Pretty good paranormal thriller with a nice, and strangely normal, performance from Christopher Walken. Kept my attention throughout even if the finale felt a bit rushed and, the final scene, pretty laughable. Still found it entertaining though not sure how much desire I have to re-watch, although I may give the TV series a shot down the line. **3.25/5**

The Dead Zone is a movie that hits several genres and carries itself very well. It's able to do so due to the strength of the main character, Johnny Smith, played so well by Christopher Walken. Walken's performance is casual at times and absolutely stunning at others. To think that Bill Murray was thought by Stephen King to be a better option is crazy. Walken's performance brings out the best in the rest of the ensemble as the movie goes through 3 acts, with several stories intermingled quite nicely with each other. While it is not a true horror movie, in my opinion, the work of David Cronenberg comes out nicely in some scene's that remind you he is in charge of our minds during the 100 minute or so feature.

I highly recommend this to anyone that loves Stephen King adaptions or psychological thrillers. It is a movie, that in my opinion, has aged very nicely and holds it's own in any era. Great film! I give this movie a solid 8 out of 10.

As a fan of Stephen King and Christopher Walken, the fact that this movie eluded me is surprising. It's probably because psychic abilities are not the least bit appealing to me. This was sitting in my Amazon queue, about to disappear in a few days, so I watched it and experienced the primary reason why I watch movies.

This is tight and suspenseful and very well-acted (except for one character which I'll touch on shortly). The opening scene that establishes the relationship between Johnny (Walken) and Sarah (Brooke Adams) is pedestrian but purposeful and Johnny's awakening from a coma is tastefully played out. But Johnny's first psychic event is stunning and kind of snaps you awake with him.

I really admire the way this movie establishes Johnny's powers and how events slowly reveal to him his "dead zone". There are several stories within a story here, and I kept thinking about where this movie was going. With the introduction of a crooked politician named Greg Stillson (played by Martin Sheen), the movie's destination slowly comes into view. And speaking of Martin Sheen...even though his character is pivotal to the fate of Johnny and the scale by which this story climbs with Stillson's own ascension, I can't stand the way Sheen plays this. Sheen is bombastic, slimy and generally a cliched version of Hollywood's take on politicians. I'm not defending politicians here, but I am disappointed in the portrayal within this otherwise excellent film.

Even though Sheen's Stillson is over-the-top and practically cartoonish, he can't extinguish the amazing final act. It's a very satisfying conclusion and worth noting again that this movie hurtles Johnny from saving lives in a small town to saving...well, let's just say something larger.

Cronenberg avoids all of his typical weird body-horror here, and instead offers up a taut thriller that you should watch as soon as possible.

This was outstanding, and ranks right up there for me, both in terms of Stephen King adaptations in general and Cronenberg's work in particular. It also houses one of my very favourite Christopher Walken performances. When I see Martin Sheen be such a jerk here, it both makes me realize where his son Charlie gets that side of his personality from and makes me fear, even though I'm Canadian, the fact that Donald Trump actually has a chance of being the next president of the United States. It also reaffirms in my heart the great adoration I have for Brooke Adams.