A couple great actors and special effects cannot save this from being a putrid, steaming pile of horror-inducing suck and fantasy cliches that does not bear even a mote of resemblence to its source material.

I have been following the development of this disaster since I heard the rights to the book had been optioned about a year and half ago, and what started as hope and excitment has turned to disgust and anger. I cannot believe what they are doing to the story. Will is not a lame 14-year-old American with a pick-your-cliche family living in the suburbs, he doesn't have a twin that is secretly imprisoned by the Dark, there is no ninja fight with his brother on a moving wagon sometime in the past, the Walker doesn't have a love interest, there are no Viking chases in malls....I could go on about what shouldn't be included, but it's pointless when I'd just be listing everything in the film. Why did they even bother to buy the rights to the books if they're not even using the story save for the name? And they've totally killed any chance at doing the rest of the books by excluding the Celtic and Arthurian influences.

I thought that since Walden Media is behind it, and they did what I felt was a really faithful adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, that they would show The Dark is Rising the same respect, but that's clearly not the case. I get the feeling, from articles and interviews I've read, that the people making the film don't think that the books are popular enough for people to understand the story or care if it's different, and that is such a shame.

I am disappointed too :( -- was so excited at first!  I love those books, and half my favorite characters won't even be in the movie.  Blah!!