Movie Review

Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher is the coolest and most fascinating film adapted from a Stephen King novel to date. How anyone could dismiss it as anything less than that is a total understatement.

The film begins in the woods of Maine where four friends named Henry (Thomas Jane), Jonesy (Damian Lewis), Beaver (Jason Lee) and Pete (Timothy Olymphant) convene on a hunting trip. The four of them each share a unique power of telepathy, which was given to them many years ago as youths when they saved a young boy named Duddits from bullies. Only over the years, the power has grown to feel more like a curse; the four guys are thought of as weirdo?s and so share a life of great depression; one even contemplates suicide. But together, the four are indestructible (sort of like superheroes). The guys have been given other powers as well; Pete, for instance, has the power to send some kind of laser through his fingertip; Jonesy is somehow able to literally go back into his own mind. But why were these powers given to them?

The answer comes on the hunting trip; the area is suddenly surrounded by a military blue unit (an alien hunting team) led by Colonel Abraham Kurtz (Morgan Freeman). Alien slugs have landed in the area and it doesn't take long for Kurtz to quarantine the entire area. Kurtz has been chasing these aliens for years and knows that they can infect human beings, and that the only way to stop the alien plague from spreading is if he kills the humans in the area. Only Kurtz is not operating with a full deck of cards; years of chasing aliens has driven him insane, and so it's up to the four guys to stop the alien menace and Kurtz before it's too late.

Dreamcatcher is the first movie of the year that really grabs you and doesn't let go. It alternates between laughs, jolts, and suspense, but always keeps us entertained. The script, by William Goldman and director Lawrence Kasden, is pretty odd and there are plenty of holes to be found. But what looks like a weakness is actually a major strength. This film encourages people to think about the symbolism of the dreamcatcher and to try to fill in the rest of the movie?s holes as it goes a long. Kasden and Goldman have made one of the most satisfying versions of a King book in a long time, and that isn't very easy to do.

Lawrence Kasdan has also assembled a really talented cast including Morgan Freeman, Jason Lee, Thomas Jane, the insanely creepy Damian Lewis, and especially Mark Wahlberg's much more talented brother, Donnie Wahlberg. Finally, if the rest of the movie weren't so much fun to watch, the alien creatures would have stolen the show. I'm not quite sure if Dreamcatcher is a great film yet, but it is one of the most unique and creative film experiences I've ever witnessed.

Craig's Grade: B+

A	10.9%
B	41.8%
C	31.8%
D	15.3%
F	0.3%