack. However, regarding the story itself, the reviewer says the film is boring and says there is little or no fear. More from the review:
As for the big reveal, it’s hardly a surprise; in fact, it is quite disappointing. After suspense has built up around Mr. Harrigan’s posthumous influence on the world of the living, the film’s sad conclusion is a total disappointment. No twist expected; therefore, we allow ourselves to be drowned in pure delusion.
by Frank Scheck THR agree that Mr. Harrigan’s phone it’s just not terribly scary, saying it’s the rare Stephen King story that gets less interesting as the horror grows. In the words of the critic:
The recent horror film The Black Phone altered similar ideas, but in a much scarier way. Hancock doesn’t seem very interested in exploiting the concept for its creepy aspects, which, to be fair, weren’t even particularly well defined in King’s novel. Instead, the film appears primarily as a contemplative portrait of an unlikely friendship and a coming-of-age story in which a young man uncovers the dangers of getting what he wants.
Megan Navarro damn disgusting gives the film 2.5 out of 5 skulls, saying the two halves of the film don’t come together as they should, and the film struggles once Donald Sutherland is lost. According to the critic:
Donald Sutherland ends up acting as the glue that holds this feature together. The titular actor plays Martell well and both manage to instill an emotional investment in the strange friendship. There’s an inherent sweetness to this bond between a lonely billionaire and a lost boy, but Sutherland balances that genuine affection with the cruelty underlying it. This depiction sets up the entire back half as Mr. Harrigan teaches lessons on supernatural revenge. But without Sutherland’s seriousness, [director John Lee Hancock] strives to convey the terrors of karma or the double-edged sword of technology. A good start turns into a fable of erratic and silent morality that is ultimately too vague to make an impact.
Chris Evangelista of Slash Film rates the film slightly above average, at 6.5 out of 10, noting that while the film lacks jump scares and CGI ghouls, horror is more likely to strike in the middle of the night after the film ends. This critic appreciates the fidelity shown to Stephen King’s text, but says director John Lee Hancock is unable to create the necessary fear or tension. As others have indicated, this reviewer thinks Donald Sutherland is the highlight of this adaptation, saying:
But while Craig as a character is too weakly drawn, [Martell] does a good job of playing with the character’s growing fear. However, the highlight is Sutherland. Although his role is small, the actor, now in his Winter Lion stage, shows up to remind us that he still has it. With just a slight smile and a twinkle in his eye, Sutherland can make Mr. Harrigan look mischievous, hot and dangerous at the same time. It’s a stellar little performance and I wanted more.
if you want to check Mr. Harrigan’s phonethe film will be available to stream via netflix subscription Wednesday 5 October. Meanwhile, he checks the status of others Upcoming Stephen King movies and series . Fans of the famous author will not want to miss our weekly. Fit Stephen King’s column which is published every Wednesday, with the full story of the author’s books that have been adapted for film and television.
Source: Cinemablend
