Caleb, the young son of astrophysicist John Koestler, (Nicolas Cage) brings home a cryptic message from a time capsule that was buried 50 years ago by the students at his elementary school. The writings came from a spooky child named Lucinda, and as John sets about to decipher them, he realizes they are accurately predicting future disasters--right down to the exact date and location. This messes with John's head because he's something of an agnostic--favoring a random universe over the theory of determinism (that means...like...FATE, man).It starts to REALLY mess with his head when the disasters start getting up close and personal.
John locates the deceased Lucinda's daughter, Diana, (Rose Byrne) who he HOPES to enlist as an ally in his quest to figure out what's going on before all hell breaks loose on the planet.
I haven't been too keen on Nicolas Cage ever since I saw him swallow a huge live cockroach in one of his earlier films. They might look ugly to US, but that roach was probably somebody's mother! There are certain disgustingly creepy things I wouldn't do for ANY amount of money, and it makes me wonder about those who have no such ethics. That aside, I'll give him credit here for an appropriately frenetic portrayal of a truly freaked out dude.
On the minus side, the film comes with the most intrusive, unsubtle, and overbearing soundtrack ever to assault these virgin ears. Even taking into account that it's a thriller, the music tries too hard and seemingly never stops. But I'm willing to mitigate my feelings about the soundtrack because the picture has great special effects and the ending BLEW ME AWAY!
Knowing is an ambitious film, the scope of which you'll have NO CLUE going in. It's like coming home expecting to get a burrito for dinner and being served a seven course meal instead.
NOTE: Remember when movie reviewers use to feed you just enough about the plot to whet your appetite? Well, today's bunch comes from the same school as my girlfriend when she tells me she's constipated...that's the school of TOO MUCH INFORMATION! The trend is to basically reveal EVERYTHING that happens in the film except the very ending. STAY AWAY FROM OTHER REVIEWS ABOUT THIS PICTURE...they will spoil it for you.
Just go and see it.
GRADE: B+
