Knows a lot! Until the end

Rating: 7/10 (24 October 2012)

Knowing is one of those sci-fi films that rely on a jaw-dropping ending. Something really well thought out and intelligent. Unfortunately Knowing fails to deliver that impact. The film starts off brilliantly with an interesting flashback to a distant little girl who scribbles a load of numbers into a time capsule. Flash-forward to 50 years later and who ends up getting that picture but Nicolas Cage's son (not his actual son, but you know). I thought the film did quite a good job of building up th characters and creating an involving storyline, so you cared what happened Nicolas and his family. Although some of it was schmaltzy and over-sentimental such as the sign language when his son went to bed, but it made a great effort of caring for the characters.
Some of it did defy belief as well, such as randomly noticing that the bunch of numbers had a link to 9/11 but I suppose the story does need something to push it along, whatever that may be. But what's great about Knowing is that it's never boring, thanks to the great build-up to the disasters. The disasters themselves aren't that incredible, but the build-up of not knowing what's going to happen is highly suspenseful. As the mystery unfolds it also becomes incredibly gripping, and you look forward to what the end is going to offer! Unfortunately it doesn't offer much.
I found the ending to be incredibly clunky and awkward. It didn't feel as if it fitted within the film and also seemed lazy and plonked. The ending was a total cop-out to me and it's a shame because the build-up getting there is marvellously entertaining, but all you get is a piece of hokum that deserved to be something intelligent. However, Knowing is not an amazingly clever film, it's just a piece of entertainment and it certainly achieves that. Nicolas Cage is as wooden as ever, but if you can over look that, then it's certainly a film worthy of your time (if you can learn to forgive the ending). The special effects are quite impressive too.