The Stand is a TV series narration of a Post-Apocalyptic story, by horror author Stephen King, written in 1978 about a terrifying plague that eliminates half of the world’s population.
The story begins when a terrified soldier escapes a secret research base that have developed ‘Captain Trips’ an infectious agent, and escapes with his family unknowing that he has been infected and is leaving a trail of death behind them. We see a quick terrifying glimpse of Flagg (The Dark Man) in the rear-view mirror as the infection is spreading.
It follows a group of survivors and gives us back stories to their lives before the virus took hold.
Seven billion people world-wide have succumbed to the virus which starts as what seems a common cold. There’s lots of coughing, unnerving bloated necks and lots of frightful make-up and mucus. The fatality rate for this pathogen is well over 99%. Things quickly progress and the race is on to find a cure.
The internet has shut down so there is no way of knowing what is happening with the rest of the world.
Our survivors are having terrifying dreams of the dark man, Randall Flagg, frightfully played by Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and an old lady, 108-year-old Mother Abigail (Whoopie Goldberg), is their destination, based at Boulder.
Gorgeous James Marsden (Stu Redman) is immune and the US Army want to use him to find a cure. They hold him prisoner, but all succumb to the infection. Luckily, he escapes and is one of the five leaders alongside Frannie Goldsmith, Nick Andros, Glen Bateman and Larry Underwood (Greg Kinnear).
Owen Teague plays Harold Lauder, a sinister young man obsessed with Frannie Goldsmith who was his child minder. He plays his part with chilling perfection and hopes the plague will give him a chance to be her hero.
Tom Cullen, played by gifted actor Brad William Henke, is the only character to bring light and humour into this is dark sadistic nightmare of a world. Tom has disabilities and you are gunning for him all the way. He’s extremely likeable. His chemistry with Nick Andros – a partially blind deaf character is incredibly touching and will make you laugh in parts.
The Stand is a struggle between good and evil. Exceptionally gory with lots of dead bodies piling up in mass graves and tremendously scary. It shows horrors of a world we would hate to live in. The pace is slow, but the tension is there all along. Great cast. One for Stephen King fans.
Reviewed by Gemma Crossland
The Stand is available on Amazon Prime.
UNNERVING 3 stars
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