Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

kosoubani The film lacks depth even without leaving out the metaphysics of destiny and fate. It only goes as far as treating the subject of predicting the future and whether or not to interfere to change the future. The film's problem is that it is not concerned with the "how", or the method, at all. The protagonist manages to save the life of his student from drowning in a frozen pond while missing the opportunity to save the lives of his teammates. Why? Because he was focused on preventing the one person from playing and not preventing the match from being played on thin ice. In the case of the candidate running for the Senate seat, he felt that the candidate's political career must end. The psychic had a vision that the candidate will one day start a nuclear war. Instead of trying to expose the candidate, and demanding public comments and commitments on nuclear weapons. Instead of trying to go to the people in order to prevent him from winning elections, he decides to go it alone. He carries his rifle and tries to assassinate the candidate during a campaign stop. The film makes it possible to understand why the protagonist resorts to this dangerous mode of thinking. Due to his psychic abilities, he was feared, and therefore isolated. He felt lonely and confined. This has resulted in a skewed and exaggerated view of himself, and an erratic problem solving process. The film has successfully created what is essentially a terrorist out of a caring and talented teacher. There are millions of people in the world who are isolated in the same way, and what society needs is not to turn them into murderers and terrorists. The film did not try to emphasize that bad solutions are not solutions at all.

Myriam Nys Not all of Stephen King's works have been translated to the silver screen with equal success. This, however, is a masterful adaptation ; in some ways it might even be considered an improvement, as the makers were wise enough to trim away the fat by deleting a number of superfluous characters and distracting sub-plots. As a result the movie boasts an admirable narrative clarity.The movie is genuinely suspenseful, resulting in an ending which is both surprising and inevitable. It is also deeply touching, thanks to a number of outstanding performances. Christopher Walken, aided and abetted by an equally competent cast, delivers a finely nuanced performance which would not be out of place in an intimate psychological drama. Martin Sheen shines as a predator with nice cheekbones whose success is owed to a combination of fake charm and real evil. (The implied lesson about the subjugation of democracy remains as topical and important today as it was a generation ago.)There is something ancient and universal about the subject of the movie (and, by extension, of King's book). I was wondering whether Stephen King was writing some kind of parable or allegory about the young men who find themselves caught up in the horrors of organized warfare.It is a phenomenon one meets in every age, on every continent : a young man has to join the army and go to war, in a distant land. After several years of fighting and privation he finds himself a war prisoner. Eventually he succeeds in escaping and traveling back to his own country. Now a diseased beggar, he discovers that his farm has been sold, that his parents have died of grief and that his wife (who honestly thought she was a widow) has remarried. His friends don't recognize him - who IS this trembling scarecrow ? - and the authorities regard him with suspicion : why would a citizen know the names of distant trees or understand a foreign language ? Surely there is something unpatriotic in such knowledge ? Besides, it is well known that the war was a Complete And Glorious Success - to suggest otherwise would be treachery. And so the man lives on for a few more misery-filled years, an object of fear, suspicion and ridicule.The fact that this pattern keeps repeating itself over and over and over again, says much about Humanity.

jowl-38766 Although marketed as a "horror film", it is more a character study about loss, avoidance of life and the emotional turmoil that arises from a broken heart. (Plot Spoilers) The main character Johnny Smith, a young man who is employed as a school teacher with a girl friend he loves and is planning to have a family with, has a horrible accident that, after a long period in a coma, awakes; broken of body, without the work he enjoyed and the girl to whom he loved having moved on to marry and be family with someone else.(Plot Spoilers)In addition he is able to see events of the past, of current events and of a future that may be by touching another person. Yet each time this occurs, part of his "life energy" is drained away so he comes closer to dying as a result. And he is aware of this. in order to avoid this condition he moves away yet he is forced by circumstances to face life and his impending death.The major question: If you knew that you were dying, would you do nothing and live a long time Or would you be willing to die in order to save the lives of those you care about (a definition of love). In summary: a gem that is the most human of the films of David Chronenberg and the film adaptations of the works of Stephan King. The actors are believable, the soundtrack haunting. This film would be good for repeated viewing.

PimpinAinttEasy The Dead Zone is the fourth Cronenberg movie that I've watched over the last 6 months.It has some of the typical Cronenberg conjurations - Over the top background music. Cheesy villains. Gross make up and special effects. And sinister and grotesque looking characters.I wished Walken's character was darker. He was too much of a goody two shoes. Brooke Adams looked gorgeous. But her character wasn't that well developed. Same with the shy kid whose father seeks Walken's help. I was really wondering what the characters motivations were.Martin Sheen looked like he was having a lot of fun. Sheen has played some great villains like in this film and The Incident.There is a scene inside a large dirty tunnel which reminded me of The Third Man. I liked the way the scene where Sheen activates a nuclear bomb was framed. Sheen's menacing bodyguard stands between him and his general. There is a shield with a hawk behind the bodyguard. It was worthy of Kubrick.Anyway, Walken's one dimensional character sort of ruined the film. I have not read the book by Stephen King.(4/10)