The Dead Zone
The Dead Zone
Regie:
David CronenbergKamera:
Mark IrwinMusik:
Michael KamenBesetzung:
Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Colleen Dewhurst, Martin Sheen, Nicholas Campbell, Sean Sullivan, Jackie Burroughs (mehr)Inhalte(1)
Nichts deutet darauf hin, daß das Leben des Englischlehrers Johnny Smith nicht auch weiter in ruhigen, normalen Bahnen verlaufen soll – bis es zu dem gräßlichen Unfall kommt. Als Johnny nach fünfjährigem Koma wieder erwacht, merkt er, daß er jetzt die übernatürlichen Gaben eines Hellsehers besitzt. Nur ihm ist es zu verdanken, daß Menschen gerettet werden, aber jede seiner Visionen zehrt an Johnnys Körper und nimmt ihm Jahre seines Lebens. Er wird zum Objekt einer sensationslüsternen Presse und zieht sich angewidert aus der Öffentlichkeit zurück. Doch noch steht ihm seine größte Herausforderung bevor: Johnny lernt Greg Stillson kennen, den Mann, der auf dem besten Weg ist, neuer Präsident der USA zu werden. (Verleiher-Text)
(mehr)Kritiken (5)
I've read Stephen King's novel, it's a brilliant book, and it was clear to me that the film wouldn't even come close. Yet it succeeded, and Cronenberg need not be ashamed of his most conventional film. I even believe it’s his best work.
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Very good thriller that relies mainly on superb performances and brilliant direction. Cronenberg’s austere style fits the story, and so does the surprisingly calm and bloodless concept, which is not something usual for the director. The only thing I didn’t like is that the first twist is solved around the middle and then we start again, resulting in a film that, though effective, is not entirely solid.
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What the screenwriter spoiled by approaching the whole screenplay just by singling out key passages in the book (and leaving out the whole palaver with replacing forgotten words), while this is made up for with the snowy atmosphere, Walken’s intimate performance and Kamen’s music. I also praise for Cronenberg, but maybe he could have given us more of a “he doesn’t know and magazine cover doesn’t appear until during the closing credits" ending. But this certainly is one of the most successful King adaptations. If only it hadn’t been so rushed.
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The Dead Zone is a film whose review is influenced by knowledge of the book and Cronenberg's previous works. The potential was much greater in both cases, so I feel that The Dead Zone is a film that lacks balls. Early Cronenberg managed to go against the current and shoot provocative, crazy, and depressing films, which not everyone could handle, but which pushed the genre forward. This is simply too conventional, and even Christopher Walken can be much more creative and more useful for the genre of mystery film than he showed here. The foundation remained, but the film did not show all the depths, pains, uncertainties, desperation, torturous feelings of responsibility, and fear of the future. Maybe the producers clipped Cronenberg's wings, or maybe he had too respectful of a relationship with King's novel, but this could have been shot more creatively. Overall impression: 60%.
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There is a question. What would a person do if they had the information that Johnny has? How would they behave? Or an even crazier question - are assassins always insane or is one of them a visionary? We won't find out the answer, but in my opinion, these are questions that are worth contemplating. We don't know the impact our individual actions have on the future, but we still shape it. David Cronenberg managed to create a beautiful story of a person who decides to act for the greater good.
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