WARNING! Spoiler Alerts! This latest film by Alex Proyas, who brought us such existential classics as "The Crow", "Dark City" and "I, Robot" brings us another thriller about the end of the Earth.
Nick Cage plays John Koestler an MIT Astrophysicists who discovers a list of numerals that was left behind in a time capsule that was buried a half a century earlier at his son's school. By a strange set of circumstance, he is able to decifer that these numbers are predicited world disasters.
The rest of the film is trying to find out where these prophecies came from, and what do they mean.
This film has been taking some serious hits from critics. And I am not entirely sure why? It is not a horrible film, I have seem much worse from some celebrated directors like M. Night Shyamalan. His latest film "The Happening" is another apocalyptic based movie of super natural powers disrupting life on the planet. That was a disappointing movie, more so because of the ending.
But I think this film has amazing potential for what it tried to do, not what it actually achieved. The ending is a little hokey and wrapped up with a pretty bow. But it raises the existential question about the nature of the universe. Is everythings a random set of circumstances or is there some divine force governing things?
The story was suspenseful and gripping for the most part. The special effects were certainly well done. The acting even by the young actors was top notch. The young girl played by Lara Robinson did a phenomenal job play a duel role in the film.
Nick Cage and Rose Byrne ( 28 Weeks Later, Sunshine and Wicker Park) gave believable performances, portraying single parents trying to make sense of this bizarre series of events and doing their best to protect their kids. So there is purpose and motivation to the story. So what more do you want?
But I guess the writer crosses a line and attempts to assert a possible view of how and why the inevitable apocalypse might unfold. May not be your cup of tea, not sure it is mine. But in my mind doesn't necessarily make it a bad film. Just not giving the answers to the questions, that you might have hoped for.
All in all the film was entertaining. As to whether or not the ending was plausible, ask Michael Bay if he cares if his film "Armageddon" was believable or not? I think it was a good film, it makes you think about the universe, life and meaning to it all. It is worth a look.
The DVD offers some behind the scenes views and interpretations from the cast and crew.
I think you're right that the movie wasn't that bad, but I was pretty disappointed by the conclusion. The code=prophesy idea would have been much more intriguing if there was a purpose behind knowing the future. Instead, the aliens/angels are just here to whisper statistics and coordinates, and then wisk away a few survivors right before the end. Why not save the planet, or offer to relocate us? They had 50 years to move us. The whole bible tie in was confusing for me. So if God offers taxi service only to psychic children, is worshiping God irrelevant? They should have just kept it as aliens trying to preserve earth life, like an ET gathering samples, but in this case the aliens seek out doomed planets, and use precognition to find the planets before they are destroyed.
ReplyDeleteYeah I glossed over the whole biblical thing entirely, but thought the alien harvesting concept had merit, but I agree the whole angel thing put a little tarnish on it.
ReplyDeleteExcept for the ending I like it, would have liked to see more people saved, and maybe more than just the bunnies representing the animal kingdom! But I guess it was all symbolic!