Dreamcatcher review

For a schlocky invasion movie, Dreamcatcher has an impressive pedigree. It's directed by Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill), with a screenplay by Kasdan and William Goldman (Butch Cassidy) based on a book by Stephen King. Though, even with the addition of a strong cast headed by the venerable Morgan Freeman, Dreamcatcher rarely elevates itself above average generic horror status.

Incorporating every cliché, along with a jokey nod to some classic sci-fi frighteners, it's hard not to think of it as the fulfilment of some long held desire by Kasdan and Goldman to make a horror film. It would certainly explain why they've covered so much ground in this long and sprawling tale. But being the consummate artists they are, despite their indulgences (or maybe even because of them) Dreamcatcher provides an entertaining enough diversion for a couple of hours.

Stephen King once again unveils his passion for the paranormal in this tale of four long time friends who share strange psychic abilities. As schoolkids, Henry (Thomas Jane), Beaver (Jason Lee), Jonesy (Damian Lewis) and Pete (Timothy Olyphant) intervened when they came across a young boy, Duddits, being humiliated by some older boys. It turns out Duddits is not your typical kid. In return for their kindness, he imbued the friends with a telepathic understanding. Now grown up, it's a power one of them reflects on as he alludes to the boy's otherworldly origins, "I think Duddits came from somewhere to prepare us."

They find out what he prepared them for when they hook up for their annual camping holiday in a remote snow-covered forest. Unusual things immediately start happening. The light-hearted tone throughout Dreamcatcher acts not only as welcome relief from the gore and spine-tingling moments, but provides an indication that everything is done with a knowing wink to the genre. At one point the men watch as scores of frightened animals run past their cabin, prompting Jonesy to provide the corny thought, "It's not where they are going that worries me, it's what are they running away from."

If the men were smart they'd have run too, but the rule of thumb in horror is that no one ever does the sensible thing. As a consequence they find themselves facing slimy monsters dubbed the Ripley by the veteran extra-terrestrial expert Colonel Abraham Curtis (Morgan Freeman), in reference to the star of the Alien films.

Dreamcatcher is too disjointed and unwieldly to provide complete satisfaction, nevertheless any film where the world is under threat from creatures called "shit weasels" that lurk in the toilet offers some virtue.