Happy Easter, and for the occasion, I'm looking at a movie that's ... perhaps not one hundred percent rooted in Christianity ... but is just adjacent enough in its subject matter that it feels fitting for the holiday. The afterlife is perhaps one of the most intriguing subjects ever, and an engaging concept for any movie to tackle. No one really knows what life is like after death, and even for those of us who believe in Heaven haven’t got a clue as to what it would be like when we get there.
Over the years I’ve read many stories and seen many movies with their own take on what life after death will presumably be like. One of the most memorable for me is the 1998 Fantasy/ Drama “What Dreams May Come”, which is adapted from the 1978 novel of the same name. The title is obviously a nod to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, and more specifically a line from the characters famous “To Be, Or Not to Be” soliloquy in the “Nunnery Scene”. In the movie, the statement refers to the hopeful dreams shared between two lovers on Earth but are dashed when reality takes a dramatic toll. Yet, their dreams may have a second chance of fruition in the life after death.
In the movie, the late great Robin Williams portrayed a doctor named Chris, who’s fallen in love with a woman named Annie. Together they raise a son and doubter, life seems magical and every day is a blessing … until one tragic morning in which the children unfortunately die in a car accident. Now our lead couple is struggling with this loss, and just when Chris thinks he can finally bring hope and love back to his wife, he too tragically dies in another freak car accident. From this point on, we follow Chris on his journey through death. At first, he’s like a ghost, observing his wife on earth, and the impact that his death left on her. Then he finds his way to Heaven, or more specifically, his own personal Heaven that he created from his own life and dreams. Along his journey in the afterlife, he’s guided by an angel named Albert, played by Cuba Gooding Jr. who once new Chris back on Earth.
The set-up works, but the narrative admittedly gets a little rocky as we cut back and forth between flashbacks and the surreal dreamscape journey our lead is venturing through. Before I get lost in all the details of what works and what doesn’t, let me first address the absolute best quality of the movie which makes it worth viewing … the visual design!
This film is absolutely breathtaking to look at, with scenery and landscapes so surreal, beautifully detailed and vibrant that you just feel transported. Unsurprisingly, this film won the Academy Award for Best Special Effects and was nominated an Oscar for Best Art Direction. The logic in the film is that every individual creates his own heaven, and in the case of Chris, he was very fond of paintings and artwork back on Earth. Thus, his version of heaven is like one big painting. The things Chris does in Heaven are also very fun to watch. It’s like seeing a kid take control of his most magical dream. I especially love this scene when he wills himself to fly across the landscape … and maybe it’s just a coincidence, but it feels reminiscent of Robin Willaims other flying scene from “Hook”.
As the film goes on, we see many different interpretations of heaven from other desist characters, each with an astonishing look and feel that’s all their own. I love how detailed everything is, although we do get to a point when it feels less like Heaven and more like a magical fantasy world, with mermaids and people flying through the sky. Even if you’re not interested in the film’s subjects of life and death, the film is absolutely worth viewing, just to be transported to this magical world that the film creates. The subjects raised in this movie are kind of hit and miss, as some topics are really good, while others are kind of head scratching. The main point the film emphasizes is that when you find your perfect soul mate, the connection between the two never stops. A person may die but love never dies, and you’ll still have that connection even in the afterlife. This is good on its own, but what really sells it are the performances from the cast.
Robin Williams is of course an actor that just can’t do wrong, and when he’s paired with his wife played by Annabella Sciorra, the two bring out delightful chemistry, along with effectively dramatic material. I wouldn’t call this one of Robin Williams’ absolute best performances, but I always love how versatile he can be, and this film is a decent showcase for his range of theatrics. I also want to give some credit to the lovely Asian actress named Rosalind Chao who in this film plays another angel character named Leona. As a longtime fan of both “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Deep Space 9”, it’s always great to see a familiar face acting in other movies. Her role in this movie is short, but it’s probably one of the most touching performances of hers that I’ve seen. Both Cuba Gooding Jr. and the late great Max Von Sydow are both solid as guiding angels, although there’s one aspect to both their characters and the previously mentioned Leona that I personally can’t stand.
Basically, this movie tells us that a soul in Heaven has the choice to either maintain their same image from on Earth, or they can take on the likeness of someone else they knew. When our lead Chris reunites with the souls of his late children, they’ve taken on the appearances of other people Chris knew, and that’s my real reservation with this film. I can accept the idea of individuals creating their own pocket design of Heaven, but I’m not fond of re-designing one’s self-image with someone else’s image. As a concept I find it silly (perhaps ethically questionable) and as a point in the narrative it’s confusing and distracts from the dramatic material at hand.
Speaking of dramatic material, things take a turn as we segue into the film’s final act. As Chris has been having a beautiful time in Heaven with his kids, his wife Annie has been going through Hell on Earth. Eventually, Annie takes her own life, and her soul is sent to one of the lower levels of Hell.
After learning this, Chris is determined to venture down into the darkest depths and free her soul from the underworld. I will say that even in the dark and gloomy setting of Hell, the movie is still very imaginative and impressive to look at. Aside from the actual gates of Hell, there really isn’t that much fire and brimstone. Instead, this films version of Hell is depicted as a cold and gloomy place where sinners continue to live their miserable lives, without even realizing that they’re stuck in this limbo for all eternity. There’s an especially eerie scene when Chris walks over a sea of bodies that are buried up to their heads, which are all still talking like they were back on Earth with no hope and no remorse.
It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise how the film resolves … I won’t go into specific details here … but I will say I didn’t love the final outcome. Initially, the film sets up a big dramatic and emotional playoff but instead our two leads come full circle, and in a manner of speaking are back to the beginning of their life story. For me, it felt like a cheap and safe way to wrap everything up. The original 1978 novel had a similar ending, but I felt it had a little more substance as to why things were starting over again, and I felt it conveyed its message with more poignancy … that we should keep hope alive and don’t fear death.
Overall, the 1998 movie “What Dreams May Come” is far from perfect, with an occasionally clunky narrative, and my own personal reservations with some of the details, like the ending and the angels taking the appearances of other people. However, for all the films’ shortcomings, it’s still stuck with me in a positive way, and I still find myself returning to it every couple years. Even if the details or the concept isn’t for you, I’d still encourage viewers to experience it at least once and determine if it was or wasn’t an impactful experience. For me, there’s simply too much to admire in this film to dismiss it. The film succeeds in creating a magical vision of life after death, it’s an absorbing experience, and there are at least one or two thoughtful statements made in the film. For all the film’s imagination, wonderous imagery and strong leading performances, I’d say that the film is certainly worth either a discovery or rediscovery.
Thanks for
reading my review of the 1998 Fantasy/Drama “What Dreams May Come” … and
continue to enjoy the movies you Love!
