KNOWING - REVIEW (ON DVD)
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Director:Alex Proyas
Cast:Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne,Ben Mendelsohn
Rating: 3.5/5
Knowing is the work of visionary director Alex Proyas. Some have said
Proyas has his own genre and only works within it. When the quality is
consistently good why tamper with a winning formula?
Nicolas cage teams with Proyas in this dark sci-fi epic and quality
Australian talent, rose Byrne and Ben Mendelssohn are a strong
presence in supporting roles.
The story centres on a time capsule and on particular one item it
contains, a sheet of numbers written in 1959 than set the road map for
ever major disaster from then until now.
Cages son Caleb is the recipient of the sheet when his school unearth
the capsule at a gala event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
school.
Cages character John Koestler , an expert in astronomy comes across the sheet and
deciphers the code. He then proceeds track down the origins of the
code in order to make sense of where and why the numbers ran out.
The premise was exciting and enticing and held my interest. The pace
was swift as in most apocalyptic endeavours and this managed to
maintain a flow that kept me engaged.
The third act is where the plot fell apart for me. As in From Dusk
Til Dawn I was emersed up to a point then the ball was dropped.
Like Tarrantino and Rodriguez I can forgive Proyas for this detour
into the implausible. I get the direction he was going in, but the"
whisper people" who communicated with and protected the children where
somewhat underwhelming for my liking. I wanted them to take a more
aggressive approach rather than a nurturing one.
Their albino appearance and lack of emotion was a throw back to the
Proyas classic "dark city" and I was expecting the same here. So much
so, I was waiting for Kiefer Sutherland to make an appearance.
The red camera technology employed by Proyas was particularly stunning
in the "wreckage" scenes and the 5:1 surround sound put you right
inside the action. If this is the entree in the world of new
technology, the upcoming "Avatar" from James Cameron (starring
another Aussie Sam Worthington) should be a delicious main course.
This film was rating at 4 stars through acts one and two. I down
graded my rating when the religious overtones kicked in during act
three as too much was trying to be clambered into the finale and I
felt proyas was trying too hard to make it all work.
Like M. Nyght Shamalan, Proyas has the unique ability to marry Arthouse
with commercial blockbuster. It is infectious entertainment that
doesn't try to aim at or please everyone, but those who get it, enjoy
the ride, myself included.
I totally agree with the whole religious thing going over board!!
I did not enjoy this move at all!!!
I expected a lot more from cage to be honest, didn't think he'd be into anything this trippy!
You would definitely have to be on drugs to like this movie lol lol
The beginning was a good set up
But a major let down at the end
My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
PJ: Thank you for your insight, and I am pleased you had somewhat of the same view as me. I didn't hate the movie by any means I just thought it fell over and was too convoluted.
Natalina: thanks for throwing your 2c in, please come back and read my stuff mor, yes I was speaking with a friend and he is in your camp of the aliens as angels perspective. I was actually waiting for the "whisper people" to harm the children as I think they could have ad a violent edge to them which could have been developed more as I feel they were very under utilised
Did anyone notice Benita from Play School in it? She was Nicolas Cage's mum.
It was a good until that pathetic ending ruined it all!!