The Dead Zone (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
Beginning during the dead of a Maine winter, Stephen King's 'The Dead Zone' (directed by David Cronenberg) stars Christopher Walken as Johnny, quiet school teacher who falls into a deep coma after a car accident. When Johnny wakes up 5 yrs. later (!), he not only learns that his girlfriend (Brooke Adams) has married & has a baby, but that he also now possesses the 'gift' {not} of second sight. i.e., just by touching someone, Johnny sees visions of that person's past, present, and/or future. But he also has a "dead zone" - a part of his psychic visions that he can't quite see; but that he can, perhaps, change for the better.
Theoretically speaking, the dead zone could also be Johnny's own life, which was & is difficult to change. Throughout the course of the film, he tries to save a little girl from a burning house, help a sheriff (Tom Skerritt) solve the case of an mysterious serial killer, & help prevent a young boy from drowning beneath an icy lake. But the biggest task that Johnny must face is whether or not he will act to prevent a catastrophic event ... even if it means sacrificing himself in the process.
'The Dead Zone' is a gripping, almost eerie thriller done with intelligence. Because it's Maine, because it's Walken, because it's winter, because of the nature of the plot ... I was almost peeking through my finger, at times - even knowing that this is not your classic horror film. The director/writer team does a great job balancing the various characters & subplots, keeping things moving at a good pace while still allowing plenty of time for important human moments.
Christopher Walken is scarily superb, here. You really, truly feel for his character for every trial & tribulation he faces. He makes for the perfect tragic hero. Brooke Adams brings some surprises to the girl-that-got-away role. I was also affected by Johnny's doctor, played by Herbert Lom. Tom Skerritt impresses in a small role as the small-town sheriff who is desperate to catch the local killer. Colleen Dewhurst creeped me out as a mother covering up for her deranged son. And Martin Sheen disgusts as a populist politician running for the U.S. senate & looking to shake up the world with a sinister plot. Overall, while 'The Dead Zone' is clearly a "horror" film, and while it offers such potentially hokey elements (psychics), it also offers a real lonely, reserved, authentic feel. Good film.
Theoretically speaking, the dead zone could also be Johnny's own life, which was & is difficult to change. Throughout the course of the film, he tries to save a little girl from a burning house, help a sheriff (Tom Skerritt) solve the case of an mysterious serial killer, & help prevent a young boy from drowning beneath an icy lake. But the biggest task that Johnny must face is whether or not he will act to prevent a catastrophic event ... even if it means sacrificing himself in the process.
'The Dead Zone' is a gripping, almost eerie thriller done with intelligence. Because it's Maine, because it's Walken, because it's winter, because of the nature of the plot ... I was almost peeking through my finger, at times - even knowing that this is not your classic horror film. The director/writer team does a great job balancing the various characters & subplots, keeping things moving at a good pace while still allowing plenty of time for important human moments.
Christopher Walken is scarily superb, here. You really, truly feel for his character for every trial & tribulation he faces. He makes for the perfect tragic hero. Brooke Adams brings some surprises to the girl-that-got-away role. I was also affected by Johnny's doctor, played by Herbert Lom. Tom Skerritt impresses in a small role as the small-town sheriff who is desperate to catch the local killer. Colleen Dewhurst creeped me out as a mother covering up for her deranged son. And Martin Sheen disgusts as a populist politician running for the U.S. senate & looking to shake up the world with a sinister plot. Overall, while 'The Dead Zone' is clearly a "horror" film, and while it offers such potentially hokey elements (psychics), it also offers a real lonely, reserved, authentic feel. Good film.