A work of Art and a message of Hope.

Rating: 10/10 (13 April 2011)

Stephen King is my favourite author and I like most of his books and love some as well. One of the defining features of his books is the characterisation and the atmosphere. No one does it better. This leads to his books being long and slow some times but that's the part of it. This normally doesn't transfer well to cinema where everything is cut and compressed. This movie is better than the book. I read the book and I was impressed I saw the movie and I fell in love with it.
The movie focuses on the two main characters and the side stories enhances their character brilliantly. All what comes before ties in to the end. One of the greatest effect in the movie along with the atmosphere is the soundtrack. It plucks at you, it pulls at you and it lulls you in to a world where all that you see flows with it, smiles with it and cries with it.
I wont talk about the story since now after so many reviews we are at a stage where we can talk about other features of this movie. There are many great moments in the movie including the two stage ending, both stages immensely enjoyable every time for different reasons. Another great moment for me is the release of Brooks Hatlen from prison. His dialogue delivery (the world went ahead and got itself in to one BIG DAMN hurry) and acting is brilliant at that moment and is perfectly captured further ahead in the movie when Red facing similar circumstances confesses, "Terrible thing to live in fear" The same fear can be glimpsed when Red glances fearfully over a stone wall in Buxton to see if he is being pursued or spied upon while he reads a letter. (Great acting and direction)
This movie is about hope and friendship. Those of us who have seen it many times, enough to even forget the count are touched by it every time. We now see the movie in its entirety and every magical scene is impressed upon our memory because this is art. The message of eternal hope is wonderfully characterised in Andy and that of friendship in Red.