Amazon.com video review:
After a government-spawned "superflu" wipes out more than 90
percent of the earth's population, the devastated survivors must
decide whether to support or resist the advances of a mysterious
stranger from way down South (heh-heh) who wishes to claim this new
world order for himself. Although the six-hour length makes it
nigh-impossible to digest in one sitting, this well-paced adaptation
of Stephen King's apocalyptic magnum opus ranks among the best
adaptations of the author's work, with strong performances from Gary
Sinise, Miguel Ferrer, and especially Jamey Sheridan as a good-old-boy
version of Old Scratch. The opening scene, set to the strains of Blue
Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper," is one of the most chilling
things ever shot for television. Director Mick Garris is no stranger
to King's world, having also helmed Sleepwalkers, the
recent television remake of The Shining, and the upcoming
Desperation. --Andrew Wright
