"What Dreams May Come" (1998) - Movie Review

After life and the merry making imagery of heaven along side the turbulent violent hell are the major elements to explore in “What Dreams May Come”, a film based upon the novel of same name by Richard Matheson. It has the shades of getting into as a Sunday TV movie and I say it in a good way for its theme. It has the sorrow we never feel it too much and happiness we never enjoy too much. We do enjoy the use of genuine graphics and the improvisation of it which does not compromise for cheap shots. It is a film with lot of integrity and that makes it a good film.

With rapid slow advancements in to the life of the couple who carry sparks at their first sight, Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams) and Annie (Annabella Sciorra), we learn their instant love and deepest tragedies. After loosing their children, Marie (Jessica Brooks Grant) and Ian (Josh Paddock), for four years their sorrows have come to an understanding. But fate at its own terms takes Chris too leaving the fragile Annie on the verge of another breakdown. Chris wakes up and here is what the film holds its stand together, Chris baffles by the happening around him witnessing his own funeral but the acceptance of the situation is so swift, thinking back it we feel happily swindled. He is guided by a pleasant man Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.). Chris is been acclimated to his new place and like Neo getting his lesson from Morpheus in “The Matrix”, Chris gets it from Albert only more friendly in a beautiful location.

If not for the essential graphics, the film would have fallen in many places making it uninteresting. The concept of after life are smeared but not dug. Pegging the script with some important flag points, it transpires into a romantic story migrating into adventures. But on its journey it reveals sweet surprises and since we do not know much about Chris, his back ground and his real relationship with the people he admired and loved, those blossom as good believable and appreciable plot points.

Director Vincent Ward uses colours in a visually dominating film as the mind imagines it. When Chris drops himself among a painted generation of reality, we know it is painting and the objects when smashed and squashed by Chris oozes paints. Hence it is a fantasy of faithful generation of an art. Similarly the shots of people flying and the streams glitter its shiny smooth water amongst the rocks and pebbles are comforting into a painful situation Chris is in his thoughts.

It is a great way to look at death and may be expect it with some cheerfulness. Having that in mind while watching, the pessimistic mind called it as a cheap deception to face the pitch dark abyss too. And it brings the question of reality, the thoughts and the physical attribution of the mind pinched thoughtfully in m&m (or Cadbury’s Gems) moments only leaving us begging for more.

A hero fighting for saving his loved one from the impossible is always possible in the films. Chris gets a chance to be with his wife who has gone through hell on earth but only to be damned in literally for taking her life. They dance over the idea; no, actually they garner the religion based philosophy out here. It is more plot oriented than to preach upon which is a consolation.

“What May Dreams Come” does not aim high and knows that. It remains to its level and extends it in the arena where it has wide scope for excellence, the visual department. In that they did the job impressively and this earned them their Academy Award for Visual Effects. Robin Williams is so manly but when he holds the hand of any one, it is so damn comforting. It is not the macho aspect of being safe but something in the body language he does to the character. By the time this film was made, he patched up his stars in “Good Will Hunting” and a similar character oriented role in the same year with “Patch Adams”. For that and some greeting card after life fantasy, it is a comforting and feel good Sunday afternoon movie for the family.