One of the weirdest corners in the Stephen King multiverse, In the Tall Grass has everything.
There's grass, mud, more grass, time travel, true love, eye stabbings, skull smashings, incest, cannibalism, grass again, and a mustachioed Patrick Wilson repeatedly saying, "Real estate's the game!" like a creepy step-dad at the neighborhood block party.
Suffice to say, writer-director Vincenzo Natali's story of tourists lost in a field is a strange one.
It's a great story — short, stark, and awful.
Loosely based on King and son Joe Hill's novella of the samename, Natali's adaptation isn't a complete departure from standard King fare — but it's not what Netflix subscribers who loved 1922 and Gerald's Game were probably expecting.
As first told by King and Hill, In the Tall Grass is a chilling meditation on the futility of existence.
Cal (Avery Whitted) and Becky (Laysla De Oliveira), two siblings on a cross-country road trip, are stopped alongside a remote stretch of Route 400 when they hear a boy crying for help. Unable to see the boy beyond the overgrown grass lining the road, the two decide to search for him, but become hopelessly lost. They soon learn that the field they've entered is an inescapable hell, populated by others as doomed as they.
The green enclave decimates relationships, forcing characters to turn on one another with venomous rapidity. The descriptions of the atrocities that occur there are disturbing, and the unanswered questions they bring haunting. It's a great story — short, stark, and awful.
Netflix's take is a bit more involved.
As enthusiastic and ill-conceived as any r/stephenking theory thread, In the Tall Grasscirca 2019 plays more like fan fiction than an adaptation.
Travis (Harrison Gilbertson), a character mentioned only briefly in the original text, becomes an underdeveloped hero. Ross Humboldt (Patrick Wilson), the story's secondary antagonist, is transformed into a spigot for King-isms and metaphor regurgitation. The lost boy, Tobin (Will Buie Jr.), is contorted beyond recognition with an out-of-place optimism as startling as any monster.
As brilliant as it is stupid, Natali's take on King and Hill's work is a doozy.
Entirely new for the film are a bunch of CGI'd crows and grass creatures, with bizarre hallucination sequences to underscore their menace. Also original: Everyone taking a trip to a bowling alley, Cal suddenly developing "a thing" for his sister, and a woman's head getting popped open Oberyn Martell-style because why not.
Finally, there's that twist ending, as plot hole heavy as it is unnecessary.
Naturally, I loved all of it.
As brilliant as it is stupid, Natali's take on King and Hill's work is a doozy. It's unclear why he and his fellow creators couldn't sort out where to stop expanding the source material or if they even wanted to. Still, it's a fun watch that will satisfy anyone eager to enjoy a cinematic interpretation of this weird and wonderful world.
The greatest achievement of Netflix's In the Tall Grass is the attention it brings to the original story. The second greatest? All the shenanigans it got to pull along the way.
In the Tall Grassis now streaming on Netflix.
Topics Netflix Reviews Stephen King
Best robot vacuum deal: Save $140 on roborock Q7 Max Robot Vacuum
Stop using Internet Explorer immediately; also, why are you still using Internet Explorer?
TV's 8 best self
Twitter updates lists as it pushes users toward 'interests'
The Made in America iPhone: How much would it cost?
Surprise! Facebook is reportedly still tops when it comes to disinformation.
WeWork's embattled CEO is stepping down
Matthew McConaughey thinks it's time Hollywood 'embraces' Donald Trump
How to Settle Down with Dystopia
The best and worst moments of the 2019 Emmys
No Time for a Negative Peace
Group of Pittsburgh
Smallest fox with the biggest ears is here to end your week on a cute note
Everything coming to Hulu in October 2019
Alienware M16 Gaming Laptop deal: Save $560
NASA scientist Kate Marvel lays out the realities of rising seas
#DeleteUber coup: CEO Travis Kalanick resigns from Trump's board
2020 iPhone to be similar to iPhone 4, report claims
Best keyboard deals: Save on Asus gaming keyboards at Amazon
Amazon's gadget overload is too much for anyone to soak in
Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for June 11Caveat Emptor by Jason NovakHarris Khalique, Islamabad, Pakistan by Matteo PericoliSir George Douglas’s “The Strange Visitor” by Sadie SteinWordle today: Here's the answer and hints for June 10Bernie Sanders predicted Trump's election night chaos with terrifying precisionNetflix's password crackdown has so far been great … for NetflixCarol Summers, Untitled, 1967 by The Paris ReviewTrump's 'spiritual adviser' goes viral in Twitter clip, prompts remixesNorth Carolina's election results delayed because of printer problemsMaine voters double down on facial recognition ban in win for privacyFor Reference by Sadie SteinSource of All Joy: On Alina Szapocznikow by Yevgeniya TrapsThe FitzgeraldWordle today: Here's the answer and hints for June 12On the Occasion of her 151st by Sadie SteinCivilWarLand in Bad Decline: Preface by George Saunders“I Always Start on 8 January” by Sadie SteinOffsides, Part 2 by David GendelmanSource of All Joy: On Alina Szapocznikow by Yevgeniya Traps Snapchat's 'High School Shooting' featured story was a new test for Snap Maps Snapchat beta hints at a new dedicated section for Stories Snap CEO Evan Spiegel responds to critics of Snapchat's redesign 'Black Panther' had the most presale tickets of any non Leaked Wikileaks chats reveal pro 'Black Panther' movie round iOS bug lets anyone crash your iPhone by sending a single character Two huge drills take a much 'System Shock' remake on hiatus Jennifer Lawrence's 'Red Sparrow': Movie review roundup This 'Black Panther' proposal was perfect, except for one tiny detail Google tweaks image search in attempt to curb copyright infringement Ultrathin display sticks to your skin to show your current vital signs Everything you need to know about Black Panther before 'Black Panther' Intense toothbrush debate erupts on Twitter, causes minty Woman gets email rejecting her for a job because she's not a man There's finally a board game powered by Amazon Alexa Here's your first sweet teaser for the new TV sequel to 'The Karate Kid' There's a powerful story behind today's Dictionary.com 'Word of the Day' Razor's Turbo Jetts are basically motorized Heelys
2.2508s , 10132.515625 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Taro Kai Archives】,Inspiration Information Network