Product: The Dead Zone [VHS] (1983)
Rating: 4.0
Great moments but not quite a great film...
Although Stephen King is a truly great author, there are occasions when his stuff isn't quite magic. This film has two excellent scenes, which raise it above other films, but otherwise it is sadly dated and not as classic as some might suggest.Basically the plot is that Christopher Walken has an accident, goes into a coma, then gains the ability of second sight (or scrying - the ability to see the future). There are interesting elements to the story, such as the eerie inclusion of the book 'Sleepy Hollow' - which Walken later played theheadless horsemanin, and lots of Edgar Allan Poe poetry (which is excellent stuff for creating creepy atmospherics).Unfortunately though, much of the film does not have much to underpin it or compel repeat viewings and Walken isn't as spell-binding as he later turned out to be inPulp Fiction.That is, until he meets a future candidate for the presidency. This clip has been regularly cited in other media as it is probably the most definitive clip of the 'nutter with his finger on the nuclear button'. It also shows Martin Sheen in one of his best performances outside ofApocalypse Now.The second clip that is excellent is the ending. Not quite as classic as the Martin Sheen bit, it still has an excellent plot twist which makes it worth sitting through an otherwise run-of-the-mill thriller.All in all then this film is worth watching, but is far from being an outright classic. Still, it has some interesting themes (which are similar in many ways to those ofTaxi Driver [1976]) and it is also well worth watching to see one of Martin Sheen's best performances.As a final note, if you're looking for 80's films in a similar vein to this that are still classics (in my opinion), then I recommend the following two films:First, there isThe Evil Dead [1982] (if you haven't seen it, then you should definitely watch it before this).Second, there isRe-Animator [1985] - proof that Stephen King isn't the only author who wrote forgotten masterpieces...