‘Knowing’ (2009) Movie Review
In “Knowing” A new elementary school in 1959 celebrates it’s opening by creating a time capsule, and having all the students make predictions of what they think the future would be like 50 years in the future. One mysterious girl, Lucinda Embry (Lara Robinson) puts a list of random numbers into the time capsule, which we learn later on predicts every major, future tragedy for the next 50 years with the exact date,gps location,and number of deaths that occur.
Now, 50 years later in present time,2009. All the kids at that same elementary school get to open that time capsule,and see what the kids wrote.One kid, Caleb Koestler (Chandler Canterbury) randomly gets Lucinda’s envelope with all the mysterious numbers inside. He takes it home instead of giving it back to the school. His father John Koestler (Nicholas Cage) sees the list of numbers sticking out of his bag,and starts to take a look at it. He notices the 9-11-01 date written on it which peaks his curiosity to study it further.
After studying all the dates, he realizes that the mysterious numbers have predicted the biggest tragedies for the past 50 years with exact precision. He also learns that there are three more predictions that have yet to be fulfilled. Unfortunately, all he ends up being able to do is observe them no matter how hard he tries to stop them because although he knows the events are going to occur, the list only predicts the date,gps location, and number of deaths that result. It doesn’t outline the cause of the tragedy or what the tragedy will be so he’s always still guessing at to what will happen.
John eventually finds the daughter of Lucinda, Diana Wayland (Rose Byrne) in an effort to get more answers to this puzzling list. With the help of Diana and her daughter, Abby Wayland (Lara Robinson), he eventually finds out what the last prediction on the list is and how many people will die. Unfortunately however, it is everyone,and there’s nothing he can do to stop it because it involves the sun breaking through the Earth’s ozone layer destroying everything. He also learns that there were mysterious aliens involved in the creation of the prediction lists,and that they have chosen Caleb and Abby to leave Earth with them before it is destroyed. John lets them go since he knows there’s no other option to save them. So they go with the aliens and then are eventually returned to a planet. I’m not sure if it was Earth since it was destroyed,but they were returned somewhere,and appeared to live happily ever after all by themselves. Also the visual effects of the Earth being completely destroyed by the sun’s intense heat was no let down. They really let it rip.
My Take : I thought the build up and storyline was fantastic it got a little weird there at the end ,but it was the end so who really cares at that point ? But,yeah the movie kept me totally interested and captivated all the way through wondering what he was going to do to elude these tragic events in an almost “Final Destination” type feel. Except this film had a weird alien twist to it at the end which I guess was fitting for the already sci fi preface of the film.It had drama,passion,sci fi,paranormal all combined into one.So All in all it was very entertaining,and I recommend it.
Grade : B +
Movie : Knowing
Release Date : March 20,2009
Studio : Summit Entertainment
Cast : Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury,Lara Robinson
