The Dead Zone: David Cronenberg

Even though The Dead Zone may be adapted from a novel by Stephen King, the film fits comfortably into director David Cronenberg's filmography.  The film is usually considered, along with Fast Company (1979), as one of two anomalies in a career defined by body horror, deviant sexuality, and graphic violence.  But consider the basic premise of the film.  It stars Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith, a teacher who survives a terrible car accident and awakens from a coma five years later to find that he has developed psychic powers where he can learn a person's secrets and future when he touches them.  Sound familiar yet? Well, how about this: Johnny Smith is an average person who gets in an accident (Rabid). He soon discovers that as a result of this accident, he has undergone a strange metamorphosis (The Fly) that causes him to have psychic hallucinations (Videodrome).  Initially, he tries to fight back against this bizarre development (Dead Ringers), but eventually he accepts that he has changed and comes to terms with his new lifestyle (Crash).  The only thing that separates The Dead Zone from Cronenberg's other body horror films is that it contains almost no graphic sex or violence.  But even without the R-rating, The Dead Zone is an extremely enjoyable film.  We watch as Johnny uses his powers to catch a serial killer and save many other people from future disasters. But the film's true conflict begins when Johnny shakes hands with Greg Stillson, a US Senatorial candidate, and learns that not only is he destined to become President of the United States, but that he will spark a war which will lead to a nuclear holocaust. This creates a fantastic moral conundrum: should Johnny kill Stillson and save the world? But what if his vision is wrong? Is it worth the risk?  Don't be fooled by claims that The Dead Zone is just another Stephen King adaptation. The Dead Zone is a worthy entry in Cronenberg's career.

7/10