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With another year remaining until the next Harry Potter movie hits theaters, young thrill-seekers may be looking for something to tide them over. And while The Seeker: The Dark is Rising may not have kids re-thinking this year’s Harry Potter Halloween costume, Harry’s preteen fans (especially the boys) will enjoy this dark, magical adventure.
The latest in a long line of big-screen adaptations of popular kids’ books, The Seeker stars Alexander Ludwig as Will Stanton, a boy whose life is changed forever on his 14th birthday. As the sixth of seven Stanton kids, Will has always felt invisible and unimportant. So when strange things start happening to him, it seems like no one really cares. They say it’s just puberty—but puberty has nothing to do with that stuff that’s happening to Will.
After Will is confronted by the mysterious Rider (Christopher Eccleston), who demands that Will give him “the signs,” Will is finally told the truth: that he’s The Seeker—the last of a group of immortals whose mission is to fight for The Light and defend the world from The Dark. As Seeker, Will’s job is to find the six Signs that hold The Light—but he only has five days to do so, before The Rider is at his full strength and The Dark takes control of the world.
The transition isn’t easy for Will, and it leads to some of the film’s more over-the-top moments—like when his teen angst leads him to unintentionally blow things up (showing that superpowers and puberty do not mix), or when young Will suddenly becomes the voice of reason in his family. Still, it’s a pretty big responsibility to place in the hands of a kid, but Will knows that he’s got to step up and do his job—no matter how unbelievable it may be.
Though it’s a dark and sometimes scary movie that might not be suitable for younger viewers (or for anyone who’s afraid of snakes), The Seeker is an exciting adventure. I may not be in the movie’s target audience, but I found the story captivating and (despite the occasional moments of cheesiness) well done. In fact, at times, it’s even stunning—dark, with splashes of vibrant red.
On top of the exciting story (which, incidentally, was adapted for the big screen by John Hodge, who was nominated for an Oscar for writing the Trainspotting screenplay) is a truly likeable character. Will is a normal kid—and young viewers will have no problem relating to him. He’s young and insecure, and he often feels invisible and ignored—but when he’s entrusted with an important job, he takes on the challenge and does what he needs to do.
Of course, if you’ve actually read (and loved) Susan Cooper’s books, you may feel differently about the film adaptation. But if you’re new to the story, like I was, you’ll find that the story is solid and engaging—simple, but well-told.
The Seeker: The Dark is Rising may not have as wide an audience as the Harry Potter movies, but the likeable characters and thrilling adventure are sure to be a hit with preteen boys. And Mom and Dad might just enjoy it, too.
