La zona muerta

Christopher Walken is in his weary, paranoia-stricken best in the

awesome film adaptation of Stephen King's best-seller, THE DEAD ZONE. Walken plays Johnny Smith, a once-mild mannered teacher who receives a mixed blessing of predicting the future after a nasty car accident. Soon enough Smith becomes a center of attention as he predicts murders, accidents, and the like. The "gift" takes an even sharper turn as Smith realizes that a candidate for the presidential election (Martin Sheen, shades of THE WEST WING here?) has his sights set on nuclear domination. Walken is mesmirizing as Johnny, as the man tries in vain to cope with his power. And former PINK PANTHER actor Herbert Lom also shines as Johnny's shrink.

A schoolteacher Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) a survivor of a road accident awakes from a five-year coma to discover he has psychic abilities, which he gets visions of the past, present and the deadly future. And how he does it, is through the use of touch. But life has changed within that time with his girlfriend (Brooke Adams) being married; he's basically crippled and no longer having a job. So now he uses his abilities to help a sheriff (Tom Skerritt) solve a murder case, to save a child's life and predicting world's fate from an evilly corrupt politician (Martin Sheen) who plans to be president.

It's definitely one of my favourite King adaptations and you could say Cronenberg at his best. This time around Cronenberg has taken a more mainstream (even though depressing) approach with none of his grotesque and disturbing visuals evident, but that doesn't take away from the experience - as on show is good story telling, performances and film-making. Visually the film does hold strong imagery (especially the vision scenes) and also the picture truly captures the unsaturated colours of the wintry backdrop, which makes the bleak atmosphere such a dour affair. Though the sharp stabbing sounds when Johnny gets a vision truly knocks you, but it's the stinging outcome that made the film for me. Distinctive photography by Mark Irwin was beautifully constructed and pretty smooth in the detail of the settings. While, the driving score stood out and was particularly on the spot with capturing the right mood. Sound performances are given by the likes of the sympathetic Christopher Walken and the innocent Brooke Adams. Martian Sheen delivers a rather hammy performance and Tom Skerritt's performance is the total opposite, being rather toned down. Cronenberg's solid direction paces the film swiftly and also creates some well-staged sequences of tension that stick in your head. In all you can always expect dashing film-making by Cronenberg and that's what you get in this picture.

The story is what I had some gripes with. At times it felt like writer Jeffrey Boam was trying to squeeze too much into the story. Some interesting and intelligent sub-plots (murder investigation) felt hurried and rather contrived - it was like it was concentrating and building more towards the final act instead. But then again time is money and it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of this film. The plot is basically a portrait of a man coming to grips with his pain and accepting the fate his been chosen and also throw in some social commentary into the mix. Also added is the occasional dabbing of dry/witty remarks, but for me it was uncomfortable humour. That being pretty much the state of the film. One thing I noticed, but don't know if this symbolism was intended but the way Johnny is always wearing the black coat reminded me of death (fate). Especially with touch his can see into the future and actually alter what can happen (say death). Maybe it was just I?

It isn't gut wrenching stuff (visually speaking) we've come to expect by Cronenberg, but still he nails down a well drawn up and gripping drama/thriller.

I keep having to remind myself that David Cronenberg directed this, as it is so unlike his previous and subsequent work--more mainstream, less cold, and far less fixated on gooey special effects. What is going on here? One of the most stunning adaptations of a Stephen King novel with Christopher Walken absolutely brilliant as tortured coma victim Johnny Smith, that's what. An elementary-school teacher preparing to marry Sarah (Brooke Adams), Johnny has a run-in with fate that throws him into a coma for 5 years; when he awakens, he is plagued by psychic visions, including a chilling apocalypse that frames the film's final act. While the horror elements (including a suicide via scissors) carry an appropriate impact, the core of "The Dead Zone" is Walken's performance--he portrays Johnny as a recluse who regards his visions as a curse, and taps into a sensitivity and vulnerability that is rarely seen in male film characters; his interactions with others carry a down-home, plausible feel that gives the film a strong emotional resonance. Cronenberg directs Jeffrey Boam's script almost as a series of vignettes, but maintains a flowing pace and trusts Walken to deliver the film to a heartfelt, tragic conclusion.

The Dead Zone is one of those critically acclaimed movies which I'm astounded has taken me this long to get around to.

Starring Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen and the late great Herbert Lom this Stephen King adaptation tells the story of a man who upon coming out of a coma learns he has gained the power of premonition.

The interesting thing about the Dead Zone is it's almost like a mini-series squeezed into a single film as it doesn't have one solid storyline throughout and instead is a series of stepping stones to the brilliant finale.

The cast are on point and Lom who is famous for his villianous characters (Pink Panther for example) is highly likeable and steals every scene he's in.

I'm so glad coming out of this that I finally got round to it as it is yet another great King adaptation worthy of its acclaim.

The Good:

Opening a movie with an Edgar Alan Poe quote works for me

Perfectly executed from performances to writing

Great finale

The Bad:

Cheating protagonists, they never get old

Would have benefitted from at least 30 minutes more

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

It's scary how alike Martin & Charlie were around the same age

It seems that movies starring Christopher Walken just can't go wrong! David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone" features him in one of his most interesting roles as literature teacher Johnny Smith, who becomes psychic after surviving a car wreck. He uses his newfound power to help people avoid danger, but soon faces a moral dilemma when it looks like political candidate Greg Stilson (Martin Sheen) may become the next Hitler.

This is one of those movies that has shades of everyone involved in it. Walken's eerie presence, Sheen's (apparent) "aw shucks" demeanor, plus the horrific feeling of Cronenberg and King. You're sure to love it. Also starring are Brooke Adams as Johnny's ex hubby, and Herbert Lom as a doctor (you may expect him to launch into an anti-Clouseau diatribe, but his role here is as far removed from Commissioner Dreyfus as possible).

Very well done.