The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising

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The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising ★½ 2007 (PG)

Fourteenyearold Will (Ludwig), transplanted from America to England, wakes up one day with magical powers and an important destiny in this alltoofamiliar tale that is both a lousy adaptation of a 1973 book and a ripoff of comparable, contemporary stories. McShane, as Will's mentor Merriman, does his best with the poor script, but there's no saving this mess. Needlessly simplifies and Americanizes the original story until there's not much left except a bad “Harry Potter” retread. 94m/C DVD . US Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane, Frances Conroy, Wendy Crewson, Alexander Ludwig, John Benjamin Hickey, Gregory Edward Smith, James Cosmo, Jim Piddock; D: David L. Cunningham; W: John Hodge; C: Joel Ransom; M: Christophe Beck.