Cronenberg adapts Stephen King? Well, the horror is strangely
stripped away and the introspection of Walken’s unwilling
clairvoyant is pumped up. He awakens from a coma to find he has the gift of
second sight, but is plagued with visions of nightmarish events that he
feels compelled to prevent, most dramatically the rise of corrupt
politician Sheen. Sterile and detached, Cronenberg focuses on
Walken’s frustrated dilemma, often to the detriment of pathos - so
while it's always fascinating, the Dead Zone is seldom engaging.
