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Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe ... see more see more... , Colleen Dewhurst , Martin Sheen , Nicholas Campbell , Sean Sullivan , Jackie Burroughs , Geza Kovacs , Roberta Weiss , Simon Craig , Deirdre Bowen , Les Carlson , William "Wee Willie" Davis , Peter Dvorsky , Ramon Estevez , Barry Flatman , Chapelle Jaffe , Jack Messinger , Ken Pogue , Helene Udy , Claude Rae , Jim Bearden , Jane Jenkins , Janet Hirshenson , Wally Bondarenko , Roger Dunn , William Copeland , David Ogden Stiers , Nicole deBoer , John L. Adams , Chris Bruno , Dominic Louis , Manoj Sood

Christopher Walken plays a schoolteacher, Johnny Smith, who awakens from a five-year coma. He discovers that he has acquired the ability to foretell a person's future simply by touching his or her han... read more read more...d. After seeing several examples, Smith's doctor (Herbert Lom) becomes convinced that Smith can not only predict the future, but also has the power to change it. This ability is given its severest test when Smith shakes the hand of ruthless political candidate Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) -- and suddenly has a flash-forward to a nuclear holocaust. The Dead Zone is not only one of the best-ever Stephen King adaptations, but also one of the most consistently successful (and least gory) efforts of director David Cronenberg. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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72% liked it

32,775 ratings

Critics

89% liked it

36 critics

R, 1 hr. 44 min.

Directed by: David Cronenberg

Release Date: October 21, 1983

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DVD Release Date: September 19, 2000

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Stats: 1,325 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,325)

  • garyX
    February 13, 2012
    garyX
    A teacher involved in a near fatal car crash reawakens from a coma five years later with the power of second sight. David Cronenberg's most restrained and mainstream movie is based upon a Stephen King novel, but don't let that put you off. The Dead Zone, along with The Shining, i... read mores one of the very best examples of his numerous adaptations and is a fine exercise in supernatural suspense. The inventive plot sees a man haunted by images of future events, finely played by Christopher Walken in one of his least flamboyant performances. His hollow eyed, almost shell shocked interpretation strikes the mark perfectly and he is ably supported by Herbert Lom as a pragmatic doctor and holocaust survivor and Martin Sheen as an insidious senatorial candidate. The score also deserves a mention, providing exactly the right mix of the otherwordly and oppressive and the film as a whole is a perfectly engineered, tightly plotted and tautly paced chiller which still stands as one of Cronenberg's best.
  • ajv2688
    January 14, 2011
    ajv2688
    An interesting story from King, and a good cast too, but Cronenberg made this movie slightly too weird, so some of the less interesting scenes are pretty boring. Overall, I liked this movie, though, the story is cool and Walken is perfect in the lead.
  • fb619846742
    January 8, 2011
    fb619846742
    A meandering, slightly disappointing film from the master of body horror David Cronenberg, who adapts a Stephen King novel about a teacher (Christopher Walken) involved in a horrific car accident, and how he tries to get his life back on track after awaking from a 5-year coma wit... read moreh a rare psychic ability. Walken's performance makes this movie almost worth seeing, since he does a phenomenal job really sinking his teeth into the character and going all-out for it. Sadly, an over-the-top Martin Sheen, some very noticeable plot holes, and a sometimes slow pace hamper this film from becoming a solid, respectable thriller.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    June 9, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    The Dead Zone is a departure from David Cronenberg's previous works such as Scanners and Videodrome. This is a departure for Director David Cronenberg because this film unlike his previous repertoire of work, does not deal with the Body Horror genre. Instead, Cronenberg Adapts a ... read moreStephen King Novel, and does it with quite the flair that he is famous for. Even thought it doesn't deal with themes such as body horror, The Dead Zone just by viewing it you know it's a Cronenberg Oeuvre, just because it has his sense of style to it. The Dead Zone is really a horrifying film to watch, and the cast is brilliant, this is one of the best casts to act in a Stephen King adaptations. Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen are superb, no words can describe how great they are in this film. The Dead Zone is a a solid Horror film from David Cronenberg and is actually, one of his best films that has not spawned from his own imagination.
  • FilmFanatik
    February 23, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    A decent adaptation of the novel, but not all that great.
  • ythelastman89
    November 16, 2009
    ythelastman89
    Amazing in every sense of the word. Christopher Walken gave such a great performance and made Stephen King lines seem completely normal. It's such a great story and concept, fitting perfectly into the directing style of David Cronenberg. It has a very great tone to it, mystery th... read morerown in with horror.
  • harrycaul
    November 11, 2009
    harrycaul
    I'm pretty sure this was the first Cronenberg movie I ever saw and I still have a soft spot for it, even if I'm now old enough to appreciate that the story is kind of flimsy and the director is flirting with the mainstream by watering down his trademark body horror. As usual, Cro... read morenenberg assembles a fine supporting cast (Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Tom Skerritt, Martin Sheen) and the sensitive performances of Christopher Walken and Brooke Adams give the movie an emotional pull generally lacking in this director's work, making it, if not one of his best films, certainly one of his most moving. The Dead Zone also stands out in Cronenberg's filmography as being his only movie since The Brood, in 1979, not scored by Howard Shore; Michael Kamen did the music here. Ironically, Walken quotes Sleepy Hollow and went on to play the Headless Horseman for Tim Burton, and Martin Sheen, who plays a senatorial candidate hell-bent on the US presidency, ended up in The West Wing.
  • matertenebraum
    July 27, 2009
    matertenebraum
    A schoolteacher Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) a survivor of a road accident awakes from a five-year coma to discover he has psychic abilities, which he gets visions of the past, present and the deadly future. And how he does it, is through the use of touch. But life has chang... read moreed within that time with his girlfriend (Brooke Adams) being married; he's basically crippled and no longer having a job. So now he uses his abilities to help a sheriff (Tom Skerritt) solve a murder case, to save a child's life and predicting world's fate from an evilly corrupt politician (Martin Sheen) who plans to be president.

    It's definitely one of my favourite King adaptations and you could say Cronenberg at his best. This time around Cronenberg has taken a more mainstream (even though depressing) approach with none of his grotesque and disturbing visuals evident, but that doesn't take away from the experience - as on show is good story telling, performances and film-making. Visually the film does hold strong imagery (especially the vision scenes) and also the picture truly captures the unsaturated colours of the wintry backdrop, which makes the bleak atmosphere such a dour affair. Though the sharp stabbing sounds when Johnny gets a vision truly knocks you, but it's the stinging outcome that made the film for me. Distinctive photography by Mark Irwin was beautifully constructed and pretty smooth in the detail of the settings. While, the driving score stood out and was particularly on the spot with capturing the right mood. Sound performances are given by the likes of the sympathetic Christopher Walken and the innocent Brooke Adams. Martian Sheen delivers a rather hammy performance and Tom Skerritt's performance is the total opposite, being rather toned down. Cronenberg's solid direction paces the film swiftly and also creates some well-staged sequences of tension that stick in your head. In all you can always expect dashing film-making by Cronenberg and that's what you get in this picture.

    The story is what I had some gripes with. At times it felt like writer Jeffrey Boam was trying to squeeze too much into the story. Some interesting and intelligent sub-plots (murder investigation) felt hurried and rather contrived - it was like it was concentrating and building more towards the final act instead. But then again time is money and it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of this film. The plot is basically a portrait of a man coming to grips with his pain and accepting the fate his been chosen and also throw in some social commentary into the mix. Also added is the occasional dabbing of dry/witty remarks, but for me it was uncomfortable humour. That being pretty much the state of the film. One thing I noticed, but don't know if this symbolism was intended but the way Johnny is always wearing the black coat reminded me of death (fate). Especially with touch his can see into the future and actually alter what can happen (say death). Perhaps it was just I?

    It isn't gut wrenching stuff we've come to expect by Cronenberg, but still he nails down a well drawn up and gripping drama/thriller.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 17, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    One of the best Stephen King movies. One of Cronenberg's best movies. Both Walken and Sheen giving two of their finest performances. The Dead Zone is a simple idea that has been complicated. Walken is a man who can get glimpses of the past and the future by touching people. This ... read moreleads to all sorts of problems which conflict with Walken wanting to live a normal life. He's already lost the girl of his dreams because of a 5 year coma. Cronenberg is very, very restrained in this film. He uses violence and gore only when absolutely necessary, which isn't that often. The film manages to escape it's episodic narrative by some clever editing techniques and time jumps. It plays out more like biopic than your average thriller. Sheen is gloriously manic on screen. Tearing it up and becoming a terrifying villain. That's only half the story though, as The Dead Zone has two distinct plots and two very separate cases. It's no surprise that this has been adapted into a TV show. This film is brilliant and really makes me want to watch the TV show and read the book.
  • mjgildea
    March 2, 2009
    mjgildea
    Reading Stephen King's work to me is just like watching paint dry in a Midwestern state and for the most part, the film adaptations of his work resemble that sentiment even more so. But David Cronenberg's adaptation kind of had me curious and I haven't seen The Dead Zone (or the ... read morepieces of it I remember) in decades. It's kind of fitting that the USA network turned The Dead Zone into a TV series because that's all this movie felt like--a few TV episodes tied together. Christopher Walken was alright and Cronenberg managed to put enough of his twist on it to make The Dead Zone interesting. It's no Shawshank Redemption, Carrie or The Shining but it's no... anything else of King's that ended up on a screen.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
October 7, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

An accomplished psychological thriller. Full Review

Dave Kehr
September 25, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

By no means a bad film, just a disappointingly bland and superficial one. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The Dead Zone does what only a good supernatural thriller can do: It makes us forget it is supernatural. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Mr. Cronenberg's direction is vivid and effective; his pacing is a little unemphatic at times, but the film's individual scenes are very well staged. Full Review

October 19, 2010
Total Film

It's both moving and quietly unsettling as it builds towards a forceful climax. Full Review

September 25, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Arguably the best adaptation of a Stephen King novel. Full Review

Kim Newman
September 25, 2007
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine

Cronenburg attempting a little mainstream with this Stephen King yarn and really pulling it off. Full Review

September 25, 2007
Film4

This is a welcome straightforward adaptation/improvement of King's original, minus Cronenberg's visceral flourishes. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
November 15, 2006
Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com

A thing of dark, twisted, ironic beauty. Full Review

Eric Henderson
October 23, 2006
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine

Don't let the fact that visible breath and frosty misery take priority over exploding heads and fetus-licking snow you. Full Review

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