Knowing MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +1 1/2 Content: -1

Actors: Nicolas Cage, Lara Robinson, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury

FILM SYNOPSIS: Single dad John Koestler (Nicolas Cage), an MIT science professor who believes there’s no meaning to life, is suddenly thrust into a real-life situation that changes his atheistic concept. His 5th grade son, Caleb (Chandler Canterbury) brings home a paper filled with random numbers written 50 years ago and deposited in a time capsule which is opened on the school’s 50th anniversary. Fascinated, John studies the numbers and sees them as dates of catastrophic events which have occurred since 1959 and ending abruptly with a date in the near future. John’s mission becomes to stop the predicted events and protect his son from harm. Meanwhile, Caleb sees mysterious figures surrounding his house and hears their voices. Are they from outer space, the product of the boy’s imagination, demons or angels? Why does Abby (Lara Robinson), the granddaughter of the girl who wrote the numbers, hear and see the same images? Knowing starts off with an intriguing premise, but half-way into it, nothing makes sense as the smart professor looks and acts like a poorly conceived cartoon action hero figure. It’s too corny and sappy to give Knowing a high entertainment rating, unless you want to watch it at home with friends and boo and clap like it’s an old fashioned melodrama.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Except for several s-words and a few hells and damns, the only questionable elements are the intense violence and attempts to mix theology and atheistic philosophy. John rejects religious beliefs and is estranged from his pastor father. He believes there is no plan, no purpose for our being, but reality is just the result of some cosmic or chemical accident. Then as disaster after disaster gets closer to him and his son, he believes his understanding of those numbers authenticates himself as a prophet. As a plane crashes in a horrendous storm John watches helplessly as people on fire die screaming in front of him. In the subway a runaway train jumps the tracks, crashes into another train, but although he knew when and where it would happen, John could do nothing. Soon it is apparent the world is indeed coming to an end . The phantom ship seems to be the way to salvation, but who will they save and who will be left behind?

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: Summit Entertainment