Before I Wake (2016) - An Intriguing Fantasy/Horror Hybrid With a Frustrating Payoff

The shatterproof bond that exists between a parent and child is about as potent a human connection as you'll find. By the same token, there is perhaps nothing more tragic than when a parent is forced to experience the death of their child. There is something inherently unsettling about the dynamic of a parent burying their offspring, something that doesn't sit well within us when the natural cycle of life and death is interrupted by the unexpected demise of a young one.

For this reason, we immediately understand the unfathomable depths of pain and sorrow that Jessie and Mark Hobson (Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane) feel having lost their precious son in a ghastly accident. Even if we can't directly sympathize with their terrible situation, we can grasp the emotional stakes that exist for the couple when they decide to welcome another child into their home, this time in the form of a foster kid named Cody (Jacob Tremblay).

We can just as easily conjure up empathy for Cody, who has been tossed around foster home to foster home and never seems to stick, always ending up in situations that conclude mysteriously - and disastrously. Perhaps becoming a part of the Hobson household will finally get the boy's life on a path towards some semblance of normalcy and peace. Perhaps learning to love and care for a new child will be the fresh start the Hobsons need to finally heal the broken hearts that ache within them. Or perhaps not.

Before I Wake comes from the mind of writer/director/editor Mike Flanagan, a talented horror filmmaker with a penchant for character-driven stories that just so happen to have a frightening tinge. This film is no different. The characters are strong, thanks in part to the performances of a capable cast, and the setup of the story is unquestionably intriguing: the Hobsons come to realize that all of Cody's dreams come to life as he sleeps, an incredible gift that yields awe-inspiring results. A beautiful rabble of luminescent butterflies flutter around the living room, a delightful Christmas morning scene is recreated, and even the Hobsons' deceased boy, Sean, makes an appearance in the nighttime hours when Cody slumbers. This is, of course, just a reflection of their child, one born from Cody's unrefined impression of him. But for a couple longing to hold their little boy in their arms once again, this incomplete version of him is understandably beguiling.

The situation rapidly plummets south for everyone involved, because while Cody's dreams are joyful and mesmerizing, his nightmares are equally disturbing and wicked. One recurring character in Cody's night terrors is the monstrous pale phantom known as the Canker Man, who absorbs people into himself like some demented amoeba. As Cody describes it, "he eats people."

The premise is solid. The setup, as I previously mentioned, is strong enough to get the viewer engaged and invested. Where the film ultimately falters is in the overall execution of its narrative, especially in its latter half. Things become unnecessarily convoluted in a muddled final act that almost completely does away with the subtle, unnerving tone that characterized the film up to that point in favor of cheap thrills and predictable scares that leave a fair amount to be desired.

Before I Wake culminates in an aggravatingly clichéd climax complete with incoherent set pieces and an infuriating exposition dump that's meant to represent an emotional denouement for our characters, but ultimately just feels stale and inorganic.

There's a lot to like about Before I Wake. It's clear that Flanagan, the maestro behind such splendidly scary works as Oculus (2013), Hush (2016), and the excellent Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House (2018), bit off more than he could effectively chew in regards to the twisty, turny nature of the story. But despite its flaws, there's an enjoyable fantasy/horror film here, and if you're a fan of Flanagan's other works, it's worth checking out.

B-

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