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IMDbPro

Knowing

  • 20092009
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
237K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,838
628
Knowing (2009)
Here is the TV trailer for Knowing, directed by Alex Proyas and starring Nicholas Cage.
Play trailer0:32
4 Videos
91 Photos
ActionMysterySci-Fi
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
237K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,838
628
    • Alex Proyas
    • Ryne Douglas Pearson(screenplay)
    • Juliet Snowden(screenplay)
    • Stiles White(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nicolas Cage
    • Chandler Canterbury
    • Rose Byrne
    • Alex Proyas
    • Ryne Douglas Pearson(screenplay)
    • Juliet Snowden(screenplay)
    • Stiles White(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nicolas Cage
    • Chandler Canterbury
    • Rose Byrne
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 285Critic reviews
    • 41Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos4

    Knowing: TV Spot
    Trailer 0:32
    Watch Knowing: TV Spot
    Knowing: Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:30
    Watch Knowing: Trailer #2
    Knowing: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:19
    Watch Knowing: Trailer #1
    Knowing: Subway Clip
    Clip 0:41
    Watch Knowing: Subway Clip

    Photos91

    Lara Robinson in Knowing (2009)
    Chandler Canterbury in Knowing (2009)
    Knowing (2009)
    Chandler Canterbury and Lara Robinson in Knowing (2009)
    Rose Byrne and Lara Robinson in Knowing (2009)
    Rose Byrne in Knowing (2009)
    Rose Byrne in Knowing (2009)
    Alex Proyas in Knowing (2009)
    Alex Proyas in Knowing (2009)
    Alex Proyas in Knowing (2009)
    Alex Proyas, Chandler Canterbury, and Lara Robinson in Knowing (2009)
    Nicolas Cage in Knowing (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nicolas Cage
    Nicolas Cage
    • John Koestler
    Chandler Canterbury
    Chandler Canterbury
    • Caleb Koestler
    Rose Byrne
    Rose Byrne
    • Diana
    Lara Robinson
    Lara Robinson
    • Abby…
    D.G. Maloney
    D.G. Maloney
    • The Stranger
    Nadia Townsend
    Nadia Townsend
    • Grace
    Alan Hopgood
    Alan Hopgood
    • Reverend Koestler
    Adrienne Pickering
    Adrienne Pickering
    • Allison
    Joshua Long
    • Younger Caleb
    Danielle Carter
    Danielle Carter
    • Miss Taylor (1959)
    Alethea McGrath
    Alethea McGrath
    • Miss Taylor (2009)
    David Lennie
    • Principal Clark (1959)
    Tamara Donnellan
    • Lucinda's Mother
    Travis Waite
    • Lucinda's Father
    Ben Mendelsohn
    Ben Mendelsohn
    • Phil Beckman
    Gareth Yuen
    Gareth Yuen
    • Donald
    Lesley Anne Mitchell
    Lesley Anne Mitchell
    • Stacey
    • (as Lesley-Anne Mitchell)
    Liam Hemsworth
    Liam Hemsworth
    • Spencer
      • Alex Proyas
      • Ryne Douglas Pearson(screenplay) (story)
      • Juliet Snowden(screenplay)
      • Stiles White(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The school in the movie is William Dawes Elementary. William Dawes was one of the riders who, like Paul Revere, warned the minutemen that British troops were coming, just as a child at his namesake school was trying to warn people what was coming.
    • Goofs
      When the police and teachers go searching for Lucinda in the school at night, they all use flashlights. They could have easily put the lights on instead, as nothing indicates a power outage.
    • Quotes

      Stacey: Well, what do you believe?

      John Koestler: I think shit just happens. But that's me.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits start with numbers which become/decode into words and names.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Duplicity/Knowing/I Love You, Man (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      The Planets: Op. 43: IV Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity
      Written by Gustav Holst

    User reviews1K

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Alex Proyas's doomsday piece boasts a chock full of interesting concepts and sleek special effects to make up its fundamentally flawed climax
    This science-fiction thrill piece starring Nicolas Cage in the protagonist role is a film blooming with brainy concepts on science and religion, while hanging over apocalyptic themes that pay reminiscence of other end-of-the-world flicks like 'Left Behind'. After all, the key figure in the story is revolves around what appears be a biblical prophecy, although the spiritial theme only serves as a small undertone here rather than driving the storyline. Director Alex Proyas, the father of projects such as 'Dark City' and 'I, Robot', exhibits his grandeur of visual stimulating style that manages to triumph over its compelling, if somewhat flawed plot. Proyas is successful at making the thought-provoking ideas work, even if they are occasionally little rocky. The only major flaw is lies in the final act that borders on the line of preposterous. It is not a groundbreaking piece of work for the genre, but it is just enough to warrant for a sweet recommendation. This film opens up in 1959, at an elementary school where children are given the assignment to draw pictures of what society will like fifty years from that time. One girl, Lucinda Embrey (played by Lara Robinson), draws a long series of seemingly random numbers and places the paper in the school's time capsule. Flash forward to fifty years later, a nine-year old Caleb Koestler (played by Chandler Canterbury) and his class open up the time capsule, and Lucinda's paper is found in his hands. When he shows the paper to his widowed father John (played by Nicolas Cage), an astrophysics professor at Massachutes Institute of Technology, John believes the numbers are enigmatic codes to disasters occurring around the globe. Enlisting the help of Lucinda's daughter Diana (played by Rose Byrne) and granddaughter Abby (also played by Lara Robinson), John must encrypt the message of what seems to be a sign of a global catastrophic event.

    Some may question whether Alex Proyas is trying to deliver a cautionary tale about an apocalyptic prophecy or is pinning viewers with complex ideas of science and religious theology. Both are more than likely doubtful, especially when the plot shows little respect for the laws of science to begin with. Nonetheless, it keeps things deeply eerie and grim in terms of storytelling and tone, almost bordering the line of a psychological horror thriller. Caleb and Abby are children who are haunted by mysterious entities, resembling the alien creatures from 'Dark City', who introduce them to terrifying visions of the world facing mass destruction, an eerie, yet shocking concept that is placed with sweet visual spark in one scene where the former looks out his window and sees the forest engulfed in flames. The main protagonist in the story however, is John Koestler who is infused with a performance by Nicolas Cage that can only be described as acceptable, but not bad. When Koestler learns of the terrifying secrets behind Lucinda's prophetic message, that is when the story kicks into gear, allowing Proyas to experiment with his engaging concepts. His attempts at breathing life into his ideas are mostly successful and set room for some visually electrifying sequences such as devastating plane crash that leaves several victims flailing in flames and a subway crash that racks up an enormous death toll. However, the third act, which is predictable and sets up with heavy emotional sigma, is a little absurd; especially if how unrealistic the characters behave to such an unnerving situation that is on the horizon. Shouldn't they be more terrified? On the bright side, the audience is blessed with a riveting score by Marco Beltrami to settle the tone.

    Knowing is a compelling doomsday-themed piece with a chock of interesting ideas of science and religion put into play, and a surprisingly enthralling execution by Alex Proyas who brings his powerful visual grandeur to the game. It is a flawed picture with an execution may have a few scars, but not enough to make it a sore to sit through. Don't expect it to be anything revolutionary.
    helpful•9
    1
    • Screen_Blitz
    • Jul 27, 2017

    FAQ15

    • Is 'Knowing' based on a book?
    • Is there an ancient document that predicts a doomsday date?
    • What type of aliens are represented in the movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 20, 2009 (United States)
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • Australia
      • Summit Entertainment (United States)
      • Vidio (Indonesia)
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Camberwell High School, Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Summit Entertainment
      • Escape Artists
      • Mystery Clock Cinema
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 1 minute
      • Color
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS

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