Rating: 
Summary: Zoning Out
Review: I recently took in the first season of the DEAD ZONE the television series and found it enjoyable. So, I thought it only right to check out the David Cronenberg directed film version from many years earlier. Overall, it was a painless experience, but the film left me with as many thorns as roses.
The story follows John Smith, an everyman that seems to have it all going for him until tragedy strikes. After a serious car accident he is comatose for five years. When he awakens, everyone else's life has gone on except his and he is now in possession of "Second Sight", the psychic ability to foretell things that may happen by a simple touch of the hand.
As Smith comes to terms with his new ability, he tackles 3 episodes: a murder mystery, a lonely young boy's exclusionary attitude and the political campaign of a ravenous politician (splendidly portrayed by martin Sheen). All the time running into his one-time fiancé now married to someone else.
The film never quite gets its footing as it jumps around from episode to episode and so John Smith's growth is awkward. Additionally, Christopher Walken, who often portrays a wacko, is never believable as a normal everyday guy. Because of that, when he is 'cursed' with this strange ability, it only seems appropriate.
One of the best elements of this film is a wonderful musical score by the late composer Mark Kamen. But, for good Dead zone, stick to the book or the television series.
Rating: 
Summary: Good film for sure!
Review: Christopher Walken is great in this film! The movie is great! Martin Sheen is also good as the corrupt politician.
Rating:
Summary: Between Above Average and Good
Review: A moderately interesting movie with a moderate degree of "re-watchability". The movie overall has a sombre - to the point of being depressing - quality, but I like Christopher Walken in his role; he does a good job with his "despairing" frame of mind. He did well enough a job with his character in this movie to elicit a sustained feeling of sympathy from me. This is a movie that I liked enough to buy on dvd. I will probably average watching it every few weeks to a few months or so.
Rating:
Summary: A complete overhaul...
Review: As always, the book is better, but this film does a fairly decent job of getting the point across. All the essential plot elements remain: Johnny Smith gets into an automobile accident, Johnny Smith goes into a five year coma, Johnny Smith wakes up to discover that his entire life is just about gone (girlfriend gone, job gone, legs just about useless), but in a way God has thrown him a bone by giving him the power of second sight with a simple touch of someone's hand. All the touching, heartwarming details of story remain. It's still an extremely sad story about a life gone terribly wrong, and a man's slow decent into lonely madness, and there's no doubt that this is Christopher Walken's immortal classic performance. As always, though, I beg you to read the novel first.
Oh, yeah, and the music is great too...
Rating:
Summary: Better Then The Book!
Review: I didn't read the Stephen King story, so I can only comment on the film itself. Maybe that's an advantage, since I didn't have any preconceptions. Many years after seeing "The Dead Zone," my impressions of it still linger. This alone distinguishes it from the hundreds of other movies I've seen.
My most vivid recollection is of Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith. Other reviewers have called Walken weird and creepy, but I remember his Johnny Smith as a sensitive and likeable mentor -- the kind of man I would want as a teacher and friend. Walken's portrayal of Smith's warmth and caring was inspirational, and Cronenberg uses this portrayal to convey the idea that goodness and nobility are themselves the aberrations, while pettiness, neglect, and indifference are all too often the norms. Hence, Walken's good guy is the outsider who chooses to battle evil.
I say that this film reverberates today because it has parallels in current events. When trying to unmask evil, it is often the good guy who is villified.
[spoiler alert -- don't read further if you want to be surprised by the movie's ending]
In "The Dead Zone," Johnny Smith attempts to assassinate the evil Martin Sheen character (a senator running for president). The senator, to protect himself from Smith snatches a child from the audience to use as a shield, revealing his true nature (i.e., evildoers are by nature cowards). In the movie, the incident is captured on film and plays prominently in headlines that ostensibly destroy the senator's political aspirations.
But this is only a movie. Here in reality, we find parallels in the "Pet Goat" incident, where the president was informed -- while attending a classroom photo op -- that the country was under attack. Instead of excusing himself to take command, he reflexively froze and continued the photo op for 20 plus more minutes, not knowing whether there was a missile or aircraft targeted at him (and the classroom full of kids). All this happened while video cameras recorded every agonizing minute.
The incident sparked my recollection of "The Dead Zone," making me appreciate it even more. It's a piece of art that obviously encapsulates timeless revelations about human nature. For that, I consider "The Dead Zone" a memorable experience.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best King Adaption!
Review: John Smith (Walken) leads a humble, but fulfilling life as a teacher, has a sweet girlfriend and an all around normal life until, in his words: "God through and 18-wheeler at me." After a 5 year coma Johnny wakes up to find he knew is a different place and that he is a different person.I've seen The Dead Zone in bits and pieces many MANY times on TV, but surprisingly never sat down and watched it from beginning to end. Well, one night I popped this baby in and realized what a dumbass I had been. The Dead Zone is simply an unforgettable thriller and quite possibly the best film based on a Stephen King novel. Our hero in this film is the everyman, a man who lives humbly and happily. A man with a lovely girlfriend and would-be wife who is respected in his community. Everything is good in his little world until one rainy night when he has a run in with a big truck that puts him in a coma for 5 years. When Johnny wakes up he finds the world has changed. His girlfriend is now married with child, his job is gone, and his body is shot. AND on top of that he can predict the future of those he touches. Mostly predicting death and destruction, but occasionally seeing the past. This new ability is considered a curse at first. As though God played a cruel trick on him, but after saving a little girl's life, solving a series of brutal murders, and saving a boy from drowning, Johnny considers his gift a blessing. Just as Johnny begins coming to grips with his abilities he meets Greg Stillson (Sheen), a candidate for a senator and very dangerous man who dreams of becoming president. After seeing some kind of Hitler-esque prophecy Smith sets out to change the future, even if he has to sacrifice himself. The Dead Zone is of course based on the book by Stephen King and is directed by David Cronenberg who's best known for making sexually surreal thrillers. This is definitely Cronenberg's most straight forward and best film. Shot in the fall, covered in bleak gray skies, and snow, the atmosphere of The Dead Zone couldn't be more perfect. The small town adds a sense of isolation that forces Smith to take digs at a new location at the half way point of the film to get his back together. Cronenberg's usual bleakness is here, but in this film is means something is crucially needed not just for the sake of atmosphere. Christpher Walken is riveting as Smith, one of his best performances. The tragic everyman, who didn't ask to be anything special, but when it came down to crunch time the guy wagered it all to save the many. A truly powerful exercise in selflessness. Brooke Adams is great as Smith's would-be wife, now torn between her feeling for him and her new love. Great performance! Martin Sheen is a good villain, but takes his character a bit over the top at times. Herbert Lom is good as Johnny's friend/slash doctor as well. The Dead Zone can be looked upon as a depressing tragedy, but I don't consider it to be that way. The finale speaks volumes about selflessness, seizing your potential and not pissing away your true gifts. The finale while sad is more chilling and unforgettable, not a tragic fate, but a product of ultimate sacrifice. The Dead Zone is simply a brilliant film, an unforgettable journey, and one of the most fulfilling films I've seen. A true classic and one film that deserves it's place in cinema history. Check it out!
Rating:
Summary: Cronenberg in his best movie!
Review: Exciting adaptation of the Stephen King novel . It turns around a man who uses physic powers to solve multiple murderers and perhaps avoiding the end of the world. Christopher Walken as always , perfect for the role. Cronenberg once more in one of his most challenging works, but he wins all the way. Notice this is a little crossroad of The Green Mile fifteen years after.
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