Knowing discussion No Tags- contains spoilers

[retablo]

Great PG, nice buildup, then... wtf was that ending? Disappointing to say the least.

[matthieuxdetoux]

For my money, an interesting failure will always hold more value than a bland success. That’s why I’m recommending Knowing; not because it’s a good movie (it’s not), but because it’s ambitious, compelling, and occasionally thought-provoking, even if it never forms a fully satisfying, cohesive whole. A lot has been made out of the film’s religious themes, with debates arising over whether the film is actually a veiled propaganda piece in favor of Christianity, or alternatively, if it’s promoting science over religion. I believe neither of those is accurate; instead, the film is presenting its own hypothetical theory about the origins of our existence, combining elements of modern scientific theories and biblical symbolism as a way of showing that it is possible for both sides of the debate to coexist. The “disaster movie” premise is merely a base, used as a means to communicate and expand on these themes. Naturally, this irritated many viewers, since people don’t like paying for one thing and then getting something else entirely. It also doesn’t help that the film fails to explore those themes in the most coherent of ways. Regardless, I found myself elated to discover that the film was at least attempting to be something much more than your standard “disaster movie” fare. It still hits those beats, granted, but it’s everything else the film has to offer that’s kept me talking about it. Unfortunately, this also includes Nicolas Cage’s hammy acting, which does a damn good job of holding the movie back and making sure it remains firmly in B-movie territory.

Completely agree with this statement.

[Fabio13]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Not a thinker for me. Seemed like the writers had a big plan to start out the movie and took a cheap way out. It just seemed like very little thought was put into it while trying to come off classy. Who can bash a religious ending right????

I think they tried to make it a thinker, but they should have just made it a popcorn movie.
Or make the theme about hopelessness. That could actually work.

The Action scenes are spectacular and gave me a big grin on my face, but the last half of the movies just seems uninspired.
Like you said, they took the easy way out, because they did´nt know how to top the first half.

Oh by the way. I can bash all religious endings

[dolphinc]

I do not know why there are so many complaining about the end. I thought it fit into the whole premise of the movie. The movie was better than I expected and the PQ was intense. I would say a solid purchase on blu.

Also the religious overtones were minor, I didn't walk away with a feeling that someone was trying to enlighten me in any way.

[Another_Dude]

After thinking about it, and understanding that I may have misheard this line since I've only watched it once, here is my biggest gripe:

When Cage is telling the story about his wife dying in the fire he says that it was four in the morning when it happened and she was asleep. He says that at the same time he was in his front yard blowing leaves off the sidewalk. So was he doing yardwork at four in the AM or did I not hear that part correctly?

[Grevlin]

Originally Posted by matthieuxdetoux

Completely agree with this statement.

I think that was very well written as well. I agree with most of it, and I'm very happy to have it remain a "B-movie." Most of my all-time favorites are. (Not saying this is one, but you never know how it soaks in over time.)

[(Fe)Man]

Originally Posted by Another_Dude

After thinking about it, and understanding that I may have misheard this line since I've only watched it once, here is my biggest gripe:

When Cage is telling the story about his wife dying in the fire he says that it was four in the morning when it happened and she was asleep. He says that at the same time he was in his front yard blowing leaves off the sidewalk. So was he doing yardwork at four in the AM or did I not hear that part correctly?

She was in Phoenix for a business meeting so I'm lead to believe different time zones.

I thought the movie was great. Great PQ and the ending for me saved the movie. I thought it was going to end like some corny end of the world/sci/fi movie, but the ending came out of left field. I thought it was a nice touch.

[CollinViegas]

What I didn't get was when lucinda was writing the letter the teacher snatched it away before she finished and she had to go downstairs to write on the wall.

But the letter was finished and ended with a backwards EE when cage had it.

I too felt the ending was rushed and could have been alot better, kind of ruined an excellent movie in my eyes.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by CollinViegas

What I didn't get was when lucinda was writing the letter the teacher snatched it away before she finished and she had to go downstairs to write on the wall.

But the letter was finished and ended with a backwards EE when cage had it.

I too felt the ending was rushed and could have been alot better, kind of ruined an excellent movie in my eyes.

What I saw was that Lucinda didn't get to finish writing the coordinates. She finished the fact about EE but not the coordinates (remember the pattern was Date/Deaths/Coordinates).

What I didn't get is what they meant by saying that the dead mother was "safe now". What is the significance of death in the movie then? Do the dead become "them"? Do the dead get reunited? SO does this mean EE are saved and reunited? The chosen ones I assume would re-populate another world so they technically are worse off than EE.

This discussion is why I liked the movie. The last time I did this was after I watched the Fountain - many thought it was bad, but I thought it was great because it never really left my mind and I still discuss it with others.

[screwhead728]

^^^ I feel the same way, I don't remember the last time people would have different concepts of this movie... I still can't get enough of how great the PQ & AQ of this movie.

[screwhead728]

And about the "safe now"... go back to prior pages of this thread and read my opinions about the movie... it might help you vega2k

[SDon1969]

Originally Posted by Another_Dude

After thinking about it, and understanding that I may have misheard this line since I've only watched it once, here is my biggest gripe:

When Cage is telling the story about his wife dying in the fire he says that it was four in the morning when it happened and she was asleep. He says that at the same time he was in his front yard blowing leaves off the sidewalk. So was he doing yardwork at four in the AM or did I not hear that part correctly?

Was she in a different time zone maybe? I honestly don't remember the leaf-blowing part of the conversation, I will have to listen more closely on my second viewing...

[Another_Dude]

Originally Posted by SDon1969

Was she in a different time zone maybe? I honestly don't remember the leaf-blowing part of the conversation, I will have to listen more closely on my second viewing...

Phoenix is in Mountain time, which would be two hours behind the East coast.

This means if I heard that section of the movie correctly, then Nick Cage was blowing leaves off his lawn at around 06:00 and is not a very nice neighbor.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by screwhead728

And about the "safe now"... go back to prior pages of this thread and read my opinions about the movie... it might help you vega2k

If I read your take correctly, those that would be saved from the destruction were given the rock, but Lucinda died and wasn't given the rock, she found it (in fact so did Cage - he found a whole bunch of them ). So do you think she was saved in the sense that she died before the solar flare? Or do you think she was saved in a "religious" way? So once again I am back to the question of what was meant by "she is safe now"???? It clearly meant something because it was emphasized in the movie.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by Another_Dude

Phoenix is in Mountain time, which would be two hours behind the East coast.

This means if I heard that section of the movie correctly, then Nick Cage was blowing leaves off his lawn at around 06:00 and is not a very nice neighbor.

Very believeable - I have one of those neighbors

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Another_Dude

Phoenix is in Mountain time, which would be two hours behind the East coast.

This means if I heard that section of the movie correctly, then Nick Cage was blowing leaves off his lawn at around 06:00 and is not a very nice neighbor.

Phoenix is not just in Mountain time, it's also a state that doesn't practice daylight savings. So it could actually have been 7 AM when Nic Cage was using his leaf blower.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by vega2K

What I saw was that Lucinda didn't get to finish writing the coordinates. She finished the fact about EE but not the coordinates (remember the pattern was Date/Deaths/Coordinates).

What I didn't get is what they meant by saying that the dead mother was "safe now". What is the significance of death in the movie then? Do the dead become "them"? Do the dead get reunited? SO does this mean EE are saved and reunited? The chosen ones I assume would re-populate another world so they technically are worse off than EE.

This discussion is why I liked the movie. The last time I did this was after I watched the Fountain - many thought it was bad, but I thought it was great because it never really left my mind and I still discuss it with others.

I believe people are over thinking this a bit. I took the "Safe Now" comment as nothing more than what you would say to an 8 year old who just lost a parent. No one would go into detail or think to tell a child anything else than what would make the child feel better.

The chosen ones were those who could hear the whispers or the calling, everyone else died. That is why they took them to another planet to start over. The dead did not evolve or ascend in any way they just went poof.

This is just my take on the movie. I felt it was straight forward and fairly easy to understand.

[screwhead728]

Originally Posted by vega2K

If I read your take correctly, those that would be saved from the destruction were given the rock, but Lucinda died and wasn't given the rock, she found it (in fact so did Cage - he found a whole bunch of them ). So do you think she was saved in the sense that she died before the solar flare? Or do you think she was saved in a "religious" way? So once again I am back to the question of what was meant by "she is safe now"???? It clearly meant something because it was emphasized in the movie.

Cage wasn't given a rock, he just saw them.. do we agree with that? Guess yes. Well, in order to be "saved" one of the four creatures or aliens however you want to call them, has to give a person a rock... was Lucinda given a rock? We don't know, because they show it in the movie, yes, there are a lot of rocks in that place she died, but we don't know if she was given one. I think they got about 80% from the bible, and the other 20% of alien story telling. If you see the special features, something about the Apocalypse, Alex Proyas and others talk about many things that are in the Bible.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by screwhead728

Cage wasn't given a rock, he just saw them.. do we agree with that? Guess yes. Well, in order to be "saved" one of the four creatures or aliens however you want to call them, has to give a person a rock... was Lucinda given a rock? We don't know, because they show it in the movie, yes, there are a lot of rocks in that place she died, but we don't know if she was given one. I think they got about 80% from the bible, and the other 20% of alien story telling. If you see the special features, something about the Apocalypse, Alex Proyas and others talk about many things that are in the Bible.

If I remember correctly she found the rock on top of the pay phone at the gas station.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

I believe people are over thinking this a bit. I took the "Safe Now" comment as nothing more than what you would say to an 8 year old who just lost a parent. No one would go into detail or think to tell a child anything else than what would make the child feel better.

The chosen ones were those who could hear the whispers or the calling, everyone else died. That is why they took them to another planet to start over. The dead did not evolve or ascend in any way they just went poof.

This is just my take on the movie. I felt it was straight forward and fairly easy to understand.

But the kid is the one that said it. Are you saying that the "angels" whispered to the kid that she was safe in order to appease the boy? and then the boy repeated this to his father? I don't see why the "angels" would need to appease the boy - since they told the boy everything and never held back on anything that was going to happen or had happened.???

Good stuff.