Should I have known? (Knowing (DVD))

Member Name: dididave

Product:	Knowing (DVD)
Date:	23/08/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good ideas, different, good thriller elements.

Disadvantages: Cage as usual is hit and miss as are the rest of the cast, confused plotting.

A time capsule is buried underneath an elementary school. Fifty years later it is dug up and the contents are shared amongst the schoolchildren. Caleb receives a letter with strange numbers on it that seem to have a meaning. He shows it to his dad John who finds that these numbers hold terrible truths about tragedies that have happened and those that are to come. Can John stop these tragedies from happening? Why has Caleb started to hear whispering and what is the real meaning behind the numbers?

"Knowing" is a very confused film. Is it a thriller, science fiction or disaster movie? After watching it I still don't know as it sits strangely in all these genres while belonging to none of them. The film is clearly influenced by huge disaster epics like "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact". However, it could just as easily be lumped in with films like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". This makes for a bizarre viewing experience as I never quite figured out what I was watching. Ironically while the cast set about the task of "Knowing" I felt like I understood less and less.

Of course this does make this a film that could never be confused of being predictable. There are certainly a million and one twists and turns and a fair few red herrings thrown in for good measure. The thriller element of the film is actually pretty great with creepy and ominous signs littered throughout. The presence of the ethereal "Stranger" and his "Whisper Men" add a surprisingly good horror element to the film and coupled with impressive action/disaster scenes this is a film that manages to remain fast-paced while keeping a sense of intrigue.

There is no doubt this is a different movie. Unfortunately, the unique plot is somewhat let down by some hit and miss acting from perennial gurner Nicholas Cage. I can never decide whether Cage is a good actor or not. He plays the part of widower John with the usual melancholy he seems to give every role and although he is endearing as the unwitting and somewhat feckless hero, he is unconvincing in the role of doting dad. This isn't helped much by the lack of chemistry between Cage and child actor Chandler Canterbury as Caleb. Caleb is played with staring eyes and he matches his dad's dour demeanour scene for scene. His lifeless performance really drags down a good story and their relationship is largely unconvincing. Fortunately, the film is somewhat saved by a brilliantly Hitchhiker-esque turn by unknown Daniel Maloney who is a constant menacing and eerie presence.

My feelings remain mixed about this film and more I think about it, the bigger my headache becomes. It has all the elements of a good movie but something is not quite right. Perhaps the problem is that it has all the elements of several good movies but no one driving force. Things are certainly not helped by a stupid ending and a weird undercurrent of religious indoctrination. The idea of faith versus science is tentatively explored as is determinism and chaos theory. This could have been interesting but instead it just made the film seem pious in an attempt to be overly deep.

I cannot say "Knowing" is a film I didn't enjoy as I did. Although it has left me with more questions than answers and is not as clever as it thinks it is, it stills offers something different from the standard Hollywood blockbuster. If you can suspend your disbelief for a while and try not to think too much about the plot, you may well enjoy it too.

Summary: An enjoyable if weird thriller/sci-fi/horror/disaster movie!