Dragonfly Review
by Rose 'Bams' Cooper (bams AT 3blackchicks DOT com)February 25th, 2002
'3BlackChicks Review...'
DRAGONFLY (2002)
Rated PG-13; running time 90 minutes
Studios: Universal Pictures
Genre: "Thriller"
Seen at: Celebration Cinema (Lansing, Michigan)
Official site: http://www.dragonflymovie.com/
IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0259288
Written by: Brandon Camp, Mike Thompson, David Seltzer
Directed by: Tom Shadyac
Cast: Kevin Costner, Joe Morton, Ron Rifkin, Linda Hunt, Kathy Bates, Susanna Thompson
Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2002
Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/2002reviews/bamsdragonfly.html
BWAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I'm sorry. I'm a Professional Critic. I should know better than
BWAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Man, did I need that laugh! What, it's a thriller, you say? Oops.
THE STORY (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**)
The all-you-really-need-to-know version: He Hears Dead People.
The longer version: within the first few frames of film, Dr. Joe Darrow (Kevin Costner) loses his pregnant, Red Cross-volunteering, Pediatric Oncologist wife Dr. Emily Darrow (Susanna Thompson), who dies in a freak bus accident in Venezuela. Apparently, she wasn't quite ready to go, because she sends Joe messages through various pediatric cancer patients she left behind in the Chicago hospital in which they both worked. Joe doesn't believe the voices at first, and neither does his ObKooky Neighbor Mariam (Kathy Bates), ObMean Hospital Administrator Hugh (Joe Morton), or ObWise Colleague Dickinson (Ron Rifkin). But when little squiggly images begin to pop up everywhere, and when Emily's totem dragonflies become a Sign for Joe to follow, well then boy howdy, he's off to see the Wizard (Linda Hunt) to find a tour guide to the afterlife!
THE UPSHOT
Jeez, where do I start: at the "we're going this fast to cover up the sheer stupidity of our premise" beginning, the "I sure wish Big Bird would come back; his 'Talk To The Beak' attitude was the highlight of this piece o' crap flick" middle, or the "My lord, can somebody just put Kevin Costner out of his - and our - misery?" ending?
Really, it doesn't matter; DRAGONFLY is so randomly bad, one might as well throw a dart and start at that point. There wasn't a cliche left unpounced upon, a "surprise" left untelegraphed from miles away, or an absurdity left unthrust upon an incredulous viewer. Hell, it took me all of five minutes to figure out what the squiggly shape and the "rainbow" were all about - and I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer.
I'll just say this: when a friggin' parrot is the most interesting character in your movie, it's time to give up the ghost. And yes, I mean you, Mr. Costner. Whathell ever happened to that engaging young man who gave us NO WAY OUT, FIELD OF DREAMS, and BULL DURHAM? Who left this hollow shell in his place? Hey, next time you see that light shining, Kev, feel free to walk your career right into it.
BAMMER'S BOTTOM LINE
Oh my sweet lord, was this movie ever stinky; but damn that bad-weave bird for being so funny that I couldn't give this flick the triple-red rating it really deserved. I can only assume that somewhere in Hollywood, there's an Evil Person holding a Kevin Costner Voodoo Doll - and he's making Kevin do baaaaaad things...
DRAGONFLY rating: redlight
Rose "Bams" Cooper
Webchick and Editor,
3BlackChicks Review
Entertainment Reviews With Flava!
Copyright Rose Cooper, 2002
EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com
http://www.3blackchicks.com/
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
