"Knowing" review
by Steve Ramos, Writer
To the credit of filmmaker Alex Proyas and his five writers on the fantasy thriller "Knowing" it's difficult to successfully wrap a story about the cataclysmic end of the world. No matter what happens, someone will be disappointed.
Based on a story by prolific author Ryne Douglas Pearson and adapted by Pearson, Proyas and three other screenwriters, "Knowing" has its share of clever mystery and creepy moments of suspense. But its unsatisfying ending, an attempt to neatly tie all loose ends via an inspirational bow, takes away much of its spooky fun.
A Boston-area elementary school class draws pictures imagining their world 50 years into the future. Their work is placed in a time capsule in celebration of the 1959 dedication of their new school building. But one child, a solemn outcast named Lucinda (Lara Robinson in the first of her two roles in the film) scribbles rows of non-sequential numbers completely covering her paper. There is something she knows and when a young boy, Caleb (Chandler Canterbury) receives her note when the time capsule is opened in 2009, the extent of her otherworldly knowledge is made frighteningly clear. The numbers are a cryptic list of disasters from the past 50 years and there are more on the list predicting future tragedies.
Caleb, his father, John (Nicolas Cage) and Lucinda's daughter Diana (Rose Byrne) and granddaughter Abbe (Robinson) team up to solve the puzzle but a key mystery remains: what does EE mean?
Nicolas Cage puts his hangdog facial expressions and anxious demeanor to credible use as John, a MIT professor and recent widower. Cage is believable enough when discussing theories of randomness versus determinism as a professor but better as an overly cautious father. His performance in "Knowing" is admirable; an earnest attempt at making a problematic film better.
Rose Byrne, excellent in the current TV legal drama "Damages" is left on the sidelines in "Knowing." Child leads Chandler Canterbury and Lara Robinson fare better, reacting with appropriate wide-eyed wonderment to all the unbelievable happenings.
"Knowing" offers plenty of evidence of Proyas' ("I, Robot," "Dark City") filmmaking talents. Scenes with John seeking answers regarding Lucinda's numbers from the now elderly schoolteacher boost the mystery. Creepy moments revolve around mystery men dressed in black who follow Caleb and Abby and whisper mutterings only they can hear.
There are moments, especially two incredible action sequences that truly dazzle. John sits in a traffic jam outside Boston's Logan Airport when a plane crashes through the gridlock of cars in front of him. Later in the film, John attempts to prevent another catastrophe, this time inside a New York subway station.
The scenes are chaos perfectly constructed and filmed; energetic set pieces as tense, exciting and frightening as anything put recently to film.
To Proyas' credit, as well as cameraman Simon Duggan and production designer Steven Jones-Evans, there are also subtle touches of visual beauty and period accuracy that hint at their technical talents.
It's too bad that the story and an ending that leaves one shrugging with disappointment are not equal to the polished production.
Just like another movie fantasy currently in theaters, the disappointing "Watchmen," "Knowing" confirms an important movie lesson. Dazzling audiences has become easier thanks to digital effects. Riveting moviegoers with exceptional storytelling remains as difficult as ever.
Directed By: Alex Proyas
Written By: Alex Proyas, Juliet Snowden, Stiles White, Stuart Hazeldine, Ryne Douglas Pearson, from a story by Ryne Douglas Pearson
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne and Lara Robinson
Produced By: Escape Artists
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Starring:Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Adrienne Pickering, Chandler Canterbury, Ben Mendelsohn