Apparitions

I can't say I'm a huge fan of Kevin Costner and I'm bored of films that copy the same style of 'Sixth Sense' but there is something about 'Dragonfly' draws the viewer into the storyline and the main character's plight.

When paediatrician Joe Darrow's wife Emily dies in a bus accident in South America, where she was doing mercy work, he is left devastated and struggles to cope. But his grief is interrupted when his dead and dying patients begin communicating messages to him that he thinks are an attempt by his late wife to contact him. He's left wondering if her death has tipped him over the edge or if the dead can talk to the living? Or even if Emily is alive out there?

Costner, who plays Darrow, gives a surprisingly effective performance as a man deeply grief-stricken, caught between letting his wife go and risking insanity by pursuing these messages his young patients pass on. The storyline itself was an involving mix of romance, suspense and drama. Although certain aspects were rather clichéd or clearly just added to keep the film going longer, this was easily forgiven because Darrow was a nicely-depicted character who you couldn't help empathise with and the ending was delivered in an up-lifting manner. These days, films of this sort usually resort to shock sad/tragic finales that it's actually a pleasant change to see things end happily.

This is certainly one for Shyamalan fans or those wanting a mildly creepy and quite intelligent film.

If you check your cynicism at the door, "Dragonfly" is astonishing in its tenderness. It's beautifully shot (Dean Semler of "Dances with Wolves" and "Waterworld") and well-acted. It's a refreshing alternative to the testosterone-driven films like "John Q", "Collateral Damage" and myriad war movies like "We Were Soldiers". Kevin Costner is inexplicably Hollywood's whipping boy but he still manages to make varied, provocative choices in his projects. While I wanted to resist the heart-tug of the ending, I found I simply couldn't. If you let it, "Dragonfly" will take you someplace sweet.

Dr. Joe Darrow (Kevin Costner) is a recently widowed doctor. He is grieving due to the death of his pregnant wife in a Red Cross mission in Venezuela. Although being atheist, he began to believe that his dead wife wants to communicate with him, through her young patients in the Pediatrics of a Chicago hospital.

Although using many clichés, the plot is romantic and the story is beautiful. However, the time taken by Joe Darrow to find out the meaning of the symbol is amazingly long for such an obsessed and intelligent character. Further, while his wife tries to contact him through the almost dead persons, the story is OK. But if she had the capacity of telekinesis, why not give him a clear written message? My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Libélula" ("The Mystery of the Dragonfly")

Many may think they know the ending, but they will be suprised. This is a beautiful film with much more depth and understanding than initially appears. If you think it is going to be an average hollywood ghost story, think again.

Setting aside several brilliant, but slashing technophile reviews, the experience of the story is more important than the mechanics, or the fact that several trendy notions have been graphed together. I don't care that it is New Age, Old Age, Stone Age... whatever. I don't even care that Costner doesn't seem to know where anything is going. I don't care if the director knew either. This is a story about the spirit of the only person absent from the film. The thing that drives the fictional Emily in the fictional tale is more compelling than anything else. What mother would not defy death to see this plot to conclusion? The broader message is most uplifting, the very powerful, spiritual, magical force that is love. It isn't too difficult to mine this treasure from the mud. Overall, I found the story very interesting and it survives the mediocrity of dialog and implausibility of the doctor's behavior at the hospital. The movie is even better on the second viewing. Sue me, but I really liked it.