Christopher Walken gets here a real opportunity to play "quirky" for all he's worth. He plays real-life author Whitley Strieber (author of novels such as "Wolfen"), who during one Christmas holiday at his cabin in upstate NY, has what he believes to be an alien encounter. However, figuring out the reality of what he saw, or the meaning of it, proves to be no easy feat as well as hard on his family.<br /><br />"Communion" is a fairly creepy film that does establish a totally mind-blowing atmosphere. Director Philippe Mora, working from a screenplay by Strieber himself, does succeed in creating an air of ambiguity. It's sensitive to the dilemmas of those who claim to have had alien encounters without supporting them 100%. And that is precisely what gives this film its impact. It doesn't go completely in either direction. And yet it offers truly surreal alien encounter scenes that are interesting to watch. Ultimately, though, it's a good portrait of a strange cerebral experience and how it gets interpreted.<br /><br />Walken is an eccentric gem that allows him plenty of room to use his trademark cadences and delivery. Lindsay Crouse, however, seems rather miscast in the role of the supportive yet frustrated wife, not that she doesn't give it some effort. Frances Sternhagen, Andreas Katsulas are fine in support, although Joel Carlson is too self-consciously "cute" as the Striebers' son. Actors from past Mora films (John Dennis Johnston, Paul Clemens) make cameo appearances.<br /><br />Playing no small part in the success of the film is the striking Eric Clapton theme.<br /><br />"Communion" is very deliberately paced. Mora is in no rush to reveal anything and allows the mood created by Strieber's dilemma to play out slowly. This is a gamble, but I think it pays off to a degree by allowing one to sympathize, if not identify with, Strieber.<br /><br />This should be worth a look for viewers searching for something different.<br /><br />7/10