MERCY -- we have a problem

That sinking feeling when what was an interesting movie begins to slide, and then drag, and then sink.  That's the feeling I had watching Mercy, which is based on Stephen King's short story, Gramma.

What is an interesting short read, is a painful long watch.  Simpy, this is a movie that needs -- BEGS -- for an editor.  Because somewhere in all this mess is probably a good movie.  But what comes to screen is not enjoyable.  The music is good.  The acting is pretty good.  But the dialogue is belabored, and the scenes ramble on so long they fail to scare.  No quick shots.  No suspense.  Simply put, the movie commits the deep sin of boring the audience.

There are elements that are just hokey.  Throwing a flower at gramma causes her face to burn.  Yeah, whatever.  This is starting to feel like kids telling a story. "My gramma is a witch.  And if you throw a flower at her, her face will burn.  But it has to be a verbena flower."  Say, very nicely to the child, "Oh really."  The child is excited someone believes them.  "Yeah.  Then a piece of wood came from the wood chipper and stabbed my brother in the stomach."  "wow, that must have been something," you say to the kid.  "Yeah, and we were about to put the weeping book inside the wood chipper. . ." pat the kid on the head an ignore them.

Whatever, let the Langoliers have this movie for dinner.

Speaking of the Langoliers, I think the special effects are just about as good as  that mini-series.

One nice touch: The R.L. Flagg home of the aged.