”
Dreamcatcher,
”
the new psychological-alien thriller directed by Lawrence Kasdan
(
”
Silverado
”
”
Grand Canyon
”
) with a script by William Goldman (
”
The Princess Bride
”
) and based on a fine novel by Stephen King, hardly bears any
resemblence to King’s intended vision.
“Dreamcatcher,” the new psychological-alien thriller directed by Lawrence Kasdan (“Silverado” “Grand Canyon”) with a script by William Goldman (“The Princess Bride”) and based on a fine novel by Stephen King, hardly bears any resemblence to King’s intended vision.
Considering the immense talent involved, including a cast helmed by the great Morgan Freeman, and the ultimate failure of the film in general, leads to the question of what could have gone wrong, because the film is a dud on all levels.
First of all, the screenplay does little to flesh out the story and characters that come from an 800-page novel, and, even though the film runs 134 minutes, there isn’t enough time to tell every aspect, though Kasdan and Goldman try. What ends up happening is confusion because the filmmakers are trying to blend so many elements into the story that it becomes very difficult to follow plot-wise. Add to the mix a dangerous structure, one that includes a myriad of subplots, flashbacks, surreal images and dream imagery, and you get a problematic hodgepodge.
“Dreamcatcher” has a premise that begins with a gifted savant named Duddits being saved by a group of four boys after being bullied at his high school. After being saved, the young boy, who is so grateful, gives his gift of reading minds to them. For 20 years, the four boys, who have now grown into men, have had regular meetings, helping theme to hone their “skills.” They all have unique insights on each others’ thoughts and therefore have closely bonded over their long friendship.
The characters have all settled into careers, and they all set up another meeting at a cabin in the Maine woods where they will reunite. Henry (Thomas Jane) is a psychiatrist riddled with guilt over using his skills to tap into the minds of his patients. Beaver (Jason Lee) is honing his skills but still is not as proficient as the others. Jonesy (Damian Lewis), a professor, has used his gift for what he sees as good ends; and Pete (Timothy Olyphant) has used up his perceptions by reading women’s minds in bars, only to end up a useless drunk in the process.
As the four men close the door to the cabin, things almost immediately start to go wrong. Danger seems to be imminent, and the boys can feel tension in the woods outside. Tapping into the sensory perceptions of the deer, bear, moose, rabbits and other animals in the Maine woods, they sense the surreal imagery of the frightened animals fleeing the area in total disarray and panic, which in turn, frightens them. What is happening?
They find an old man bleeding outside, and they take him in. After letting him use the bathroom to clean up, the man doesn’t come out for what seems like hours. Upon breaking down the door, the foursome see aliens pushing up on the toilet seat trying to get out. The aliens in question are a wormy group, space aliens who resemble the worms of “Tremors,” as well as another group of extraterrestrials who resemble huge, shark-like human beings. The third wave of aliens come as voices that penetrate the minds of our guys as the neighbors next door, which of course they’re not. Tricky fellows, these alien types.
When danger is upon them, the film turns into an adrenaline-charged macho thriller, with Henry, Beaver, Jonesy and Pete using their abilities to try to save themselves.
In an “X-Files” moment, we are then treated to a commando-type, classified secret group that has spent the last 25 years ridding the world of unfriendly alien contacts. Led by Captain Underhill (Tom Sizemore) and his squad, the group tries to rid the world of the threat in the second half of the film.
“Dreamcatcher” may have been an unfilmable novel and perhaps should have focused itself on one story instead of trying to make it everything that the novel is. When adapting a novel into a movie, you can’t leave everything in. By trying to make a movie with everything, “Dreamcatcher” becomes a picture that is ultimately about nothing.
DREAMCATCHER. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Screenplay by William Goldman, based on the novel by Stephen King. With Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Timothy Olyphant and Donnie Wahlberg. Rated R (distubing, graphic images), 134 minutes. Now playing at Bay Area theaters.
