Dreamcatcher
Based on the Stephen King bestseller, Dreamcatcher tells the story of four childhood friends who are stranded in a forest while on a hunting trip. However, it soon becomes clear that there is a sinister presence lurking in the woods, and only they and the telepathic gifts they acquired in their youth can save the human race from destruction.
Whatever your opinion of King’s novels, they can sometimes make for great film adaptations (The Shining and Stand by Me being two very good examples). Others on the other hand end up as cheap horror flicks that are forgotten very quickly. While Dreamcatcher has a polished production and some genuine chills, it sadly doesn’t make it into the former category. The film begins with some excellent scenes in which the four friends (played very well by Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis and Timothy Olyphant) are shown leading their separate lives, all helped and hindered in equal measure by their supernatural abilities, travelling to the secluded cabin where they enjoy a break to reminisce on old times. The interplay between the characters is very well executed, as is the classic King-esque buildup of tension and foreboding.
Sadly, the second half of the film begins to make the whole lose its credibility. When the nature of the threat (hideous creatures from outer space, plus a government cover-up) is revealed, the mystery is inevitably lost but it more critically gives the film the air of a soulless shocker than intelligent sci-fi fare. There are interesting themes touched upon, such as the parasitic alien in Jonesy’s (Lewis’) head and the authorities’ methods of dealing with the invasion (including a performance by Morgan Freeman as an uncharacteristically sinister and unsympathetic character), but it gives a suspicion of significant plot points of the novel being left out. As a result the storyline becomes muddled and it appears that while Freeman’s performance is as good as always, he was probably hired to add a big name to the cast list.
For those who are looking for a mere action/horror with plenty of bloody violence and less emphasis on characterisation, Dreamcatcher does very well. The creatures are well-designed and suitably repulsive, with some great edge-of-your-seat moments. The DVD has some interesting bonus features as well, including an interview with King himself, deleted scenes and alternative ending plus a behind-the-scenes feature on the special effects used.
In Summary
Beginning as an intriguing thriller, Dreamcatcher becomes a much less satisfying horror film that has made a rather patchy adaptation to the screen. That said, the quality of special effects and acting just lift it out of mediocrity.
Leave a Reply