Kirpianuscus more than a good adaptation, it is a real useful history lesson. about Nazi regime. about the temptation of the evil. and about teenagers. like each Stephen King adaptation, it is far to be the expected one. nuances, details are lost. but the message becomes more clear and dark. because it has the chance of a good director and perfect actors. because Ian McKellen explores in wise manner entire potential of his character. and Brad Renfro redefine the portrait of typical teenager, the passion about a subject, the curiosity, the conversion in part of chosen theme. story of confrontation, with equal forces, it is one of the most useful films for a young man to understand the essence of totalitarian regime. and that does it more than a good film.

Prismark10 Apt Pupil is an adaptation of a Stephen King short story. The film is set in the mid 1980s when a smart and cocky teenager, Todd Bowden interested in World War 2 suspects a neighbour of being a fugitive Nazi.Both enter a game of oneupmanship as at first, the fugitive Nazi, Dussander (Ian McKellen) is on the back foot but the elderly man is wily and cunning and wrests control.Bowden instead of turning the fugitive into the authorities wants to hear stories of the war and concentration camps, even gets Dussander to don a Nazi uniform and the relationship brings out demons on both the characters where a strange friendship and alliance ensues. Dussander even at one point pretends to be Bawden's grandfather in order to improve his school grades.However events with a homeless man and a spell in hospital when Dussander becomes ill threatens to bring both their worlds crashing down.The film is intriguing and interesting with a sly performance by McKellen who makes his character sympathetic at first, ashamed of his past. There is an interesting cameo by Michael Byrne as a concentration camp survivor (an actor best known for playing a Nazi in an Indiana Jones film.)The film then starts to lose its way a little, becoming a little predictable, losing some tension along the way. I understand the film departs from King's novella in its conclusion and although not wholly successful the film is still worth investing your time.

Sean Lamberger Ian McKellan is a Nazi war criminal hiding long-term in suburban America. Four decades after the war, a bright high school student with a fascination about WWII marks him on a bus ride and the two embark on a lengthy game of one-upsmanship. Oddly, the kid seems the more villainous of the two, though McKellan is himself far from heroic. I can't shake the sense that the concept was more daring than the film in this case. Featuring a Nazi in a decidedly grey light is a different take, for sure, but I felt like the filmmakers were always too afraid to go anywhere truly risqué with that material, and the core relationship between the two leads is toothless and pantomimed. Maybe that can be primarily chalked up to acting - Brad Renfro, who plays the kid, is positively grating in the role - but even removing that from the equation doesn't completely settle my stomach. It's a film that dances and loiters, but rarely has much to say of genuine power or meaning; wannabe edgy, using the taboo of an old war uniform to mask a serious lack of substance. Even the big reveal at the end, when everything comes apart at the seams, is hollow, telegraphed and half an hour behind schedule.

Desertman84 Apt Pupil is a thriller that is based on one of the fours novella written by Stephen King entitled Different Seasons.It stars Ian McKellen and Brad Renfro.This is the third film to derive from King's book of four novellas with the others being Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption. Bryan Singer directed this film.A high school student named Todd Bowden discovers fugitive Nazi war criminal that is living in his neighborhood.He happens to be Kurt Dussander,a former death-camp commandant who is hiding under the under the pseudonym Arthur Denker.Being obsessed with Nazism and acts of the Holocaust as he is a passionate about the subject of History,he develops a relationship with him.Together,Bowden was able to persuades Dussander to share his stories during the war.But ultimately,their relationship heads to a dangerous path as malevolence develops between them.The is definitely horrific in the sense that we get to see Bowden develop evil traits as his relationship with Denker progresses especially after he hears the stories of Jews being killed on the death camp.Also,we get to see them manipulate each other in committing evil deeds like criminal activities such as murder.Added to that,we see how both of them deteriorated morally that it becomes disturbing to the viewer.I give credit to the performances of McKellen and Renfro as they were effective in the portrayal of their characters considering that they dominated majority of the scenes.The only negative thing that I would say that about it is that it wasn't chilling enough.Also,it fails to provide much insight particularly on Bowden's deterioration as he develops evil qualities.Finally,the essence of the novella wasn't fully transformed into the big screen especially if one was able to read it.But nevertheless,it is still worth the view for it is far from being a disappointment.