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Movies / On DVD / The Dead Zone
The Dead Zone

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The Dead Zone (1983)

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Reviews Counted:36

Fresh:32

Rotten:4

Average Rating:7.6/10

Consensus: The Dead Zone combines taut direction from David Cronenberg and and a rich performance from Christopher Walken to create arguably the best Stephen King adaptation.

Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: David Cronenberg's first foray into mainstream filmmaking is also one of his most satisfying pictures. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, it stars Christopher Walken as Johnny, a man who has been... David Cronenberg's first foray into mainstream filmmaking is also one of his most satisfying pictures. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, it stars Christopher Walken as Johnny, a man who has been in a coma for five years and wakes up to realize that he can tell a person's fate just by touching them. Realizing that he can change the future as well, Johnny soon gets intervenes in a number of would-be tragedies. Consequently, he soon becomes famous for his gift, but he longs for his former life, when he still had his job, his fiancee, and a normal life. However, when he shakes hands with a future president of the US (Martin Sheen, in a wonderfully hammy performance) who could end up being the biggest mass murderer since Hitler, Johnny wrestles with what seems to be his destiny. Walken's bravura performance forms the soul of this excellent and touching thriller. [More]

Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Martin Sheen

Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Martin Sheen, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst, Nicholas Campbell, Jackie Burroughs, Geza Kovacs, Roberta Weiss

Director: David Cronenberg

Director: David Cronenberg
Screenwriter: Jeffrey Boam
Producer: Debra Hill
Composer: Michael Kamen

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Sep 15, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region [unknown]
 
 
 
 

Reviews for The Dead Zone

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

Variety Staff

An accomplished psychological thriller.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 07 2008 01:44 PM

Variety

tomato
3.5/4

Arguably the best adaptation of a Stephen King novel.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 25 2007 06:17 PM

TV Guide's Movie Guide

tomato
4/5

Kim Newman

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 25 2007 06:16 PM

Empire Magazine

tomato

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 25 2007 06:14 PM

Channel 4 Film

splat

Dave Kehr

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 25 2007 06:14 PM

Chicago Reader

tomato
5/5

Scott Weinberg

A thing of dark, twisted, ironic beauty.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 15 2006 02:51 AM

DVDTalk.com

tomato
3.5/4

Eric Henderson

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 23 2006 09:24 PM

Slant Magazine

tomato

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Cronenberg tells the story with measured strokes and a sure emotional touch as well as nifty blasts of horror.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 28 2006 11:02 PM

Combustible Celluloid

tomato

Cronenberg pulls it off, but you can't help feeling it's a movie in search of a TV series.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 26 2006 03:15 AM

Time Out

tomato
4/5

Cole Smithey

Chilling.

comment Comment | Nov., 06 2005 05:27 PM

ColeSmithey.com

tomato
B+

Chuck O'Leary

A gripping thriller done with intelligence. One of the better film adaptations of Stephen King's work.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 09 2005 02:17 PM

FulvueDrive-in.com

tomato
4/5

Emanuel Levy

No review available.

comment Comment | Jul., 26 2005 01:49 PM

EmanuelLevy.Com

tomato
3/5

Clint Morris

Walken revels in the lead....intriguing

comment Comment | May., 12 2005 12:28 AM

Moviehole

tomato
3.5/4

Roger Ebert

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 23 2004 10:18 PM

Chicago Sun-Times

tomato
5/5

Luke Y. Thompson

The classic Walken role, by which all subsequent ones are measured. Possibly the best Stephen King adaptation too.

comment Comment | May., 22 2004 01:22 AM

New Times

splat
2.5/4

James Kendrick

The Dead Zone is not a story that is particularly suited to Cronenberg's fascination with, and adeptness at portraying, body horror...

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 21 2004 05:02 PM

Q Network Film Desk

tomato
B

Dennis Schwartz

Spurred on by Christopher Walken's sincerely moving and warm portrayal.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 03 2003 10:21 AM

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

splat
2/5

Alex Sandell

A dud.

comment Comment | Oct., 11 2003 02:07 AM

Juicy Cerebellum

tomato
4/5

Carol Cling

No review available.

comment Comment | Oct., 03 2003 11:44 AM

Las Vegas Review-Journal

tomato
4/5

Mark Palermo

No review available.

comment Comment | Jun., 25 2003 10:30 AM

Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

 
 
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Latest News for The Dead Zone

May 17, 2005: Trailer Bulletin: "A History of Violence"
Thanks to the official Cannes Film Festival website for posting the all-new trailer for David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence." The New Line Cinema release, which... More...

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