Product: Communion (1989)
Rating: 3.0
Walken gives a convincing performance, but who's convinced?
The movie,"Communion",which is based on a contoversial New York Times bestseller by the same name, is in no respects as convincing as the novel written by author Whitley Strieber. Strieber's novel and movie both tell the "true" story of his personal encounters with apparent aliens, which Strieber has coined the term "visitors" when refering to them. The movie lacks in several departments. One, obviously, is the budget(or lack there of) which takes away from the movies ability to portray realistic aliens or visitors, or whatever they are. The aliens, which are now easily recognized by there large black eyes in modern American pop culture, look in this movie quite literally like cheap rubber balloons.(probably because that's what they are)Strieber's book however, does not have the need for cheesy props to convey his story in convincing detail; probably the reason people had an interest in his book, back in 1987. Ask anyone though,who has read his next several books on the same subject; if they are capable of thinking logically,they will most likely tell you about the steady flow of contradictions ever present in his writing.This brings us to a second flaw in the movie, which is: Strieber spins a tale to the movies viewers which is sketchy at best. On one hand, we are led to believe the visitors are aliens in big bright spaceships, who stick needles in Whitley's brain. On the flip side of the coin, the movie suggests the visitors are actually the physical manefistation of human evolution, or some weird metaphysical thing like that. So which is it? One of the few saving graces of the film however, is Christopher Walken's portrayel of a confused and frightened Whitley Strieber. Walken's performance is excellent as always, and may be the only thing keeping the movie going. I give "Communion" three stars. One for Walken's performance, the second for what I must admit to be a fairly entertaining story(especially if you are a fan of Strieber's work); and the last for a very good transition of the confusing and contradictory aspects of the book to film. Don't watch "Communion" expecting to find answers to the many questions about what Strieber is trying to say in his books, nor with with heavy scrutiny. Rather, watch it with a good sense of humor. You'll need it.