Film Review: The Dead Zone (dir. D. Cronenberg, 1983)

This movie is really the cinematic version of the classic question, "If you could go back in time and kill Hitler, would you?" I like two things the screenplay (and probably the novel, which if I have read, it's been 20 years) do with the question. First, the movie only gives one answer: an emphatic yes (maybe not the best for drama, but really, is there a "dilemma" here?). But even better, second, the movie actually says you don't have to kill Hitler; you only have to ruin his career.

This post is really backwards. Let me set up: Christopher Walken plays John Smith, a boring, whitebread high school English teacher who is seriously injured in a car crash (he hits an overturned milk truck on a rainy road in his VW beetle--really) and awakens from a five year coma to find his life turned upside down (1) by the loss of his fiance (who's married someone else), job, and ability to walk without crutches, but, more importantly, (2) by his new "second sight," the power, when touching someone, to see either their past or their future. This, of course, freaks him out, as only Walken can really be freaked out. (BTW, as much as I love the premise of this movie, it would not be the same movie without Walken's creepy performance.)

There are some subplots, but the action really gets kicking when Walken shakes hands with demagogic, Hitlerian politician Greg Stillson, played by the intense Martin Sheen. (A movie with both Walken and Sheen playing over-the-top characters--what more could you want?) Walken-Smith sees that in the future, Sheen-Stillson will become president and launch an unnecessary (preemptive?) nuclear assault on the Soviet Union. Sheen-Stillson will tell the V.P. and secretary of defense, "The missiles are flying . . . hallelulah, hallelulah."

Walken-Smith determines to assassinate Sheen-Stillson at a political rally. But his shot goes astray. Sheen-Stillson, in a panic, seizes a toddler from a nearby supporter (Walken-Smith's former fiance, but that's a whole other story) and shields himself with him. This is the act that ruins Sheen-Stillson's career. Walken-Smith is shot dead, but before he dies, Sheen-Stillson roughs him up--which lets Walken-Smith see a changed future--in which, career ruined, Sheen-Stillson takes his own life.

See, you don't have to kill Hitler. Just ruin his career.

A few additional points. Cronenberg's direction is creepy as always. He insists on shooting a lot of the movie from a low angle, looking up at the actors' faces, which I think creates a strange effect. The whole movie takes place in the winter, making it cold; the camera work makes you feel even more distant from the characters, kind of like you're seeing them from the other side of a psychic vision. The movie is also delightfully free of too many special effects--it was released in 1983. If it were released today, I have no idea how cluttered the psychic visions would be with flashing lights, etc. (I've never watched the television series loosely based on the movie, so I have no idea how they do things on the tube.)

Certainly better than most horror film options today.