Knowing (2009)

M.I.T. professor John Koestler links a mysterious list of numbers from a time capsule to past and future disasters and sets out to prevent the ultimate catastrophe.

Director:

Alex Proyas

Writers:

Ryne Douglas Pearson (screenplay), Juliet Snowden (screenplay)

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	John Koestler
Chandler Canterbury	...	Caleb Koestler
Rose Byrne	...	Diana
Lara Robinson	...	Abby / Lucinda
D.G. Maloney	...	The Stranger
Nadia Townsend	...	Grace
Alan Hopgood	...	Reverend Koestler
Adrienne Pickering	...	Allison
Joshua Long	...	Younger Caleb
Danielle Carter	...	Miss Taylor (1959)
Alethea McGrath	...	Miss Taylor (2009)
David Lennie	...	Principal Clark (1959)
Tamara Donnellan	...	Lucinda's Mother
Travis Waite	...	Lucinda's Father
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Phil Beckman

Storyline

In the fall of 1959, for a time capsule, students draw pictures of life as they imagine it will be in 50 years. Lucinda, an odd child who hears voices, swiftly writes a long string of numbers. In 2009, the capsule is opened; student Caleb Koestler gets Lucinda's "drawing" and his father John, an astrophysicist and grieving widower, takes a look. He discovers dates of disasters over the past 50 years with the number who died. Three dates remain, all coming soon. He investigates, learns of Lucinda, and looks for her family. He fears for his son, who's started to hear voices and who is visited by a silent stranger who shows him a vision of fire and destruction. What's going on?

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Plot Keywords:

end of the world | number | disaster | time capsule | code | 

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Taglines:

What Happens When The Numbers Run Out?

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The son's name is Caleb. Caleb, sometimes transliterated as Kaleb, is a figure who appears in the Hebrew Bible as a representative of the Tribe of Judah during the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land.

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Goofs

When Dianna refers to "Caves off Route 40 past Groton", this isn't possible. Route 40 ends in Groton center.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Miss Taylor: Everyone inside now!

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Connections

References Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

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Soundtracks

The Planets: Op. 43: IV Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity
Written by Gustav Holst

User Reviews

Why all the hate?

I know it's a bit late for a review but I feel compelled to reply to some of the criticism leveled at this movie. The reviews tend to be based on a few mistaken assumptions.

1) The movie is pro scientology propaganda

If there is any truth to this then the propaganda is very obscure, as a quick reference to scientology symbols does not include the 7 pointed star as per one detractor. To state that the movie uses a numerical based prophesy and that this is indicative of scientology is conspiratorial and nonsensical. Both the bible and koran are full of them. Maybe I am too ingenuous but at no time did I feel I was being led along a path of conscription to scientology.

2) plot holes due to slim chances of a text fortuitously falling into the hands of a person intelligent enough to decipher the meaning and be the father of one of the chosen survivors and have the descendants of the original prophecy play a part in the fruition of the plan.

fair enough, but nobody seems to question as to why the prophesy itself is possible. Surely if the universe was deterministic, as suggested by the very presence of a prophecy, then a sufficiently advanced civilization able to foresee the prophecy would also be able to foresee the path they have subscribed to the resolution they have decided on.

3) The movie doesn't make sense or jumps around too much.

Fortunately there are many straight forward shows and cartoons to watch instead .

Details

Official Sites:

Summit Entertainment [United States]

Country:

USA UK Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 March 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Know1ng

Filming Locations:

Camberwell High School, Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,604,751, 22 March 2009

Gross USA:

$79,957,634

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$183,658,498

Company Credits

Production Co:

Summit Entertainment, Escape Artists, Mystery Clock Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby Atmos (UHD Blu-ray version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1