The Stand
Read other reviews about this film
Cast: Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Laura San Giacomo, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Miguel Ferrer, Corin Nemec, Matt Frewer, Adam Storke, Ray Walston, Rob Lowe, Bill Fagerbakke, Peter Van Norden, Rick Aviles, Max Wright, Patrick Kilpatrick, Ray McKinnon, Bridgit Ryan, Kellie Overbey, Shawnee Smith, John Bloom, Jordan Lund, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Chuck Adamson, Anthony Adler, Sam Anderson, Steven Anderson, Jesse Bennett, Johnny Biscuit, Scott J. Bronson, Ervin Butler, Hope Marie Carlton, David Kirk Chambers, Laura Conover, Bill Corso , Kevin Doyle, John Dunbar, Troy Evans, Warren Frost, Cynthia Garris, Leo Geier, Jeff Gelb, Sandra Gimpel, Alan Gregory, Mary Ethel Gregory, Thomasyn Harlow, Jim Haynie, Ryan Healy, Thomas Holland, Sherman Howard, Ken Jenkins, David Jensen, Richard Jewkes, Kevin Kennedy, Michelle King, Stephen King, John Landis, Lewis, Richard Lineback, Mike Lookinland, Elizabeth Lough, Bruce MacVittie, Patrick McKinley, Frank Magner, Dan Martin, William Newman, Wendy Phillips, Sam Raimi Vince Rodriguez, Sarah Schaub, Tressa Sharbough, Julie Simper, Taylor Smith, David Sosna, Billy L. Sullivan, George Sullivan, Millie Teri, Rob Weller, Mike Wesienskow, Michael D. Weatherred, Derryl Yeager, Brayton Yerkes .
The basic plan is reminiscent of Steven Spielberg's 1977 "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" in that ordinary people, evidently randomly selected, are compelled by an unknown impetus to gather for an unknown purpose.
In this case, there are two forces: Good, personified by a 106-year-old black woman, Mother Abigail (Ruby Dee), living in Nebraska, and Evil, one Randall Flagg (Jamey Sheridan), an "apostate of hell" who occasionally takes the form of a crow.
The backdrop is a killer epidemic, released when a government biological warfare experiment misfires; before long, practically everybody in the U.S. is dead or dying. (King has said the original prototype was Legionnaires' disease, updated to an AIDS parallel when he rewrote the book in the mid-'80s.)
Gary Sinise stars as Stu Redman, an East Texan who becomes the story's main focus as he travels from home (where he escapes the flu) to the Center for Disease Control in Vermont and on to the final conflict.
Along the way, he's joined by rock star Larry Underwood (Adam Storke); deaf-mute Nick Andros (Rob Lowe) and his traveling companion, the mildly retarded Tom Cullen (Bill Fagerbakke); retired professor Glen Bateman (Ray Walston); retired judge Farris (Ossie Davis); and Frannie Goldsmith(Molly Ringwald), a young Maine woman who's pregnant by her former boyfriend.
Along, too, are Laura San Giacomo as Nadine Cross, whom Underwood picks up while leaving New York City; and Corin Nemec as Harold Lauder, a somewhat geeky fellow (this story's token Stephen King surrogate) who harbors an unrequited crush on Goldsmith.
Those not watching from the beginning (or who haven't read the book) are doomed to near-hopeless confusion. At the beginnings of parts 2 and 3, characters have been added without telling the audience; others are referred to as if they were significant, though their screen time (if any) is minimal, perhaps due to last-minute cuts.
Still, those who watch closely from the beginning should be able to follow along.
Flagg and his troops -- headed by lieutenant Lloyd Henreid (Miguel Ferrer) and including arsonist the Trashcan Man (Matt Frewer) and pistol-hot cowgal Julie Lawry (Shawnee Smith) -- have headquartered in downtown Las Vegas, where they've set about constructing something-or-another (lots of hard hats in sight, little actual building) and prepping for a final "stand" with Mother Abigail's retinue.
All of this takes most of the eight hours to develop, with the final showdown and epilogue occupying only the last 30 minutes or so.
Emphasis is on character, which is just as well in that much of the special-effects work, while fine for TV, is below current feature standards. Still, the showdown in front of the Union Plaza Hotel is a stunner, sort of a cross between "King of Kings" and "Triumph of the Will."
Scripter King and director Mick Garris don't let details get in the way of the big picture, resulting in inconsistencies and unanswered questions. Has the "flu" moved outside the continental United States? From evidence here, maybe yes , maybe no.
Underwood is introduced as a musician whose first hit single, according to a single stretch of dialogue, either "has cracked the top 50,""is 21 with a bullet ," or "hasn't cracked the Hot Hundred yet." Such inconsistencies may be the result of sloppy writing or last-minute cuts for time; in any case, they ultimately don't interfere with the momentum of the story.
Garris manages to maintain momentum as characters mix and match, and the look of the film, other than those few subpar makeup and matte effects, is pro.
Vernon Ray Bunch's score is quiet and Western, making much use of acoustic guitar and fiddle.
Acting is fine throughout, and generally commendably understated.
Warranted exceptions are San Giacomo, who is allowed to climb the walls once she comes under Flagg's influence; Frewer as the wacked-out firebug; and Sheridan as Flagg himself, charming at one moment, raging in the next.
First two hours feature unbilled cameos by Ed Harris, very strong as an Army officer, and Kathy Bates as a radio talkshow host.
For film buffs, John Landis, Sam Raimi and King appear in small roles; King, especially, better not quit his day job.
Camera, Edward Pei; editor, Pat McMahon; production designer, Nelson Coates; art directors, Burton Rencher, Michael Perry; sound, Richard Schexnayder; music, W.G. Snuffy Walden. 480 MIN.
Variety is striving to present the most thorough review database. To report inaccuracies in review credits, please click here. We do not currently list below-the-line credits, although we hope to include them in the future. Please note we may not respond to every suggestion. Your assistance is appreciated.
