Knowing

Alex Proyas’ high concept action-thriller continues a trend of eco-conscious films with an enigmatic title. Unfortunately it also shares many more unenviable traits with the likes of The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Happening than one had hoped for after the intriguing trailer and paranormal Da Vinci Code premise. If such a phrase could be coined, it’s almost too “Shyamalanian” for its own good, ambitiously aiming for grand theology amid competent spectacle, the end result is simply ridiculous.

Cage is widower John Koestler; the son of a preacher-man with a freshly abandoned faith weighing upon him (Signs anyone?). When a time-capsule is opened at his son’s school anniversary, a fifty year old parchment is discovered that appears to contain a coded countdown corresponding with all of history’s most fatal tragedies; 9/11, Oklahoma, and even his own wife’s demise. Driven on by a desire to protect his family, he uncovers secrets from the past and lives tragedies of the present in order to save the future (that sounded like a decent poster synopsis didn’t it?).

You need to know this about Knowing; Cage won an Oscar, AN OSCAR, in 1995 for his brilliant turn as a nihilistic alcoholic in Leaving Las Vegas, since then he has made career choices that indicate he could still be a little bit drunk. Here he mumbles his way through some clunking lines of exposition to add another badly coiffed character to his CV. If we are to suffer these empty blockbusters then at least inject the performances with some enthusiasm. One of the joys of Transformers was the central performance of Shia LaBeouf on which to hinge the surrounding mayhem. Here Cage, and in particular the awful Rose Byrne “somebody save the children”, are reactionary tools for plot revelations or sparingly used set-pieces, a gawp here or an overcooked line there.

The disappointment is compounded with the knowledge that Proyas can handle this material in his sleep, both I Robot and Dark City dealt with intimate and expansive dystopias respectively. Albeit tackling the prelude to such scenarios with this story, the scenes of destruction lack any invention or a signature look, they are simply stock scenes pinched from The Day After Tomorrow and Independence Day. When has the obliteration of mankind seemed so dull?

There are inspired moments that add to the overall feeling of frustration; some genuine tension surprises as the clock begins to tick towards the “out there” conclusion, and the mysterious figures that loiter on the periphery of proceedings are spine-tingly creepy, in an Invasion of the Body Snatchers finger pointing way. And whilst the plane-crash and subway demolition are not quite worth the entrance money alone, they are impressively intense set-pieces.

Part X-Files episode without the appealing characters, part forced eco-message without Al Gore, and part prophetic religious allegory that permeates the story before slapping you in the face during the overblown ending, but all underwhelming codswallop. Watch TV’s FRINGE to see the same thing done much more competently.