The Tommyknockers

Dear God, how I hate repeating myself...! I can say basically the same thing about The Tommyknockers as about the vast majority of TV adaptations of King's works. My disappointment was huge and it was approaching what I experienced after watching the movie It. However, while "It" is one of the pinnacles of King's books, "The Tommyknockers" is only a better average, so I will give it two stars and a 30% overall impression. "The Tommyknockers" is the only Stephen King book that can be considered almost pure sci-fi, which is a problem, because, unlike horror, sci-fi requires a budget that would be enough for someone like Brad Pitt to live more than a week in modest conditions. The set design and special effects are bare even for TV standards, and they could have saved on most of the actors because an extra pulled from a pub could have played their roles just as well after a few shots. I wouldn't pay the screenwriter a penny, let alone a dollar because the plot servilely copies the book. Unfortunately, the plot doesn't usually play a big role in King's works, the atmosphere and emotional manipulation are what matter, and that is completely lacking in The Tommyknockers. While the novel can be considered a fairly creative contribution to the sci-fi genre, I would advise staying away from The Tommyknockers movie. (09/12/2007)