Stephen King: Ranking His Films From Worst To Best
7. Apt Pupil
As it happens, most of the best Stephen King films are based on the least pulpy stories. That's probably because filmmakers find it easier to take seriously the stories without ghosts, vampires, or aliens that hypnotise people with a tree (or whatever the hell The Tommyknockers was supposed to be about). Apt Pupil is more serious than most popular King, but it's got a lot in common with his other work. Apt Pupil, as with most Stephen King stories, is an examination of evil. It's just that, instead of using the allegory of the supernatural, this one is very much grounded in reality. Well, sort of, since it still involves the somewhat unbelievable premise of a Nazi war criminal found living in suburban America decades later. That conceit is totally sold, however, thanks to Ian McKellen's powerful turn as the Nazi in question, Brad Renfro as the young man who discovers his secret, and some brilliant direction from future X-Men helmer Bryan Singer. A tough watch, but worth it.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
