Secret Window is a pretty solid adaptation of a Stephen King story. Slightly undermined by its predictability, it's nevertheless well-directed and atmospheric, with another great performance by Johnny Depp. Columbia TriStar has put out a great disc for the film's DVD release.

Depp plays Mort Rainey, a successful-but-reclusive writer living alone in a lakeside cabin, still trying to come to terms with his pending divorce from his cheating wife (Maria Bello). One morning he gets a visit from a stranger, John Shooter (John Turturro), a hayseed southerner who claims Mort plagiarized one of his short stories. Shooter claims to have written the story in 1997, but Mort can prove he published the story two years earlier. Shooter demands proof, threatening Mort with terrible retribution if he doesn't produce the magazine the story first appeared in within three days. Distraught, Mort hires a detective (Charles S. Dutton), to investigate Shooter and perhaps strong-arming him into backing off. Meanwhile, Mort's dog is killed by a screwdriver to the head, and Mort's old house (where his estranged wife still lives) burns to the ground, which was where the magazine Mort needs as proof was stored. Soon after, the detective, as well as the one "witness" who saw Shooter and Mort together, are brutally murdered. All this leads to a climax where Mort questions his very sanity. I'm vague about specific plot turns in an attempt not to give much away, but the viewer will quickly figure everything out long before the revelation at the end about John Shooter. This type of story has been done before, and while the film is well directed by David Koepp (who also adapted King's novella), not enough is done to keep the viewer guessing until the end. What saves Secret Window are the performances, especially by Depp, who is absolutely terrific. He turns in a dynamic performance which is, by turns, low-key and manic. And he's given a great character to work with, who maintains the viewer's sympathy all the way until the end, even after everything is revealed.

Columbia TriStar has done a good job with the video and audio transfer of this film. The picture is sharp and clear, with accurate black tones and sharp color, making the most of the moody cinematography. The sound quality is equally good, rendered in 5.1 Dolby Digital, free of any distortion, with good balance.

Accompanying the film is a smattering of interesting extras, such as an audio commentary by writer/director Koepp. He provides a lot of useful insight into the film's production. Also included are three short featurette, "From Book to Film," "A Look Through It," and "Secrets Revealed." All three are interesting, but could have been presented as one long feature. There are also some trailers for other films, four deleted scenes with optional commentary, and an animated storyboard.

Similar Films: The Dark Half, Fight Club, The Shining . Summary: Secret Window is far from the worst King adaptation (I think Children of the Corn still holds that honor), and while its utter predictability is a detriment to its overall effectiveness, it is saved by skillful direction by Koepp and another great turn by Johnny Depp. Their combined skills keep the film interesting, even if the viewer already knows what's coming. A solid release from Columbia TriStar.