Posted on 03/20/2009 9:06:53 PM PDT by Grig
Just got back from seeing Nickolas Cage's new movie 'Knowing'. I think a lot of you will like it.
First the parental info: There is no sex, and I think there was only cuss word 's*** happens'. Watching Cage wander through a fresh plane wreck trying to keep people from burning to death is not for little kids though.
If you've seen the trailers you know it's about a 50 year old list of numbers that turns out to be a list of disasters from the time it was written up to the present time and a bit beyond. What the trailer doesn't tell you is the religious side to the story.
Cage's character is a widower and father, his wife died in a hotel fire a few years before and he isn't coping that well. He is also the son of a minister, and the death of his wife was the point he turned his back on religion and started believing that life is meaningless, there is no purpose or design, we are all just here by some cosmic luck of the draw.
The existence of the list challenges his atheistic view, and the fact that the fire his wife died in is also on the list changes this from a quest to save lives from the last few disasters on the list to a quest to find out, to know, if there really is a purpose and design to existence.
I won't ruin the ending (which wasn't bad but could have been better I'll admit) but the overall message is pro-faith rather than yet another attack on religion from Hollywood. Don't expect theological purity though. Don't expect professional movie reviewers to 'get it' either since they likely are looking at it with a Chariot of the Gods interpretation which doesn't make any sense.
Cool, thanks!
Thanks for the review. I was hesitant to go see it; now I will.
Now I’m intrigued. Thanks for the review. J.
Cage's character is a widower and father, his wife died... a few years before and he isn't coping that well... the death of his wife was the point he turned his back on religion
That part of the plot sounds similar to the movie, "Signs", starring Mel Gibson. At some point, we all should compose a thread with a listing of movies, music, etc., for FReepers.
No lefty message from Hollyweird? I’m intrigued as well. Thanks for the heads-up. It sounds like Signs with Mel Gibson about finding faith.
The plot of this movie seems to be from a Night Gallery episode I saw when I was a kid.
Meeting the in-laws tomorrow for a double date (”Knowing” and El Torito). Hopefully, we’ll all enjoy it.
Does Nick Cage play Nick Cage in this movie, like he does in most movies? Or, does he actually try and create a character?
Kinda like Morgan Freeman playing ... Morgan Freeman
I won’t toss out spoilers but I thought it was goofy. The first 2/3 of the movie was great. It really draws you in and makes you start thinking then bam, they take it all away with a big slow down and an ending that just wasn’t very satisfying.
As far as the faith goes, it reminded me of a line in an other movie. The protaganoist is advised by a preacher that it doesn’t matter what you have faith in, you just need to have faith in something. A rather liberal version of faith in the gramatical, religious and political sense.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. It would have been much more satisfying to me if the theater caught on fire about 70 minutes into the movie.
Thanks. I’ll really consider seeing it.
You mean like Babylon. I couldn’t even bring myself to rent that one.
Thanks for the review..I just saw it tonight. It was so nice to see the pro-religion theme, I was hoping all along that that was the direction it was headed. My 14 yr old daughter was creeped out by most of it, it’s definitley not for little ones. I was impressed w/ the special effects, but the destruction and loss of human life was not always easy to watch. From the beginning to the end, I couldn’t find a spot that allowed me to go to the restroom...and that’s a good thing I guess. My complaint was that there were too many little details that were never explained, and a lot of predictable behavior...however overall it was good.
“It would have been much more satisfying to me if the theater caught on fire about 70 minutes into the movie.”
LOL! Trust me, though, I’ve been there, and it’s not that entertaining, you just wind up having to leave early then smelling like smoke for a couple weeks. Then again, that was during Raiders of the Lost Ark, and I doubt that there was really any way you could improve that movie.
Excellent movie! Go see it.
I saw this on Friday, twice. (Two different groups of friends.)
Although the religious theme exists throughout the movie, it is not heavy-handed, pretentious or in-your-face. Some people will not even know it’s there. Very skillfully done and much more dramatic than I was expecting.
For a refreshing change, the ‘faithful’ characters were always portrayed positively while non-believers were loved and respected, but seemed to be almost pitiable and empty.
Not at all what you would expect from Hollywood.
I enjoyed it too. I tend to really like apocalyptic movies and felt they integrated the themes of Revelations pretty well into this movie, something I wasn’t expecting at all.
Just got back from seeing the movie and I must say it was much better than anything the professional reviewers suggest. I am an agnostic with a great deal of respect for Christians and the movie wasn’t ham handed in it’s approach to faith. It was somewhat scary, mostly through atmosphere. Rather good special effects.
I would recommend it!
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