A Director With Balls

Here's to you Mr. No-Holds-Barred-Director-Man. You have crafted an almost perfect apocalyptic movie. On the evening of July the Seventh 2009 I sat in front of the television with a couple of Thunderhead IPAs from Pyramid Brewing and proceeded to view the film Knowing from director Alex Proyas and had a fantastic movie experience. I went into it fully aware ( ummm. Knowing ...) the star of the film was Nicholas Cage. By that I mean that almost every movie he has stared in has been nearly unwatchable (see Ghost Rider) so I went in with VERY low expectations. I even waited 'till it went to DVD. Then got it for a buck at Red Box. Anyhow turned out to be a GREAT film. I sort of wish I had seen it in the theatre. Only thing is that I would have had some mouth-breathing knuckle-dragging fugitive from evolution kicking the back of my seat the entire time. Not worth it. If the movie has any short comings they are only two.

Short Coming The First: The movie moved very slowly. At times I thought it was just going to be just a localized event. A disaster as opposed to an apocalyptic event. Like with what happens in The Rift by Walter J. Williams (not PA but disaster). I thought it wouldn't fulfill the premise of the movie. I was wrong.

Short Coming The Second: No survivors (on Earth anyhow). I have said before, the part I enjoy most is the struggle; to survive or die. In Knowing everything just ends in fire. No rebuilding and no remaking society in any way.

This movie reminded me most of the old 1950's scifi flicks. The Day The Earth Caught Fire sprang to mind almost instantly as I watched. (Also looked as thought they recycled clips from the new remake of Dawn of the Dead at the extreme end of Knowing .. sweet). Take a look you'll see what I mean. The movie is completely worth the money. Also in watching the commentary I discovered that like me Mr. Proyas was tired of movies that didn't deliver the punch. He thought it was cowardly and unrealistic. Sometimes the Earth cannot be saved by any type of heroic action. For that I salute you - you magnificent bastard. Nicely Done.