Knowing

Knowing



The old creationist theory, eh? It's as old as the world - approx 5000 years depending on who you ask. Human life on earth was started by two people. Two people? Can you Adam and Eve it?
On the opposite side of the fence there's the Evolution theory (It's still a theory folks). Started by some bloke Darwin, it states that the human race is descended from apes through Millennia of progressive evolution.
Both sides of the argument have been debated for decades and will continue to be debated for decades more.
But Nicolas' Cage's new Sci-Fi thriller may just provide a third option on the origin theory.

Cage plays John Koestler a College professor at MIT who has lost his faith after the death of his wife in a fire. His son Caleb discovers a sheet of paper with apparently random numbers scrawled on it, when his school dig up a fifty year old time capsule.

Initially, John dismisses the document, but ultimately stumbles on it's secret contents; It is a list of every major disaster over the last fifty years. Using the fail safe movie exposition device of google, he ties each set of numbers to a time and a place with the amount of fatalities. Almost all are accounted for, but three dates remain.

John follows the clues in time to witness two of the disasters first hand, but the last one is the most mysterious of all. Instead of a fatality figure, it simply says 'EE'.

SPOLIERS AHEAD

The initials EE, John discovers, indicate the end of the world as they stand for 'Everyone Else'. John must race to discover how he can use this insight to save himself and his son. Teaming up with the daughter and granddaughter of the girl who wrote the list in the first place, they try to find a safe haven for the forthcoming apocalypse.

There is also a shadowy group of men lurking in the background who keep trying to communicate with the granddaughter, Abby and young Caleb. Telling them that they can take them away to safety.

The story is steeped in biblical overtones with John finding his faith and forgiving his Pastor father. The Noah's ark story is played out near the end with the shadowy figures taking two of each animal away from the impending Extinction. The two children are taken to the elysian fields of some new Eden to start the human race once again. But there's a dynamic twist to the proceedings. Instead of angels and celestial beings, it's an alien race who have come to save the human species.

In an awe inspiring final act, the world disintegrates under the power of a solar flare as Space crafts lift off around the globe, carrying the selected few to their safe new planet. With a combination of great effects and clever storytelling, it creates one of the best endings to a film you're ever likely to see.

Despite the gaping large plot-hole at the centre of the movie – Why bother with a list of major disasters in the first place if you're watching the people you intend to save?- It's a great thought-provoking and wonderful film.

Verdict 8/10
Works a novel origin theory into a slick, entertaining adventure.