Thoroughly enjoyed this film based on the book by acclaimed author Stephen King by acclaimed director David Cronenberg.
It is not really a horror in the slasher sense, more of a psychological thriller based on the character of Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken).
Smith has an appalling road traffic accident resulting in a 5 year long coma. In that time he loses his job, love interest Sarah Bracknell (Brooke Adams) who remarries and has a young son.
His recovery from the coma is arduous and in the process he discovers he has a psychic ability that is triggered when he touches someone.
The psychic ability is used in several situations including a serial killer investigation in his locality, avoiding a student of his dying in a frozen lake and predicting an annoying Donald Trump like character standing for election to the U.S. senate Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) becoming U.S. President and triggering a nuclear war with the Soviet Union in the 1980s.
It is this horrific premonition that results in Smith attempting to assassinate Stillson who uses Sarah Bracknells baby son as a human shield in a cowardly act that ultimately ruins his career.
I had never heard or seen this film but it was enjoyable viewing. I particularly was amused at the music score by the late Michael Kamen that had elements of his later efforts Lethal Weapon and Licence To Kill.
Look out for appearances by Bond/Pink Panther alumni Anthony Zerbe, Walken himself and Herbert Lom in a respectable cast. Tom Skeritt also appears.
Cronenberg uses his native Canada to stand in for Maine, USA.
It is not really a horror in the slasher sense, more of a psychological thriller based on the character of Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken).
Smith has an appalling road traffic accident resulting in a 5 year long coma. In that time he loses his job, love interest Sarah Bracknell (Brooke Adams) who remarries and has a young son.
His recovery from the coma is arduous and in the process he discovers he has a psychic ability that is triggered when he touches someone.
The psychic ability is used in several situations including a serial killer investigation in his locality, avoiding a student of his dying in a frozen lake and predicting an annoying Donald Trump like character standing for election to the U.S. senate Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) becoming U.S. President and triggering a nuclear war with the Soviet Union in the 1980s.
It is this horrific premonition that results in Smith attempting to assassinate Stillson who uses Sarah Bracknells baby son as a human shield in a cowardly act that ultimately ruins his career.
I had never heard or seen this film but it was enjoyable viewing. I particularly was amused at the music score by the late Michael Kamen that had elements of his later efforts Lethal Weapon and Licence To Kill.
Look out for appearances by Bond/Pink Panther alumni Anthony Zerbe, Walken himself and Herbert Lom in a respectable cast. Tom Skeritt also appears.
Cronenberg uses his native Canada to stand in for Maine, USA.