Moody, suggestive horror piece has fascinating elements, but never quite takes off.
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
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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
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Reviews for The Mothman Prophecies
Despite hints that it aspires to be more, The Mothman Prophecies is a by-the-numbers sci-fi thriller.
Uneven, frustrating, disappointing film that criminally wastes the talents of Laura Linney.
Illustrates the beauty of a well-made scary movie; you don't have to believe it to feel your hair stand on end.
Well-done supernatural thriller with keen insights into parapsychological phenomena and the soulful nuances of the grieving process.
Rarely do filmmakers capture this mood of absolute mystery with the verve and cinematic inventiveness of The Mothman Prophecies.
...trying so hard not to be a schlock horror film ...it neglects to become anything at all.
A gaudy yet grim science-fiction horror movie of such surpassing silliness, humorless intensity and stylistic overkill that watching it may actually put you in a state of paranoia. Why are these moviemakers persecuting us?
... step right up to "The Mothman Prophecies," a veritable director's showcase for energetic young Mark Pellington ("Arlington Road") and his flair for imaginative, brooding camera artistry.
Based on a true story, this creepy drama effectively gets under our skin ... and most importantly never makes the typical mistakes of a Hollywood thriller.
Pellington is able to create a real palpable sense of tension despite the fact that very little ends up happening.
keeps us unsettled and intrigued through suggestion and surprise instead of relying on gruesome images or cheap shock effects.
With careful handling of the freakiness of the subject matter, the film is thoroughly intriguing, and with its inventive direction and eerie atmosphere, it's also a highly watchable mystery-drama.
Even with your eyebrows raised and your tongue planted firmly in cheek, the whole thing gets under your skin in ways that creep you out.
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