Film Review: Knowing

About Knowing (2009)Action thriller starring Nicolas Cage as John Koestler, a teacher who opens a time capsule that has been unearthed in the grounds of his son’s school. The capsule contains some chilling predictions, some of which have already occurred, and other still worse prophecies that have yet to happen. With the reluctant help of Diana and Abby Whelan (Rose Byrne and Lara Robinson), the daughter and granddaughter of the now-deceased writer of the predictions, Koestler sets out on a race against time to solve the riddles and do what he can to avert destruction on a global scale.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne

Directed by: Alex Proyas

Runtime: 121 minutes

Studio: Summit Entertainment

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Review: Knowing

Many believe in prophecies and fate, that frightening notion that everything we do is pre-determined and that truth be told we have no control of our destinies. Alex Proyas Knowing explores the possibility of being able to see disasters in the future and explores how, if possible, we can try to avert such calamities happening but at what cost?

The film begins in 1959 with a group of schoolchildren writing messages that are to be placed in a time capsule, buried in the yard, and unearthed fifty years later for a future generation to see. One girl, Lucinda Embry (Lara Robinson), fills a page with random numbers and is later found in a closet scratching more numbers into a door. She seems to be in a trance as she writes the numbers but we’re given no clue as to what the messages mean. Fifty years later the time capsule is unearthed and Lucinda’s message falls into the hands Caleb Koestler (Chandler ) whose father Jonathan (Nicholas Cage) is a professor of astrophysics. Studying the numbers on the page Jonathan realises that the numbers provide dates for worldwide disasters, all of which have now occurred save three more! Jonathan now knows that in the future there will be at least three disasters but can he prevent them?

Knowing begins well with an intriguing opening with a tortured Lucinda scrawling sequences of numbers first onto paper and then into wood. In the present day Jonathan begins to unravel the mystery of the numbers, identifying many dates on the page, but many numbers remain unaccounted for until he is stuck in a traffic jam. A display on the sat nav sounds familiar and when Jonathan looks at Lucinda’s paper he finds a matching number and realises it is coordinates! Seconds later a plane crashes at the very spot Jonathan is stuck in traffic. He now has just two disasters left to prevent but he has the locations of where they will take place in his favour.

Jonathan’s path leads him to Lucinda’s daughter Diana (Rose Byrne) and granddaughter Abby (Lara Robinson) and together the group band together to prevent further disasters. Intrigue is added to the film in the form of a mysterious figure that is watching Jonathan and his son and frequently tries to make contact with Caleb. Jonathan tries to intervene in the second of three disasters but just as he thinks he has succeeded tragedy strikes. The third and final prediction from Lucinda is particularly concerning. Diana informs Jonathan that her mother spoke often of the final date October 19 when everyone will perish. The end of the world has been foretold but how do you go about preventing it?

Knowing is better in the first half as the storyline is laid out and we have poor Jonathan trying to make sense of the numbers and prevent disasters killing so many innocent people. Premonition (2004) explored a similar idea with future events revealed in newspaper clippings. That handed the theme much better than Knowing does. Don’t get me wrong I was very intrigued for the first half of the film but when it came to the revelations at the end, particularly the mysterious figures that are watching Jonathan and his son, I hazarded a guess as to what was happening and was sadly prove right. The ending is Hollywood corniness in full flow I’m afraid, the ultimate sacrifice territory and all that, which impacted badly on the film overall. Cage is usually reliable and he’s fine here but surely such a talented actor deserves better work than this.

Knowing begins well and maintains the interest for a while but once you’ve figured out how it will end, which isn’t difficult, then it finishes up as a disappointment. Many sci-fi fans will find this appealing and there are some good effects thrown in but I was too busy rolling my eyes by the end to really care. A missed opportunity and a real shame too.

Verdict: 2/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: Knowing | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave