Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers

Directed by Mick Garris, Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers follows evil shapeshifter Charles (Brian Krause) as he and his mother (Alice Krige’s Mary) attempt to steal the lifeforce from a virginal teenager (Mädchen Amick’s Tanya). There’s ultimately not a whole lot within Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers to get wholeheartedly (or even partially) excited about, as filmmaker Garris, working from Stephen King’s script, delivers a watchable yet completely forgettable endeavor that does benefit from a brisk running time – with the movie, for the most part, ultimately faring best in its fast-paced and broadly-conceived first half. The strong performances from leads Krause, Krige, and Amick play an instrumental role in perpetuating the tolerable atmosphere, to be sure, while Garris’ somewhat irreverent take on the material paves the way for a narrative that’s both tongue-in-cheek and appreciatively violent. And although the picture’s third act is perhaps just a little too conventional and by-the-numbers for its own good, Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers is nevertheless a decent-enough piece of work that contains just enough positive attributes to warrant a mild recommendation.

**1/2 out of ****