The Dead Zone

 ****½

I almost want to say I’ve previously reviewed this film in the past for my blog. It is the kind of film I’d love to write about a lot, that’s for sure. It is a film that fell within an interesting period for the director, star, and author for whose work this film is based.  A wide variety of King content was being released to theaters in film form in the 80s. Quite a recognized name in horror, King was all over the place. Walken had already won an Oscar and featured in a variety of scene-stealing roles but I have considered this some of the best work of his career. Sure I can see why folks might instantly go to The Deer Hunter or King of New York as the works that define his career, but for me personally I immediately think of The Dead Zone. What an excruciating part to play. What Johnny goes through in this film and it never lets up. After his near-death experience with the 18 wheeler, Johnny, a schoolteacher, awakens after being in a coma for five years, barely able to walk with a body under siege with pain. He will continue to have problems with headaches but upon awakening Johnny realizes when he physically touches folks the past, present, and future can reveal something significant about them. Like his own doctor’s (Herbert Lom) mother still being alive despite his long theory she didn’t make it out of WWII. A child in a fire or a sister committing suicide, children playing ice hockey drowning in cold water in a pond, or a Senatorial candidate (Martin Sheen, ever the snake-oil salesman politician with that smile on the face pretending to be a friend of the people when what lies behind it is a pursuit for power) with potential of being the US President responsible for nuclear holocaust; Johnny experiences haunting, traumatic, horrifying events as if he was right there as they happen. Never more tormenting is the assistance given to Castle Rock’s sheriff (Tom Skerritt) as they search for a serial killer in their midst, with most of the deaths (to girls in the area) happening while Johnny was in his coma. He literally sees one murder as it happened on a gazebo and the face of the sheriff’s deputy (Nicholas Campbell) who was responsible, luring the victim with his charm (she knew him as he was a trusted member of the community) and pulling a pair of scissors from his inside pocket. That leads to him being shot by the killer’s mother (Colleen Dewhurst), who actually knew her son was committing the murders and did nothing about it.

His “episodes” are increasingly deteriorating him. His eyes, his countenance, and his spirit are under attack, with this “gift” truly killing him. He needs to improve his state of mind and work towards strengthening his health. He moves from Castle Rock, stores all the letters sent to him by those wanting his help in a room to accumulate, and endures continual suffering of the headaches until Lom’s Dr. Weizak offers different medication and support. Johnny decides to tutor, return to teaching kids, and is recruited by a man of great privilege and wealth (Anthony Zerbe) to help his son improve in his studies. That is where he sees the ice hockey incident and insists Zerbe not allow his son to play. Zerbe fires him, takes the kids on the ice while his son resists, and the incident kills two kids.

Cronenberg’s film is actually a surprise in that it goes for emotional impact. It has sympathy for the characters and many of them are quite different than what you typically would see in a Cronenberg film of that time and even afterward. Walken has one of his signature roles, and this character’s suffering is damn near Christ-like. He takes the grievances of his gift like whips of barbwire. You see the agony. You see the punishment. When he is reacquainted with his one true love (a really good Brooke Adams), who had since married another and had his child, you see the weight of loss and burden of taking on the remaining days without. When she gives him a day to have her mind, body, and heart, it might have actually done worse for Johnny than well because it reminds him of what he could have had…but will never have. When Adams’ Sarah holds Johnny’s dying body in her arms and a small tear holds under the eye knowing he had to give his life in order to save millions, the Catch-22 of what the gift produces comes into full effect. To save a planet Johnny had to accept death…what a terrible situation to be in.

And Cronenberg’s direction seizes upon the sight’s gift and curse. It sees traumatic events with a chance to stop them. Johnny does that. He also sees the past, offering Lom a chance to see his mom, although the good doctor decides not to let her know of his existence. The fire and the ice hockey incident. Perils his gift prevented, perils his gift resolve. And ultimately Johnny’s gift calls for him to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Few film roles challenged Walken enough that he gives so much of himself. It is a character so tortured. Not only is it physical, mental, and emotional, but the gift has him caught in this existential crises. And Walken involves us in his plight by producing a performance that puts it all out there. We see all of what his Johnny endures. It is an incredible performance. It is a performance I appreciate, admire, and respect. This guy’s a hell of an actor. Occasionally a film would come along that brought out the best in him, while most of the time he just takes the smallest part and gifts to us uniquely weird and eccentric rewards that leave us thinking about him. Lom, I can’t just leave without talking about his contribution. He doesn’t give you anything overly dramatic. It is subtle, contemplative, and reflective when Johnny’s condition requests him dote on the ramifications of using the gift and what might come of doing so. Sheen has that role of the political wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing monster with a henchman wholly behind his every move as he rises through the ranks towards the presidency. It takes the gift of sight, an albatross necessary at the cost of Johnny’s life, to stop him.