Knowing (2009)

A fifty-year-old list of numbers prophesying every major catastrophe that took place ever since will make a professor of astrophysics and a single parent race against time to prevent the ones that are yet to happen.

Is pessimistic optimism a term? Does it make sense? It doesn’t, does it? Be it as it may, that’s the oxymoronic feeling you get out of Knowing. But first things first…

“Randomness vs Determinism”, from a philosophical and/or scientific point of view, will become the setup’s foundation and your mind’s internal debate while watching the confrontation unfold. One of my favourite Nicolas Cage movies from the noughties where, back then, I couldn’t find many flaws. Watching it now for a second time, eleven years later, I spotted certain plot holes and gimmicks, but I didn’t let them get in the way. Yet, it answers all the questions it raises halfway there (not even in the end), and that feels a bit spoonfed for my taste. Regardless, Cage is the right man for the job, Rose Byrne delivers a great performance, the kids are surprisingly convincing, and Ben Mendelsohn, be it in a leading or supporting role, always nails it. Once again, it’s a shame that the film answers everything for you.

The man in the director’s chair is Alex Proyas, a director whose niche is dark fantasy/sci-fi. My personal bests are The Crow (1994), Dark City (1998), and I, Robot (2004). Unfortunately, he has not been involved in many projects, and some of them, I believe, have been beneath him. I look forward to watching something of his ’90s style soon.

(Not)Fun fact: The film predicted BP’s oil spill in the Mexican Gulf the year after.

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Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

Stay safe!