“Dragonfly” which stars Kevin Costner, directed by Tom Shadyac, is a forgettable movie. I rented it this weekend, and I’ll try to forget about it as soon as I write this review. Although I have enjoyed the charismatic presence of Costner in other better films, such as “Dances With Wolves”, his presence here is sorely lacking credibility. His character, an emergency room doctor named Joe, is not developed sufficiently for the audience to really relate or care about what he is going through. In order to connect to a film, I must be emotionally involved in their characters, which I was unable to do with Costner’s Joe.
Doctor Joe’s wife, played by Susanna Thompson, also a physician, died while she was caring for people in a secluded part of Venezuela. Joe begins having visions, of dragonflies, which seems to indicate to him that his wife is trying to speak to him from beyond her grave. Joe’s wife had a thing for dragonflies, including a tattoo of one, so the logic follows.
Co-stars include Academy Award Winners Linda Hunt (playing a nun) and Kathy Bates (a neighbor). They can’t save this lifeless film for trying. The film is touted as a “supernatural thriller” but is sadly missing any real thrills or chills. The plot is very simple, and without any real action to speak of, just drags slowly along.
I think that a big problem with this movie is that it was marketed as more of a supernatural themed film than it actually is. I went into watching “Dragonfly” with more expectations that it would be scary, and keep me on the edge of my seat. I think it would have been better marketed had the producers pushed the romantic angle more. I am not a big fan of sappy romantic love stories. If I knew that’s what “Dragonfly” was, at least I wouldn’t have been disappointed that I got something other than what I was hoping for.
The questions raised by the movie, such as how do we handle a great love of our life passing away, are not irrelevant. But the way in which the film goes about telling this story of true love is just dull. If the film makers thought that by using cheap special effects like making the dead wife appear to be underwater, with her hair flowing, they are mistaken. It’s not special effects that set the standard for a good movie, but strong character development, and strong writing. I guess the only mystery aspect is that Joe doesn’t know exactly how his wife died in the jungle, so he wants to find out more about her death. This part of the movie could have been better executed, too. There was not enough build-up, not enough real suspense.
If I were to say something positive about the film, I could say that at least the film deals with an important issue: what happens to us when we die, when we leave this body? Does our soul, our essence, live on elsewhere, in some form or another? So, the basis of the story has some interest, it’s just the movie itself that does not inspire much. . I did like the allusion to the dragonfly, in so much as the insect outstretches its wings while at rest. I thought that was kind of an analogy to Joe’s wife reaching out from beyond the grave.
If you like supernatural love stories, I would highly recommend the movie “Ghost” starring Demi Moore. Moore’s acting in that film really helps to muster up the emotional connection to her character’s loss. That film is highly dramatic, but has wonderful comic bits as well. “Dragonfly” is not anywhere near that amazing movie.
Unless you are a true blue die-hard Kevin Costner fan, I would not recommend “Dragonfly”. This film does not at all live up to its hype of being a “thriller”. I would forget about any positive buzz you may have heard about “Dragonfly”. To me, it’s irritating like a mosquito. And when it’s gone, you’ll barely remember it.