In promoting its cliche-ridden sci-fi-horror, Sony is using the tage "based on true story," as if the "factulaity" of the text is a badge of honor, or necessary condition for taking the schlocky flick more seriously.
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:132
Fresh:68
Rotten:64
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: A creepy thriller that poses more questions than it answers.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for terror, some sexuality and language
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:Jan 25, 2002 Limited
Box Office: $35,228,696
Synopsis: Based on true events, "The Mothman Prophecies" examines a series of inexplicable occurrences through the eyes - and mind - of one man. Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton and Debra Messing star... Based on true events, "The Mothman Prophecies" examines a series of inexplicable occurrences through the eyes - and mind - of one man. Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton and Debra Messing star in this suspense-filled thriller about a man driven to extremes to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding his wife's death - and how they might be connected to the strange phenomena in a town four hundred miles away. When is life truly at its best? John Klein (Richard Gere), a respected Washington Post journalist at the top of his game, recognizes that moment. It comes the day he and his wife Mary (Debra Messing) are house hunting and find the place of their dreams. It's a little too big, possibly a little more than he wanted to spend, but one look from Mary tells him this is it. Then on their joyful ride home, with a gust of wind and a passing shadow, the dream is shattered. The accident should have been avoidable. When Mary slammed on the brakes…there was nothing there. For Mary, the incident was a premonition. John puts everything on hold to be with her, but his love isn't enough to keep her alive. While removing Mary's possessions from the hospital, John remembers her last words: "You didn't see it, did you?" Then he discovers a sketchpad covered with odd drawings, variations of the same eerie apparition. John can't understand the significance of the drawings but is haunted by the unsettling images. A couple of years later, John's grief has settled somewhat but he is clearly a man altered by tragedy. He lives his life and performs his job in a fog, an unexplainable presence always with him. While driving one night from Washington to Richmond for an assignment, he loses his way and ends up on a deserted country highway. When his car inexplicably breaks down, he walks to a nearby farmhouse. The homeowner not only threatens John but tells him he has been waiting for him. John is baffled. Sgt. Connie Parker (Laura Linney) arrives on the scene and apologizes for the rude reception, but divulges that the entire county is on edge due to a recent series of odd disturbances. It is only now that John realizes that he is in Point Pleasant, West Virginia -- four hundred miles from where he thought he was. It is not logically possible. But here he is. How? His curiosity piqued, John decides to stay in Point Pleasant to explore the reports of unexplained phenomena in the town. He soon realizes that they may all be related - not just to each other, but also to the strange sketches Mary had been obsessively drawing just hours before her death. But what exactly is the connection? The events defy simple explanation and, even more disturbing, seem to predict impending disasters. Plane crashes, earthquakes… surely it must be a gruesome coincidence? The more he unravels, the more John begins to question his own sanity. Are there unknown forces behind the strange sightings? What terrible thing awaits the people of Point Pleasant? For John, it's a race against time to figure it out - and try to prevent something terrible from happening. -- © 2002 Screen Gems [More]
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton, Debra Messing
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton, Debra Messing, Alan Bates, Lucinda Jenney, Nesbitt Blaisdell
Director: Mark Pellington
Director: Mark Pellington
Screenwriter: Richard Hatem
Producer: Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Gary Goldstein
Studio: Screen Gems
Get This Movie
Reviews for The Mothman Prophecies
While the acting is better than other run-of-the-mill scary movies and some of the filming techniques will trip you out, this flick's fear factor still rarely rises above general creepiness.
Good set design and cinematography lend the film some scariness at times, but in the end there are just too many holes in the script and the acting to believe in the authenticity of the mothman.
Basically an extended episode of The X-Files with Richard Gere playing both the Mulder and Scully roles.
An accomplished supernatural thriller that substitutes atmosphere for monsters and puts substance high on its list of priorities.
The longer this film drones ominously on, the more we realize that Pellington really doesn't know where he ought to be taking it.
An effective visual style and campfire-storytelling flair. The climax manages to effectively tie most of the ideas together with chilling resolution.
Instead of leaving me with a unsettled, shocked feeling, the end brought me endless joy that the film was finally nearing its completion.
Buttressed by a smart, restrained script and highlighted by wonderfully modulated performances, it rises above what you’d expect from a movie about the supernatural.
To regard The Mothman Prophecies merely as two hours of your life that you'll never get back is to miss the larger affront it poses.
Puportedly "Based on True Events," a convolution of language that suggests it's impossible to claim that it is "Based on a True Story" with a straight face.
The movie's more abstract scare tactics ... are so restrained that viewers may start to yearn for a bogeyman to burst from the closet.
The climactic events are so well realized that you may forget all about the original conflict, just like the movie does
Watching the film is like getting hooked by a fearful angler who can't successfully reel you in.
Like all the best scary movies, Mothman is interested in more than simply scaring us.
Latest News for The Mothman Prophecies
September 29, 2006:
The Weekly Ketchup: Keith Richards's "Pirates of the Caribbean" Antics, Hermione's "Harry Potter" Doubts, Stallone Speculation, And More!
In this week's Ketchup, Keith Richards is living up to everyone's expectations on the set of the third "Pirates" installment, Emma Watson is experiencing growing pains... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Mothman Prophecies at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Mothman Prophecies at IGN
- The Mothman Prophecies at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!

Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


