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The Dark Half

Play trailer Poster for The Dark Half R 1993 2h 2m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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58% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton) has had success writing novels under both his real name and his pseudonym, George Stark, which he uses to publish base thrillers. When word gets out that they are one and the same, the author holds a mock funeral for Stark. But after a rash of murders eerily similar to those in the Stark books, Thad and his wife, Liz (Amy Madigan), realize that Stark is real and responsible, and must work with local Sheriff Pangborn (Michael Rooker) to stop him.
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The Dark Half

The Dark Half

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Critics Consensus

The Dark Half is a highly serious psychological study that can be faulted for being more curious than actually scary.

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Critics Reviews

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Susie Eisenhuth Sydney Morning Herald 02/28/2024
Strong performances add the required heft to keep you onside when the plot gets dodgy. Hutton's nice-guy image is perfect for the dual role. Go to Full Review
Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune 10/04/2019
2/4
As if to make up for the slack pacing, the violence seems unnecessarily garish and sadistic. Go to Full Review
Jack Yeovil Empire Magazine 10/08/2018
2/5
This is too well-made and acted to be a total failure, and even the formulaic slasher scenes are handled with creepy aplomb. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 11
2/4
Romero's direction is atypically listless, and the supernatural aspects are never explained in a satisfactory manner. Go to Full Review
Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 9
2/5
Just one of many '90s Stephen King adaptations that really only gets points for its source material, as the movie itself is dull and far too campy. Go to Full Review
David Reddish CBR 11/19/2024
2/4
For a general audience, The Dark Half will come off as dated and silly. One would have thought the combined powers of two horror masters would create a classic of the genre. Instead, it comes off as a classic dud. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Joy B. @9mr_0 Jan 16 فلم جيد . قصة غريبة لكنها جيده . الاخراج كان متباين بداء الفلم بشكل جيد لكن بعدها بداء بالصعود و النزول بوتيرة الفلم بدون تفسيرات حقيقية . اغلب الممثلين شخصياتهم سطحية ما بيها عمق . اداء البطل كان جيد الى حدما ام البطلة بداء المخرج معها بشكل جيد لكن بعدها حاول يكسر ضهورها الى نهاية الفلم كانت فقط هناك بدون اي اداء حقيقي . التصوير كان متوسط . الموسيقى جيدة و بعض الاحيان مزعجه. See more Alec B @Alec97 Jan 11 I think Romero pulls off as good an adaptation as one could expect of King's weird novel. Its a hard conflict to dramatize (one man vs. His shadow self) as it's both frightening and a little silly. See more Dale P Oct 25 The film is actually a very nice film. It is away for Stephen King to kill off his other writer. Timothy Huttons performance is really good and the rest of the cast is good as well. I would recommend this film to alk See more Clarence H. @clarencew Sep 14 As Stephen King movies go, I really like this one. Along with Pet Sematary, The Dead Zone & Secret Window, it’s one of my favorites. I didn’t think George Romero could do much beyond zombie films but he did a fine job here. Stephen King often has a lot of interesting psychology in his stories and The Dark Half is no exception as it ponders the mind & creative process of a writer. This film will keep you guessing. Very well done. See more Farah R @Farah Apr 17 The psychological elements of this King adaptation are intriguing, coupled with a brilliant performance by Timothy Hutton. The Dark Half is worth watching. But be warned to keep an open mind, as the ending might throw off those seeking a more logical conclusion to the mystery. See more Melissa M Feb 22 I know that this movie did not get really good reviews. It was a favorite with fans. But not so much with critics. I have to admit the beginning of the movie was pretty confusing. But I love that Michael Rooker was in the film. He was believeable as Sheriff Penghorn. Timothy Hutton was beyond awesome as Tad Beaumont as well as George Stark. He played both parts flawlessly. Any movie that's directed by George Romero you know it's going to be a good one. I think that this movie was one of the few films that actually stuck close to the book. And even had Stephen King's approval. Which is very rare. The special effects were pretty cool for the time. The movie was more of a psychological thriller than a horror movie. But it had enough action. And a compelling story. To keep the most finicky of moviegoers in their seats. See more Read all reviews
The Dark Half

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The Dark Half

The Dark Half: Official Clip - Sparrow Annihilation The Dark Half: Official Clip - Sparrow Annihilation 2:57 The Dark Half: Official Clip - Revealing Nightmares The Dark Half: Official Clip - Revealing Nightmares 2:16 The Dark Half: Official Clip - A Tale of Two Authors The Dark Half: Official Clip - A Tale of Two Authors 2:16 The Dark Half: Official Clip - One in the Same The Dark Half: Official Clip - One in the Same 2:24 The Dark Half: Official Clip - Suspected for Murder The Dark Half: Official Clip - Suspected for Murder 2:29 The Dark Half: Official Clip - A Cut & Go Business The Dark Half: Official Clip - A Cut & Go Business 1:50 The Dark Half: Official Clip - Startling Discovery The Dark Half: Official Clip - Startling Discovery 0:56 The Dark Half: Official Clip - Showdown The Dark Half: Official Clip - Showdown 1:27 The Dark Half: Official Clip - George Stark Strikes The Dark Half: Official Clip - George Stark Strikes 1:30 The Dark Half: Official Clip - Mikey, Mikey, Mikey The Dark Half: Official Clip - Mikey, Mikey, Mikey 2:17 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton) has had success writing novels under both his real name and his pseudonym, George Stark, which he uses to publish base thrillers. When word gets out that they are one and the same, the author holds a mock funeral for Stark. But after a rash of murders eerily similar to those in the Stark books, Thad and his wife, Liz (Amy Madigan), realize that Stark is real and responsible, and must work with local Sheriff Pangborn (Michael Rooker) to stop him.
Director
George A. Romero
Producer
Declan Baldwin
Screenwriter
George A. Romero, Stephen King
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.0M
Runtime
2h 2m
Sound Mix
Surround
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