Wednesday 22 April 2009

Knowing

In a remarkable display of consistency, director Alex Proyas follows up uneven science fiction thriller I, Robot with uneven science fiction thriller Knowing.

Nic Cage Nicolas Cage mopes his way through the movie as grumpy academic John Koestler, whose son finds a sequence of numbers buried in a time capsule which, when analysed, turn out to accurately predict the dates and locations of major disasters.

Happily it’s not just pareidolia, and audience fears that the plot might devolve into the silliness that was Jim Carrey’s The Number 23 are quickly dispelled.

Nic Cage in KnowingThe disasters actually do unfold in predictably spectacular fashion, and the movie thunders along with lots of nice set-pieces and some very impressive effects. In fact, the action is so relentless that one is left with barely a second to ponder the immense implausibility of it all. Which is probably just as well.

Proyas handles it all very nicely, right up until the final sequence when the subtle biblical imagery inexplicably morphs from a tap on the forehead to a sledgehammer in the face. I’m not sure that was strictly necessary.

Nic Cage and Rose Byrne To top it off, there’s a garbled explanation of Determinism that deserves to join Jurassic Park's treatment of Chaos theory in the Hollywood Hall of Scientific Theory Abuse Fame.

Still, it's all good fun.

On a side note, Melbourne viewers will be amused by the attempts to pass Melbourne off as Boston, particularly when it involves geographical miracles like getting from the CBD to Carlton by heading south on Princes Bridge.

3 out of 5

5 comments:

Ameel said...

I too enjoyed the movie and thought the special effects were spectacular. I also had a good time spotting Melbourne landmarks :)

***SPOILER ALERT *** I found the religious iconography a little exasperating myself but that was offset by the angels or secret agents of god being, basically, aliens :)

Unknown said...

Hi, Matt

How you doing.

Amazed to see all those sceptic-related links there on the right. We really are on the same page. I've been following those exact same sites/casts for months now. Do you think the sceptical movement will gain traction? Do you think the American spelling of sceptic will subsume our own?

cheers

Sam

Eliza said...

And more importantly did you spot Patrick in his scene?

Matt said...

Eliza,
Sadly no, I didn't.
Shannon did.
Or he claims he did, anyway.

Matt said...

Hi Sam,
Yeah, there's some great stuff there.
I really hope it gains traction. It has a lot to offer.
The web is proving a very valuable tool in connecting the skeptical community, so now looks to be one of the best chances we'll get!
On the spelling, I fear the ubiquity of podcasts like Skepticality means the American "k" will soon replace the English "c".
(I prefer the "k", just quietly).