Knowing Movie Starring Nicholas Cage

Alex Proyas Directs Apocalyptic Film with Kubrick & Horror Influence

Mar 29, 2009

Sci-fi disaster flick questions determinism and has great characterisation. Knowing also stars Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury, Lara Robinson & Ben Mendelsohn.

Which apocalyptic film ends with the most hopeful line? Knowing would come up tops. Alex Proyas directs this disaster film without relying on CGI effects alone. Instead, he focuses on character development, creating an intimate atmosphere with movie influences similar to Japanese, Western and M. Night Shyamalan’s horrors. These elements elevate Knowing from standard Hollywood disaster films, which tend to show off expensive effects, champion unbelievable heroes or introduce zombies, to the expense of the story.

In Knowing, MIT professor John Koestler (played by Nicholas Cage) starts to doubt if the universe is just a series of random acts, when his son receives a list of numbers that point to disasters and casualties over 50 years.

Knowing begins in 1959, when a time capsule is buried at William Dawes Elementary School, containing students’ drawings of the imagined future. Miss Taylor, a sparkling Danielle Carter, prevents disturbed student, Lucinda Embry (Lana Robinson) from finishing her list of numbers. The list goes into the time capsule, and is given to student Caleb Koestler (Chandler Canterbury) when the time capsule is opened 50 years later.

A great scene takes place in an MIT classroom, where Prof. Koestler (Nicholas Cage) and his egghead students, wrestle intellectually with the question of determinism versus randomness. Nicholas Cage possesses a slow-burning but engaging persona, which deeply brings out the ominous pace of Alex Proyas’ Knowing.

Western Horror & Japanese Horror

Nicholas Cage’s deliberation and the Da Vinci Code-style story merge with Alex Proyas’ horror direction to make Knowing one of most unique sci-fi movies around. Prof. Koestler and his son Caleb (Chandler Canterbury) live in what looks like House on Haunted Hill. Canterbury wears a hearing aid and unknowingly picks up whisperings from the future. Sound familiar, like Western horrors White Noise and The Exorcist? Most scenes take place at night, or in the house interior, and Koestler’s drinking threatens to descend into hallucination or hysteria. The big budget effects are not just for disasters. Caleb has a nightmarish Satanic-like dream in his room, and the ghostly man carries strong overtones from Japan horror movie, Ringu.

Lara Robinson & M. Night Shyamalan

The 1959 story sets Knowing in the horror or Gothic genre. Child actress Lara Robinson plays Lucinda Embry hauntingly, evoking M. Night Shyamalan’s Sixth Sense. Her hollowed eyes and raven hair make her list of numbers demonic, not excluding her door scratching gesticulations. Lara Robinson also plays innocent daughter Abby Wayland to Diana (Rose Byrne), like a totally different person. Here is a talent who would give Christina Ricci a run for her money. From visions of fleeing animals to the startling revelation of what EE means, director Alex Proyas ensures every step of Knowing presses into the audience’s psyche.

Nicholas Cage, Chandler Canterbury & Alien Men

Chandler Canterbury’s Caleb looks gullible but is far wiser than his years. He and a witty Ben Mendelsohn (playing Koestler’s MIT friend) support Cage superbly. Cage’s monologue about his wife is very moving. Unfortunately, Diana Wayland’s character is a tad one-sided, and Rose Byrne plays her very tragic, losing the energy in the film somewhat.

The biggest controversy involves the alien men. Are they angels, demons or just life forms? Alex Proyas chooses Kubrick’s grand vision of the universe over Spielberg, highlighting the rising of hundreds of spaceships, over just one special spaceship.

Knowing raises philosophical and religious questions. Viewers who lose interest halfway may be expecting standard Hollywood fare but are disappointed. This is a movie that would engage more of the thinking mind rather than merely the hungry eye.

The copyright of the article Knowing Movie Starring Nicholas Cage in Horror Films is owned by Lynette S.K. Webster. Permission to republish Knowing Movie Starring Nicholas Cage in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.