Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOILERS

[Captain Craig]

My grade: B+
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Some SPOILERS below so read at your risk. SPOILERS contained in opening post.
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Its a much deeper, philosophical and religious than any trailer/preview has shown. Going in I had thought this was going to be one of those disaster flicks along the lines of Volcano, Dantes Peak, Deep Impact or Day After Tomorrow. Where our protagonists either help others survive or prevent some catastrophe all together. The religious aspect is not played up AT ALL in any trailer/preview.

This is going to be a movie that I think you'll either like or dislike. Not sure if there is going to be much middle ground. Afterall, its about KNOWING. Knowing your time is up. Knowing if your soul is prepared. Knowing if you even care its the end. What happens when you know? It forces the viewer to ask that question, "If I knew the end was coming what would I do?" Nic Cage and a scant few others actually know its THE END, the Apocolypse. Everyone else, the viewer is lead to believe, thinks its something perhaps to survive.

I'll be curious to see how this film fares. Will the Protestant Christians who made Passion of the Christ and Fireproof box office hits line up behind this?


I do feel this is the right forum given how elements in the movie play out.
Religious themes are played as alien, or they are an allegory. Once you see it you'll understand this as the forum choice.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I plan to see this one over the weekend, so I'm not gonna read your post yet. Rose Byrne is one reason I want to see the movie. It's nice to see that she's still doing movies while being a regular on a TV show.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

so this movie isnt anything like NEXT is it?

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

so this movie isnt anything like NEXT is it?

Depends on your opinion of Next I suppose. That movie is about a C/C+ imo.

If you mean tonally or thematically its nothing at all like NEXT.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

well i thougth NEXT was abomination. This movie however looks 10x better than that, but Nic Cage has been on a bit of a over the top action movie romp for the past decade and i blame Face-Off for that. But whatever. This movie is most likely nothing like Face-Off (here's hoping)

not that Face Off was bad (for its time) well lets just say that John Holly-Woo didn't turn out so well. but thats my opinion.

KNOWING will dethrone Race to Witch Mountain at the B.O., yeah?

 

[davejames]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I have to admit, the clips they showed at Wondercon of the plane and train crashes WERE pretty powerful and effective.

I usually avoid these kinds of trashy action thrillers, but I might just check this one out...

 

[Aragorn]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

Roger Ebert gave this movie four stars. He also has a blog where he gets into detail about the movie for those who have seen it.

 

[Daneel]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I was planning to give the film a pass, but after reading all this I might consider seeing it. I think I'll wait for a few more reviews, however, and see if the general consensus is that the movie is decent.

I'm curious, though, as to this religious aspect you mentioned Captain Craig. Just how prevalent is it? Suggesting that it might appeal to the Christian market as The Passion of the Christ did makes me a little wary. After your description, I'm kind of getting a Left Behind vibe, and that doesn't really appeal to me. Is the film at all preachy? That would be a major turn-off, personally. I don't mind films with spiritual themes, but overtly religious movie-making isn't really my thing.

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

Roger Ebert gave this movie four stars. He also has a blog where he gets into detail about the movie for those who have seen it.

Rotten Tomatoes media score = 24% RT community score= 59%
Yahoo! critics = C+ Yahoo! users = A-
MetaCritic = 40 out of 100
FilmCritic.com = 4 of 5*****
Movies.com = B+


I think this movie is going to be one of those that you either like or dislike. The scores seem to indicate my feeling on that. Its either high or low, I don't see much middle ground with this movie, especially considering the themes it deals with.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

is it preachy, like The Happening was?

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I'm curious, though, as to this religious aspect you mentioned Captain Craig. Just how prevalent is it? Suggesting that it might appeal to the Christian market as The Passion of the Christ did makes me a little wary. After your description, I'm kind of getting a Left Behind vibe, and that doesn't really appeal to me. Is the film at all preachy? That would be a major turn-off, personally. I don't mind films with spiritual themes, but overtly religious movie-making isn't really my thing.

Its not prevalent at all for the first 2 acts of the film. Little mentions of religion are mentioned but can easily be dismissed cause for the first two acts the movie appears like it might be a disaster film about a disaster that can be survived, delayed or halted. Not to unlike those I mention in the OP.

The third act, the last half hour or so the religion aspect goes full blown.
The Old Testament book of Ezekiel plays a large role in the imagery of the film. Sadly I believe some edits, at least I hope they exist, of perhaps the characters reading from Ezekiel are missing and would help the viewer make the connection even stronger. Not all are going to know Ezekiel chapter one.

I would like to point out that its nothing like Passion or Fireproof for that matter. Both of those movie are tonally different. I mention them cause like Knowing, they both utilize Judeo-Christian spirituality in the movie.

Interview with director Proyas with some answers on his religous placement within the films conclusion.

The story of a man with the knowledge of impending world disasters could be seen as a cautionary tale, but don’t expect a deep environment message. “Knowing” does have a spiritual side however. “For me, the movie is a spiritual question on the part of Nicholas Cage’s character,” Alex says. “He starts off believing that the universe is a meaningless place that functions on the basis of randomness and chaos and comes to realize that perhaps there is meaning to his life on earth. And that, to me, is a deeply spiritual aspect of the film.
“Prophecies come and go and we play with that in the movie. Nick’s character being - he’s a man of science in the film so he’s the last guy who’s going to jump on the prophecy bandwagon. And the numbers have to work pretty damn hard to convince him that something really is going on.
“He’s(John, Nic Cage character) not the guy who immediately starts to cry wolf. He’s very analytical and he goes, “Okay, so if there’s a piece of paper with all these numbers on it maybe someone has played some sort of a sick joke or maybe there’s some other explanation. So he’ll do everything to undermine the system and try and poke holes in it before he eventually has to admit to himself and to others that there truly is something going on. I think the rational mind tends to do that. The explanation for anything that seems inexplicable is always the most obvious thing. Go to that first and work through all those things before you have to admit to yourself there’s something bigger going on, you know?”

Daneel I hoped this helped add some clarity for you and that it makes you more curious to see the film as to avoiding it. The movie is constructed in a way to allow for interpretation beyond the spiritual and I think that is what will make the film engaging long after you see it.

I myself have some more ideas to bounce off others but am waiting till others have seen it.

 

[Daneel]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

Thanks, that helps.

I don't mind if a film's story has a basis in Judeo-Christian mythology -- a decent movie can still be made from that. What I would object to is if it were the cinematic equivalent of a Bible-thumper. From what I can tell, it isn't.

Still not sure if I'll check out the movie, though. I looked at the critics' reviews on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, and it seems as though Ebert is in the minority with his high opinion of the movie. That's not to say that I always base my movie-going decisions on what the critics say, but when it's a film I have a lukewarm interest in, like this one, I find it helps.

Maybe I'll wait and see what a few more people around here say...

 

[Aragorn]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

^ If a big studio release wants to beat the viewer over the head with a message, it will only preach liberalism, not religion.

Now if this were a straight-to-DVD cheapo movie starring Kirk Cameron, on the other hand...

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

Thanks, that helps.

I don't mind if a film's story has a basis in Judeo-Christian mythology -- a decent movie can still be made from that. What I would object to is if it were the cinematic equivalent of a Bible-thumper. From what I can tell, it isn't.

No, it doesn't thump you over the head but it is there. Thing of it is though it still allows for debate on the whole thing. Random vs Determined ; Faith vs Science(personally I think they can coexist most times) ; Agnostic vs Theistic

Now if this were a straight-to-DVD cheapo movie starring Kirk Cameron, on the other hand...

I didn't see Fireproof, if that is what you refer, so I can't speak to its "quality" but it was a monster hit. Making $33.4m on a $500K budget, yes thats 'K', five hundred thousand. Not to mention how it cleaned up once it got to DVD. Some say the same of Twilights "quality" so it appears that some movies can transcend production values if the themes of the movie are important enough to enough people.

 

[Aragorn]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I'm referring to Kirk Cameron's film career in general. Films made with a specific and deliberate Christian intent tend to be pretty poorly made and like to hit you over the head with their message. As opposed to, say, The Passion of the Christ, which is too busy hitting Jesus over the head to hit the audience with any message.

The days of The Ten Commandments and The Robe are long gone.

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

Well, yeah, in general Kirk Cameron has a very sub-par film career.
Knowing isn't trying to be Ten Commandments either. According to the director he just wants it make you think a little about whatever the end my be like and if you are ready.

 

[Aragorn]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

Someone on another forum here said it best -- you can say "the island" is responsible for all the magic and mysticism and destiny, but replace "island" with "God" and people who like the show/movie will suddenly be up in arms against it. Sort of like the "generic blonde" reaction in my GBOW threads.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I really enjoyed this one. I was fully engaged and my heart was actually pounding toward the end. Now about that ending... It was great. They could have ended it with Nicholas Cage's character in the clearing, but they didn't. They did something I've always wanted to see from movies like these. They showed us what happened "afterward". If you've seen the movie, you know what I mean.

By the way, I'm looking at the IMDb entry and it says that Nadia Townsend, who played John's (Cage's character) sister, has been best friends with Rose Byrne since they were 8. Just a nice little fact. I also noticed that Lucinda and Abby were played by the same actress. I didn't catch that when I saw the movie. I did notice that Lucinda looked like a young Rose Byrne though, so I knew something was up with that.

As for the religious stuff, I didn't think much of it. Some of the drawings and art got my attention but the rest felt like minor throwaway moments. Nothing big there.

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

^^^^
Glad you liked it Richard, don't forget to vote if you don't mind.

 

[Procutus]

Re: Knowing - Nic Cage movie 3/20 Discussion, Review and Grading-SPOIL

I think the Missus and I will check this out this weekend. The trailer alone looked intriguing and the reviews and opinions given here have me even more curious to see it. I just hope the ending isn't really too much of a pisser, emotionally speaking.

I'll post back with my own thoughts after seeing it.