Starring: Morgan Freeman, Damian Lewis, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Timothy Olyphat, Tom Sizemore, Donnie Wahlberg, Mike Holekamp, Reece Thompson, Giacomo Baessato, Joel Palmer, Andrew Robb
Based on: the Stephen King novel
Adapted by: William Goldman and Lawrence Kasdan
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Rated: R for violence, gore and language

Reviewed by Peter Veugelaers Ó 2003
Better than a cheese royale: buy one while its hot

It is uncanny how "Dreamcatcher" delivers a similar drama to that of Independence Day and 1950s invaders from mars type-movies, and is particularly poignant since the last 18 and so months has seen the focus of the world majorly shift to potential terrorist invaders upsetting peaceable living.

This film is not so much commenting on that; yet, its central theme about saving the world set around the vivid sci-fi and fantasy imagination of a Stephen King novel adapted for the big screen by director Lawrence Kasdan and screenwriter William Goldman echoes the voice of current world events.

At a basic level this is a thriller about four middle-aged men who hold the keys to stopping a national disaster, and time is running out for them to avert an alien takeover.

When they were boys they acquired special gifts of an intuitive and psychic nature after they saved a young special needs boy from bullies. The young boy, affectionately called Duddits, is a kind of prophet messiah figure who is destined to arrive on the scene of possible worldwide catastrophe. He leaves the boys with preternatural abilities, which assists them in knowing details about people and incidents without prior knowledge.

My three-and-a-half star rating means I enjoyed the film and its discourse – I don’t go along with most of the thematic details, like the potential of enlightened human beings influenced by aliens to cure the world, which is nobly asserted. Those with an affinity with UFOs, psychic phenomena, and such, and the initiated, could be happy. Others might be intrigued and curious, perhaps amused, but otherwise entertained.

Credibility aside (aliens, UFO’s, and Government inference – all good American folk stories), "Dreamcatcher", once it grows on you from its incredulous beginnings, is engaging and enjoyable escapism - the countdown to obliterating the enemy is well executed and richly filmed. It’s no dramatic masterpiece - the film’s cause is not helped in some scenes that could make easy prey for the cynical and satirical Mad TV – this is, however, a fantasy story with a message of esoteric new age hope, surrounded by a pastiche of imaginative motifs, impressive visual effects, some visceral moments and sensitive nuances.