24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
King's Confusing Morality Play..., May 14, 2000
Stephen King's "Storm of the Century" is a good flick. Yet many King fans will attempt to associate it or transpose this work - don't bother. This movie is NOT based on any of his, or Bachman, books. Instead, this is King's evolvolution into a a very visual movie producer attempting to unbind himself from his book writing persona. He accomplishes this grand task in "Storm of the Century."
Based on a Maine island preparing for the snow storm of the century in 1989, the movie is based on a stranger, Andre Linoge, who kills a elderly woman for no evident reason. Then, he escalates into a bizarre evil force that captivates a small Maine island whos occupants have a hard time dealing with the truth. Mr. Linoge seems to know every evil act committed by the island's occupants: cheating, lying, bodily harm, and adultery. Instead, they seem oddly comfortable living in denial. "Give Me What I Want And I Will Leave" is the ongoing testement for Mr. Linoge. His methodology for death, with the help of his murderous cane, is often pointless and grotesque at times. The significance of this cane is never mentioned. Yet I was very pleased and quite surprised by Mr. King's ability to develop his characters so deeply. The Constable, played by Tim Daly, is wonderfully acted and developed. In "Storm," viewers quickly become familiar with the many Islanders only after the first hour. The unfortunate problem is that King doesn't develop the antagonist, Andre Linoge (great acting by Colm Feore!), no where nearly as some would have liked. Instead, throughout half of "Storm," you'll find Linoge's character sits and stares. When Linoge does speak, it shows wasted time on and underdeveloped character.
The ending is both vivid yet a letdown. Mr. Linoge's whole intent seems overkill while the Islanders reactions often understated. I think viewers will either love or hate it. Either way, viewers will enjoy the beautiful scenery, vivid photography, and colorful charecters in "Storm of the Century."
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Storm of the Century - turn up the fire, light the lights, June 13, 2000
Even if I hadn't known Stephen King was the author of this 250 minute movie, I would probably have guessed. The attention to intricate detail which means a long movie (you can't leave anything out) is one of the hallmarks of King's work. The convention of the dark stranger who seems to know a small town's intimate secrets is a popular one with King, and although this is not a "scary" movie as such, it still has the suspense you'd expect. The acting is professional and workmanlike, if not Oscar material, and the scenery (of which the weather is the star) is lovely. If I could be sure I wouldn't be snowed in for days with a bad guy, I'd like to go and visit this little Maine island. My eighteen year old son and myself spent a lovely cold and miserable afternoon watching this movie.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Scary but Slow-Moving, November 4, 1999
By A Customer
I have mixed feelings about Storm of the Century. While I did wait with great anticipation for each installment of the mini-series, I must admit I thought the plot moved VERY slowly. Lenoge was a great villain - he was creepy and quiet and deadly. Every time his teeth turned into fangs I got goosebumps. There were many suspense-filled moments but few scenes of sheer terror. It's like the anticipation builds and builds and then falls flat. I kept waiting for the movie to move along faster in pace, but this thing went slower than my Ford on a cold Winter day. Okay, so having said that - I will admit that every night AFTER I had finished watching each part of the series, I was so tense that I couldn't fall asleep unless a light was on somewhere in the house. So I guess for all my condescension about the plot - I was effected by the movie on some level. One of the good things about this movie was the setting -- an island cut off from the mainland by a terrible snow storm - its inhabitants literally prisoners of the environment - so that when you add a supernatural maniac (who seems to have an affection for the song "I'm a little teapot" ) who wreaks havoc - you have the basis for an entertaining movie. I just wish it had moved at a faster pace and that it had reached the climactic scenes earlier.
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