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Movies / Upcoming / Knowing
Knowing

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Knowing (2009)

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Reviews Counted:160

Fresh:52

Rotten:108

Average Rating:4.7/10

Consensus: Knowing has some interesting ideas and a couple good scenes, but it's weighted down by its absurd plot and over-seriousness.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language.

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:Mar 20, 2009 Wide

Box Office: $79,948,113

Synopsis: Nicolas Cage stars in Knowing, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming... Nicolas Cage stars in Knowing, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming true.

In 1958, as part of the dedication ceremony for a new elementary school, a group of students is asked to draw pictures to be stored in a time capsule. But one mysterious girl fills her sheet of paper with rows of apparently random numbers instead.

Fifty years later, a new generation of students examines the capsule’s contents and the girl’s cryptic message ends up in the hands of young CALEB KOESTLER. But it is Caleb’s father, professor JOHN KOESTLER (Nicolas Cage), who makes the startling discovery that the encoded message predicts with pinpoint accuracy the dates, death tolls and coordinates of every major disaster of the past 50 years. As John further unravels the document’s chilling secrets, he realizes the document foretells three additional events—the last of which hints at destruction on a global scale and seems to somehow involve John and his son. When John’s attempts to alert the authorities fall on deaf ears, he takes it upon himself to try to prevent more destruction from taking place.

With the reluctant help of DIANA WAYLAND (Rose Byrne) and ABBY WAYLAND, the daughter and granddaughter of the now-deceased author of the prophecies, John’s increasingly desperate efforts take him on a heart-pounding race against time until he finds himself facing the ultimate disaster—and the ultimate sacrifice. --© Summit Entertainment [More]

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn, Terry Camilleri

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn, Terry Camilleri

Director: Alex Proyas

Director: Alex Proyas
Studio: Summit Entertainment

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Reviews for Knowing

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101 - 120 (sorted by date)
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An uneasy blending of sci-fi and religion, fate and faith -- the same mish-mash that has bedeviled most of M. Night Shyamalan's recent movies, and leaves this film leaden with self-importance.

Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Stephen Whitty
Stephen Whitty
Newark Star-Ledger
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Criticisms of story and acting seem nitpicky in the face of the special effects, which are frankly awesome.

Full Review Source: Oregonian | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Stan Hall
Stan Hall
Oregonian

It's pretty much impossible to take the rest of a film seriously once you've seen a flaming moose running toward the camera in slow motion.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment 3 Comments
03/20/09
Peter Hartlaub
Peter Hartlaub
San Francisco Chronicle

Knowing is a Sweet 'n' Low movie: It's good most of the way, but the aftertaste lingers unpleasantly.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

The frustrating thing about Knowing is the story is worthy. But director Proyas tries to cram too much in, as if the tricks and effects wizardry are all that really counts. They aren't.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Linda Barnard
Linda Barnard
Toronto Star

The narrative corner into which this movie, directed by Alex Proyas, paints itself is a simultaneously silly and morbidly depressing one.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Michael O'Sullivan
Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

For me, it doesn't quite work; still I'm glad he took the risk.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Betsy Sharkey
Betsy Sharkey
Los Angeles Times

In many ways, it's a thriller undone by its scale; the premise, which is undeniably fascinating, would have been better served by a smaller budget and tighter focus -- anchored not by explosions, but by psychology, mood and suspense.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Kevin Williamson
Kevin Williamson
Jam! Movies

Its breathlessness and permanent state of confusion make you long for the assured touch of M. Night Shyamalan.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Kamal Al-Solaylee
Kamal Al-Solaylee
Globe and Mail

...so convoluted, idiotic and preachy that it plays like M. Night Shyamalan adapting the Left Behind books. Only dopier.

Full Review Source: MSNBC | comment 2 Comments
03/20/09
Alonso Duralde
Alonso Duralde
MSNBC

It's the next bold entry in the genre of Hilariously Terrible Nicolas Cage Movies.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
David Cornelius
David Cornelius
eFilmCritic.com

There's no time for romance, charm or comedy. The haunted characters in Knowing compete for the best graveyard looks.

Full Review Source: Baltimore Sun | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Michael Sragow
Michael Sragow
Baltimore Sun

Knowing takes an interesting premise and all but destroys it with a final act that's, at select moments, jaw-droppingly ludicrous.

Full Review Source: About.com | comment 2 Comments
03/20/09
Rebecca Murray
Rebecca Murray
About.com

Despite an intriguing premise and a handful of exciting special effects scenes, this science fiction thriller lumbers along like an overweight leviathan, unable to see much past its own nose - let alone into the future.

Full Review Source: Cinefantastique | comment Comment
03/20/09
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
Cinefantastique

A wacked-out, quasi-religious 'Donnie Darko' for dummies... It earns my endorsement not because it's coherent but because it's so over the top it kept me engrossed for its full 122 minutes.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Once you get past the typically and needlessly convoluted way otherworldly beings communicate with us, this "Twilight Zone"-like tale tantalizes%u2014and delivers three extraordinary disasters that alone are worth the price of a ticket.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Frank Lovece
Frank Lovece
Film Journal International

There's nothing to do but shake your head in awestruck wonder: as much for its squandered beginning as for its truly ridiculous conclusion.

Full Review Source: Mania.com | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Rob Vaux
Rob Vaux
Mania.com

Alex Proyas keeps the picture moving briskly while injecting it with some deep-rooted philosophical underpinnings.

Full Review Source: Film School Rejects | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Robert Levin
Robert Levin
Film School Rejects

Knowing has a very gripping beginning and then just slowly lets the audience go until the film becomes a laughable cliché. One of the worst of the year so far!

Full Review Source: WJFK-FM (CBS Radio) | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy
WJFK-FM (CBS Radio)

Parental Content Review

Full Review Source: Screen It! | comment Comment
03/20/09
Jim Judy
Jim Judy
Screen It!
 
 
101 - 120 (sorted by date)
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Latest News for Knowing

July 06, 2009: RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
It's a genre lover's feast this week on DVD, but don't say we didn't warn you about those pesky rotten Tomatometers. First up? Alex Proyas's latest science fiction thriller,... More...

March 22, 2009: Box Office Guru Wrapup: Audiences Power Knowing To # 1
This weekend Moviegoers still love Nicolas Cage action flicks as the actor's latest film, the doomsday thriller Knowing, easily beat out two other new releases to capture the... More...

March 19, 2009: Critics Consensus: I Love You, Man Is A Fine Bromance
This week at the movies, we've got a bromantic comedy (I Love You, Man, starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel), ominous numerology (Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne),... More...

March 19, 2009: Box Office Guru Preview: Cage, Roberts, and Rudd Battle For #1 Spot
Three new films roll into North American multiplexes and for the first time in ages, all three have a realistic chance of claiming the number one spot. Comedies have been... More...

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