Description

Based on the characters and story from the best-selling book by Stephen King, The Dead Zone is unique psychological thriller that combines a rich mix of action, the paranormal and a continuing quest for justice. Johnny Smith’s life is interrupted by a near fatal car crash that leaves him in a deep comma for six years. When he regains consciousness he discovers that he now possesses amazing psychic powers - powers that allow him to see into the life of anyone he touches. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Compelling, Riveting...Yes!
I had, recently, seen brief bits of the DEAD ZONE television show and I had garnered an observation that the production, acting, special effects, and script were of a superior kind...and my main purpose/motivation for renting the DVD television premiere.

What I viewed was everything I expected and much more. The storyline/script is smartly written, with each scene vital and drawing the viewer in (i.e. you or me). The exploration of this man's coma/accident-induced powers...the untapped realm of the brain known as the "dead zone"...is explored with great imagination and emotional impact.

There was one scene that placed me in awe of the production values of this film. It involves the dead zone guy's Vietnamese doctor who, through his patient's powers, discovers that his mother is alive, not dead as the doctor had thought. In the reunion scene...a scene that will make you reach for the tissues, I have not seen in a long time a film that displayed such raw and genuine emotion (with special mention going to the actors in this scene). Just thinking about that scene makes me savor film and the power/art of film-making at its best. The exhileration of the reunion, with no dialogue whatsoever, was truly astounding. Once you see that scene, you'll know what I'm talking about (get the tissues in advance)...

I, too, cannot wait for the rest of the season to come out on DVD. And though I rented this movie, I plan to also buy it shortly.

I believe the reason this film was so effective as a pilot for the rest of the show is the directoral prowess of Michael Pillar whose ability in film production is most evident in the latter years of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. Whether or not you like that latter television series, those shows, especially the 5th-7th seasons, were critically praised. Pillar's influence in the DEAD ZONE is visibly apparent. I do not know whether the rest of the series has held to the same production values, however, I have viewed several episodes that were quality-made.

This film deserves a 4.5 rating...

Great TV pilot on a DVD packed with extras for the fans
This TV series pilot movie (actually first 2 episodes of the series) is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. It is an excellent adaptation of the novel for an on-going TV series. Anthony Michael Hall shines in the role of Johnny Smith and brings a real sense of sympathy to the role. It's hard to believe you are watching a grown up "Rusty Griswold" from the "Vacation" movies.

I was happily surprised when I watched this movie and at the end it successfully makes you want more - and as a hook for a TV series its up there with pilots like that of "The Invisible Man (2000)".

This disc also has a host of extras such as commentary by the cast over the feature. They come out with a lot of interesting remarks on how long it took to film, cast changes and story changes and network interference in the plot and character outlines. There is also a look behind the scenes in a mini-documentary, TV ad spots etc.

If you enjoyed the series, or simply have heard good things about it, pick up this DVD for a superior adaptation of a Stephen King book. A very addictive primer for a great TV show.

Dead Zone Fans Beware
Warning -- If you are looking for the unaired original Dead Zone pilot episode that was offered for a short time as a bonus to those who purchased the First Season Set, do not buy this DVD.

Although this is a great DVD, it is the same first episode that is included in the First Season Set.

I purchased the first season set after the deadline for taking advantage of the offer for the bonus DVD. I really wanted to see the original unaired pilot episode and I mistakenly thought that this was it. To my dismay found that it was the 2 hour series premier that I already had on the First Season Set.
I guess this one will find its way to a friend or end up in the used bin at the video store.

If you are unfamiliar with The Dead Zone and don't want to lay out the bucks for the complete First Season Set, this DVD is an outstanding intro to the series. However, if you love the series, go for the gusto and get the set. I'm on my second viewing of the set and can't wait for the release of the Second Season Set.

Very good for a TV show
The pilot is included with the first-season DVD, so now I have two of them. The production is very good, as are the special effects, especially the scenes in Vietnam where debris is frozen in mid-air while the lead character walks through the dustry street.

The story is tight, and the writing is good. I'd like to have seen Rev. Purdy's character better explained, but I think that will make itself known in the first season, which I'm now watching.

Overall, it's a really good story and makes you think about the possibilities.

I'm glad it's a cable show, because the cable shows these days seem to do a better job at developing characters and offering something fresh and unique. That is: They aren't afraid to take chances.

I think we've all had enough reality on television that "The Dead Zone" is a welcome chance to walk on the other side.

Stephen King's novel is turned into a pretty good TV series
"The Dead Zone" is one of my favorite Stephen King novels and I have taught it a couple of times in class because of the way in which the series of events persuade Johnny Smith to do what he does at the end. It is also one of the best Stephen King books to recommend to people who do not like Stephen King books (i.e., monsters and scary things). The 1983 movie version of "The Dead Zone" was one of my least favorite Stephen King movies, mainly because I thought the casting of Christopher Walken as Johnny was a mistake; Johnny has to be more of an ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances, and nobody can ever mistake Walken for ordinary. Anyhow, the idea of turning "The Dead Zone" into a television series instantly appealed to me, because the premise of the character and the episodic nature of the novel, both lent themselves to such an adaptation.

The premise is fairly simple. Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) is a high school teacher who has some minor psychic abilities as a result of a childhood accident. One night, after a fun date with his fiancé, Sarah (Nicole de Boer), Johnny is in a car accident. He wakes up six years later to find his perfect life is gone and that now, when he touches someone, he gets intense psychic images that serve as warnings of back things happening. With great power comes great responsibility and Johnny tries to use his gift to help.

There are some problems with this movie that serves as the pilot for "The Dead Zone" television series, but creators Michael and Shawn Piller come up with several significant changes from the novel that serve as a solid foundation for the first season and beyond. This television pilot is actually the first two episodes thrown together (for distribution as a movie if the series was not sold), with the first hour devoted to establishing Johnny's new situation and the second to the serial killer story from the novel. The main problem is that there are several instances where things get a bit rushed: Johnny wakes up in the hospital and Dr. Tran (Rick Tae) IMMEDIATELY tells him that he has been in a coma for six years. Dr. Tran wants to wait to tell Johnny that his mother died and his fiancé got married during those six years, but the whole six years of your life gone in an instance he hits this guy with right away. Similarly, in terms of everything that Sarah has to tell him he picks up on in flash when he touches her and even the wall that exists between Johnny and Sarah's husband Walt Bannerman (Chris Bruno) does not last long in the second hour of the show. Also, if you want to have fun nitpicking, Johnny would have known about O.J. Fortunately, while the serial killer plot gets resolved in the second hour, as dictated by the USA network, the series did go on to take its time with Greg Stillson.

What outweighs these problems are some of the changes the brothers Piller made in the elements of the novel. First, on their fun date Johnny and Sarah produced a child, which gives the characters an unavoidable link and another aspect to the new love triangle. Second, related to that, is the idea to back Sarah's husband Sheriff Bannerman (this raises a question: will Johnny warn Walt about Cujo?), which adds another layer of complexity to the love triangle because Walt the husband and Bannerman the sheriff have different relationships with Johnny under different circumstances. Third, Johnny's parents are now out of the picture and in their place is the Reverend Gene Purdy (David Ogden Stiers), the beneficiary of Vera Smith's money and a powerful figure with a continuing interest in Johnny, an interest that exists on multiple levels and cannot really be pinned down. Fourth, Johnny Smith now has a sidekick, Bruce Lewis (John L. Adams), his physical therapist, and the first true believer. This allows the writers to give Johnny someone to talk to instead of finding ways to get Johnny to think out loud all of the time.

Fifth, picking up from the theatrical version, when Johnny has his visions we see him there, in the setting. An extension of this, taken from the novel, is that Johnny unconsciously mimics the person he is seeing, talking their language. This works very well with the subplot involving Dr. Tran, who is the updated version of Dr. Weizak (a nice move, both in terms of the updating and in terms of the new resolution to the question of Tran's mother). This also provides the director to come up with some stunning set pieces as everyone freezes and Johnny walks through the moment paying attention to the details (it looks like he is walking through a Matrix-like CGI shot, but it is simply done for the most part). But there are some equally impressive effects created during Johnny's visions by cutting back and forth between now and then, or by doing reverse shots from two different locations. Consequently, "The Dead Zone" has a visual style that makes for some nice examples of creativity in filming a television show.

The second hour does a nice job of establishing the rules of the game here in terms of how Johnny gets flashes of the future, but that it is a future that can be changed: you taken one moment out of the string of life and everything changes. This becomes a very workable premise for a television series, with the story of a real life superhero, on to which we throw all the interpersonal angst of Johnny's relationships. It would have been nice to have seen what this show would have done if they had been allowed to take their time with these initial story threads, but being rushed by the network seems a small price to pay if it means getting the series on the air. As a TV pilot this 2002 version of "The Dead Zone" is not perfect, but it does a very good job of establishing a solid foundation for a pretty good television series.

Final Note: If you pick up the first season of "The Dead Zone" on DVD you get the TV pilot as the first two episodes, but you do not get the commentary (which is split in half) that appears on this particular DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dismissed by seismologists and roasted by critics, 10.5 offers everything you'd expect from a cheesy camp-classic disaster flick. Originally broadcast on May 2 and 3, 2004, this $20 million NBC sweeps-week miniseries achieved its ratings goal (20 million viewers) by promising a respectable cast and spectacular digital effects to simulate "the Big One"--a series of fault-ripping earthquakes that re-shape the entire West Coast of the United States. The first quake hits Seattle, toppling the Space Needle in a ridiculous opening sequence, and within minutes deep-fault expert Kim Delaney (no doubt regretting her departure from NYPD Blue) is busy convincing the President (Beau Bridges) and his geological advisor (Fred Ward) that only a series of nuclear blasts will "heal the rift" in the shifting tectonic plates. With John Schneider and The West Wing's Dulé Hill in thankless supporting roles, 10.5 deliberately strives for supreme badness, leaving no cliché unturned and cursing its cast with the worst dialogue in miniseries history. It's gloriously awful and uproariously entertaining. 10.5 may not rock your world, but natural disasters were never this much fun. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Pretty Good
I'd say this was the best CP ever,but it has plenty(maybe
a little to much)false scares,plot holes,and humor.I think the goriest moment in this movie was when chucky as a doll shoves the knife up his arm.It is SO gross!I also say that this was the least scariest one.CP 1 was the scariest,and the darkest.But BOC(bride of chuckie)is way too plot holey-funny.It is twice as bad as this.But now,i'll tell you of the actuall movie:
Chuckie,as we should know from CP 1,was burned to a crisp and shot to pieces.This should have been the end,but NO!The stupid GOOD GUY factory rebuilds chucky,which is the biggest horror movie no-no ever!And he 's back,chasing Andy B.For his soul.Soon,
Andy moves to a foster home because his mom had a nervous breakdown and is in phciatric care.Anyway,just a day or 2 later,Chucky arrives-but is surprised to see Andy now onwns another Good Gye-TOMMY.Chucky destroyes it with andy Foster mom's statue.Soon,"Kyle"and Andy are alone.(kyle's andy foster sister).They head to the Good-Guy Factory,and after a few tries,kill chucky.
This is a good video to buy.

The best in the series and with a welcome sense of humor.
This was o.k. In fact some of the scenes in this film are drop down and catch your breath funny. And the story was cool with us finding out what happened after the original. Andy Barclay has just gotten over the fact that his mom was commited to a psycho ward and him being adopted by a family who want him to live with them. But everyone thinks he's nuts. Why? Well Charles Ray has finally found him. With a new body which he got from being rebuilt by a greedy toymaker who can't wait to unviel the new Good Guys Dolls. Chucky will find Andy and if he doesn't act like a good kid and hand his soul over, then Chucky is going to kill everyone Andy holds dear at the moment. But with the help of a fellow adoptive sister (who is eighteen to Andy's ten) he might just have a chance to escape with his life and end Chucky's second reign of terror. With a great sense of humor, numerous original death and the best finale in the series I highly recommend you get this film for your horror DVD (or cassete) library.

Decent
Decidely the second-worst movie in the CP trilogy. CP 3 is the best, CP 1 the worst. (CP 1 was good but it is the worst of the three). This one has more Chucky action and less slowness to the premise - a plus. Poor Andy is sent to foster care where him and Kyle must battle Chucky's evil. The movie is a bit unbelieveable - The factory ressurects the very same doll that may have been responsible for the murders? Even if they don't believe it, this gets a thumbs-down as the opener. It would've been deliciously spooky for Chucky to ressurect himself, but then again, how would he have?
Overall, the acting is mostly average. Jenny Augutter does fairly well, Gerrit Graham -- tries, and the actress for Kyle does an excellent job. Alex Vincent does not do as well as the first film; he's lost the 6-year-old "innocent" feel.
I'd say this is more worth a buy than a rent. Most people say watching a few times increases the stregnth of the impact of the movie.
The ending on the VHS & DVD is Kyle and Andy walking outside of the factory. Some cable channels show the beginning of the third movie to end this one: Chucky getting reassembled and smiling. That's a mistake.
This movie, especially the last fifteen minutes, delivers fairly well for the price. I'd never say STELLAR, but I'd say good or maybe great.

Sorry Jack, Chucky's back!
This sequel picks up where the first one left off.

Young Andy is now in foster care after being taken away from his mother. He still has nightmares about his killer doll.

Little does he know that the company has completly reconstucted Chucky. After Chucky escapes from the factory, he tracks Andy down to his new home. He begins to do things that get Andy in trouble and nobody listens when Andy tells them "Chucky's back".

When Chucky and Andy have their final showdown at the doll factory, Chucky finds out that it is now too late to transfer his soul. He is now human. This enrages Chucky and his goal now is to kill him.

Not as good as the original, the sequal is decent at best.

30 Minutes Stretched Into 90 minutes
Child's Play 2 did not have much of a storyline. The movie could of easily been fit into a half an hour. This film really deserves 0 stars. ... Read more

Description

This story centers around a high-tech biotechnology lab. From its confines comes "Max," a genetically engineered killing machine in the guise of a household pet dog. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Great Sci-Fi
I first saw this movie when it premeired on TBS-Atlanta.

I am a sucker for all kinds of working dogs. And the docter was right when he referred to "Max" as a "stand-alone unit". TM's DO NOT TAKE ORDERS. They were bred to react to threats with their own minds and don't take counsel from their owners.

The best I can describe it is as a Sci-Fi modern day "Old Yeller". A great dog who, through no fault of his own must be killed. And yet he lives on, in the litter of pups he sired by Heidi.

But the movie does point out A LOT of irresponsible ownership too.
-Stealing the dog in the first place.
-Leaving a dog unsuprvised outside.
-Allowing children to take a LARGE (180 lb) dog out when you know next to nothing about him or his personality. (Afterall, he came out of a lab and obviously did not get socialized with children).
-Not consulting your live-in significant other when acquiring a dog.

It's good entertainment. And that is all it is. Entertainment. Anyone looking beyond that is going to be disappointed.

Best "Dog v.s. Man" movie made to date.
I absolutley LOVED this movie. The first time I seen previews for the film, I knew it was one I'd enjoy seeing over & over again. Albeit, the beautiful Tibetan mastiffs did outshine the actor's character's(which is why I rated it 4 out of 5 stars), it still did not detract from the plot of the movie. Perhaps what I found most interested with this film is that it could become a reality. Well, maybe not having the canine murder people, yet, the aspect of genetically engineering a super-breed of dog. I contemplate it would be pretty fantastic to have your own best friend & bodyguard with heigthened senses. Well, anyway, please see this video; especially those who love movies where the animals triumphs over the humans. I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

P.S. I would like to hear from anyone whom enjoyed this movie as much as I did or whom may have information, like behind-the-scenes or video clips, from the movie. I'd appreciate it alot.

Maybe I shouldn't be this jaded...
Sometimes I think my own cynicism is bad for me. I tend to judge a movie solely on it's promotional material. Sure, that's what it's there for, but still, sometimes I wonder if maybe I'm keeping myself from some really enjoyable movies because off my gut instinct.

But all I have to do to assuage those pangs of doubt is to close my eyes and think back to when I was taken, against my will, to go see Man's Best Friend. "No," I said, "That movie will be horrible." And I was right. Oh boy was I right. Lucky me!

So jaded I shall remain. Gut instinct prevails.

tisk tisk tisk
I am truly shocked that there are people out there that thought this movie good, and for saying it could be a reality? I mean the plot of this movie is sooooooooo pathetic it was almost enjoyable to watch. But the dog jumping the police cars, and climbing trees, swallowing a cat whole, and turning colors so well that it became invisible, were pathetic. this movie would be enjoyable to those who like really bad horror/sci-fi films. I would only recommend it to watch so you could see how stupid it is.

Misrepresentation of a breed
I saw this movie years ago when stationed in Germany, although I was impressed by it then, and still believe it to be an acceptable movie it does a great injustice to the Tibetan Mastiff.As a Tibetan Mastiff owner I can assure you that the breed does not behave as portrayed in this movie.Tibetian Mastiffs are a loyal gentle breed as a norm and good with children, mine is a former therapy dog.THIS BREED IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. If you saw this movie and think you want to run right out and get your self a really cool trophy dog you are going to be in for a very big shock. TM's have a mind of they're own and are very stubborn when they want to be. They DO NOT COME WHEN CALLED and CANNOT BE ALLOWED OFF LEASH, EVER. When they are young they can be very destructive if not properly supervised and will eat anything they can get hold of including furniture, dry wall, and chain link fences, they will also provide you with tunnels to Tibet in your yard. As this is an extremly rare breed they are hard to find and are not available in pet shops. Most breeders are extremely picky as to who can adopt they're dogs and require a screening process, I had to fill out an application and had many on-line and e-mail conversations with the breeder before I was accepted. If you think you are interested in this breed and would like to adopt a TM, do your reasearch a good place to start is the Tibetan Mastiff club of America. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Anywhere you go in this city, you're only about five feet from a rat." These reassuring words set the tone for The Rats, a cheesy 2002 TV movie with a rather fun attitude toward its icky subject. The furry creatures are overrunning a Manhattan department store, with only store manager Mädchen Amick and exterminator Vincent Spano standing between the city and the establishment of a full-scale rodent kingdom. What takes this movie way beyond Willard is the CGI paint box, which brings scenes--many, many scenes--of swarming rats: rats filling a children's swimming pool, rats dropping onto a subway car, rats teeming over unfortunate extras. The movie isn't top-drawer in budget or anything else, but it seems aware of the 1950s monster-movie spirit, and the rat-cam and nibbling sound effects are unleashed with glee. It might make you think twice about lifting that toilet lid. --Robert Horton ... Read more