Review of The Dead Zone (1983) by James S — 04 Feb 2013

This atmospheric chiller begins well enough, it's opening titles set to Michael Kamen's spooky ass score are suitably unnerving. Not perhaps as unnerving as Christopher Walken's fringe the first time we see him reading to his literature class.

It's almost surreal seeing Walken play the timid in the films opening scenes. It doesn't last too long as soon his Johnny Smith suffers a terrible car accident when a milk lorry overturns and he collides with it. Awaking from a coma he discovers he has the power to sense things from those he touches.

The Dead Zone is something of a misnomer as Walken can't actually communicate with the dead, nor does he live a particularly dead life as a result of his power. The power thing isn't played to its potential either. When Johnny begins to use his gift to help the local Police track a serial killer then the narrative feels like it's picking up but this is resolved within a matter of minutes with a long time to go. As a result what follows isn't nearly half as interesting as this story and the film begins to drag badly.

Walken isn't at his best here. He seems like he's being restrained from really letting go with the role. Ultimately we're never made to feel if his power is a blessing or a curse so we stop caring rather quickly. Martin Sheen is admirable as a US senator in the second half of the film while everyone else fades into the background a bit.

David Cronenberg might have been the wrong choice to helm this film. His direction seems bored and aimless.

There's only really Michael Kamen's haunting score and the plot involving the killer that stops The Dead Zone from joining the likes of Needful Things on the list of one star Stephen King adaptations. It's not a disaster but it fits comfortably into the file marked 'not very good Stephen King movies'.