Customer Reviews

Servants of Twilight

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I read Dean Koontz's eerie chiller, "Twilight," and liked it very much. When I came across the movie on VHS, I felt it adhered quite well to the book and was not at all bad. The plot is in the vein of a familiar genre... a group of religious fanatics, led by a charismatic, and seemingly crazed, woman who claims that God has spoken to her and identiifed a small boy as evil incarnate. When the cultists begin stalking the child, his mother enlists the help of a Private Investigator to protect her son, and a rather suspenseful chase ensues as mother and P.I. try to save the boy. If you liked "The Omen" and its sequels, you will probably enjoy this film. If "The Omen" was Grade A, I think "Servants of Twilight" rates a B or B+. Young Jarret Lennon does a fine job portraying an innocent child, and the mother shows strength in her determined efforts to protect her son. The film is not Oscar material, but films in this genre are not expected to be. As a thriller, it's fine and does not have the aura of a grade C, low budget, poorly acted, amateurish film that you might expect from the preceding very negative reviews. The only glaring error is that the story's time line may be confusing to some viewers, for it is not made very clear from the outset that the private eye is telling the tale to a psychiatrist in the form of a series of flashbacks. Dean Koontz's book is better than the film, but this movie managed to keep almost all of the surprising plot twists and turns that made the novel such a strong piece of fiction. If you like movies about 'The Final Days' and Antichrist themes, give it a chance. See the DVD and decide for yourself.

The movie version of Dean Koontz's novel contained many changes; that is to be expected. A novel won't translate to the big screen verbatim. The problem here is that many of the changes were ineffective in that they didn't help to develop the characters or progress the story. I don't think that I would've liked the movie at all if I hadn't read the book and that should not be required protocol in order to enjoy a film.

This movie had the feel of a made for TV movie, and by that I mean one of the older B rate TV movies, kind of like a cheesie Lifetime movie. It was a combination of unknown actors spewing bad dialogue -written simply for the sake of exposition - while wearing horrible wardrobe filmed in overdone lighting. The actors, who seemed pretty credible, never had a chance.

This could have been good, actually it could have been very good. Some of the changes from the novel should have translated excellently on screen. The screenpaly would have benefited from a rewrite. Too many scenes were repetitive. How many times do we need to see gunmen sneak up on the boy? Eliminate a few of those scenes and develop some backstory. How about some character development?

If you read the book, it's worth it to see how it translated to film. It only takes up 90 minutes of your life.

Okay, I thought Jarrett Lennon (who portrayed "Joey") was extraordinarily REAL and natural. Wish he'd get more acting jobs! I hated that the ending wasn't true to the book's ending... but it wasn't bad. I greatly appreciated Grace Zabriskie's contribution to this movie. The special effects were also surprisingly good.

I've read the book, as well as seen the movie, and I don't think they did too bad a job with it. The only thing that leaves me curious is the fact that the movie came to the conclusion that Joey was the Antichrist after all. The book was far more ambiguous about it, and left it totally up in the air as to whether Joey was who the church loonies claimed him to be, or whether he was, in fact, a child of light.
Still, not too bad an effort at all.

Well, Amazon.com says Belinda Bauer is the star -- if anything, she ruins this movie. But Jarrett Lennon, as "Joey," RUNS this movie, along with Grace Zabriskie (always scary!). "Joey" is a really normal little boy, with a lot of intelligence and personality, and is probably the only thing to make this movie look good for Dean Koontz, who should have directed it himself.

i loved the book servants of twilight and have read it too many times to count, but haven't seen the movie yet, but since it's on movies on demand, i'm going to watch it tonight

movie very bloody. didn't even really start out like the book. book much better. It started out that the mother & the boy were in the parking lot of Bullocks South Coast Plaza when the evil woman came up to them. At the very time I was reading the book, I was sitting in the parking lot of Bullocks south coast plaza. I worked there & was at lunch sitting in my car. Was VERY creepy.

Movie ok. But book way better.

This movie was awful! That's about the best that can be said about it I'm afraid. I read the book a number of years ago and enjoyed it a lot and wondered if they would ever make it into a movie since it was such a good story. Well this ain't it! So much has been changed as to be almost unrecognizable. Stick with the book!

A lot of the movies coming out claiming to be based on or adapted from a book. They just take the general premise and go off into left field.

This movie adheres to the book with far more loyalty than Jurassik Park, Interview with a Vampire, and Starship Troopers do combined. If you liked the book, you'll like the movie.

There is one major difference right at the end, but you'll have to watch the movie and judge it for yourself.

Read the book: 5 stars. The movie takes out all that is good in the novel (why do Hollywood dime-a-dozen screenwriters think they have any hope in hell of improving a best-selling novel?!) and completely trashes a great, suspenseful story. Many key elements were either changed or omitted. I would not even waste my time if I were you. Not even if you read the book and are just curious...that's how bad this movie is!