Horror film «Salem’s Lot» debuted with 53% on Rotten Tomatoes: «The most onerous adaptation of Stephen King»

The film «Salem’s Lot», which adapts Stephen King’s vampire novel of the same name, is now streaming on Max —, but critics’ reviews suggest that it is probably not worth watching.

Currently, the movie has a «Salem’s Lot» 53% «freshness» on Rotten Tomatoes (so far, there are only critics’ ratings, but after today’s debut on Max, we expect an influx of audience reviews).

For comparison, RT’s critics gave the 1979 version an 89% «freshness» rating based on 17 reviews, while the 2004 version received a 68% rating based on 25 reviews.

Specialized websites call the adaptation rather mediocre and short, while the characters are criticized for «lack of depth».

• John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: «Salem’s Lot in its new incarnation tries to be funny and scary at inappropriate moments».
• Benjamin Lee, Guardian: «A skillfully crafted but extremely mediocre remake that never finds a way to explain why the novel needed a third adaptation».
• Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment: «After some time of watching, I realized why the movie is making its debut on streaming. It’s not terrible, but it leaves much to be desired».
• Tom Jorgensen, IGN: «One of the most onerous adaptations of Stephen King in recent times».
• Eric Goldman: «There is a reason why previous versions of Salem’s Lot were two-night miniseries. Almost all the characters lack the depth they have in the book and it’s not effective enough for a horror movie».

At the same time, some reviewers note that the film is not bad for a one-time viewing in the company of friends who are not familiar with King’s books (while loyal fans are unlikely to like the adaptation).

«Salem’s Lot» is based on Stephen King’s legendary 1975 vampire novel and tells the story of writer Ben Meyers (Lewis Pullman), who returns to his hometown in search of inspiration for his new book, but discovers that the city has been taken over by a bloodthirsty vampire.

The film is directed by Gary Doberman («Anabelle 3») and features Alfrey Woodard (Dr. Cody), Mackenzie Lee (Susan Norton), Bill Camp (Matthew Burke), Spencer Trit Clarke (Mike Ryerson), Pilou Asbæk (Stryker) and John Benjamin Hickey (Father Callaghan).