Saw The Dead Zone, a film based on a Stephen King novel which revolves around a New England school teacher (as King stories often do.) This teacher falls into a coma and awakes five years later with psychic powers: if he touches someone sometimes he sees visions of things that are important to them, often involving deaths.
The film is solidly alright. It has twists and turns and a chilly, clinical atmosphere. It was directed by Cronenberg, and there's institutions and doctors (both recurrent elements of Cronenberg's films.) A mystery is being understood and explored, however we are humans first and are moved by sudden romances or losses. In this case, the psychic gift also comes with a cost: a physical weakening and a dilemma about seeing the future: how to try to change it without seeming like a crazy person.
The weakness however, is the plot. We sort of meander from hiding out from the press to helping the cops to tutoring the sullen son of a millionaire. When the end comes I sort felt let down, like "that's it?" I mean, I guess that was it. There's no arc however, sort of a series of vignettes. Perhaps I'm missing the thrust, but I don't see it.
So the film is alright. It's interesting and exciting (I loved the house he goes into with the cops - that sequence is great!) It was made into a show more recently and I suppose that makes more sense. The psychic's adventures don't have a lot to do with each other, aside from some escalation. It also featured a horrifying, Trumpian politician which made it feel oddly topical. Apart from that though, it feels like something you'd see on cable and suspect why they cut the last part off. It's not bad, just … alright.
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