I just stepped out the movie theater and found myself in need of blogging, perhaps as a form of self-psychotherapy. In my review I will give away NO SPOILERS.
BACKGROUND: The movie is KNOWING starring Nicolas Cage, and it is rated PG-13. As I watched it I wondered whether I might be witnessing something on the same order as a classic "Alfred Hitchcock" movie. It was extremely intense, suspenseful, shocking, and dramatic – probably too dramatic.
The trailer provides a good taste of how the movie will proceed, and I recommend viewing it before attending the theater. The trailer is provided below:
For those who need additional information, I recommend reading Rodger Ebert's review.
There is a distinction between "science fantasy" and "science fiction." Science fantasy emphasizes the nature of human relationships in some "other-worldly" setting. By contrast, science fiction emphasizes the order of nature – harmony versus disharmony; logic versus paradox; and meaning versus incoherency. The movie KNOWING puts one foot in each category, being part fantasy and part thought-provoking drama, with the weight resting on the latter (in my opinion).
THEMES: The movie asks what is determined (pre-ordained) and what is random in the universe? If one has foreknowledge, can one do anything about it?
Although definitely NOT a LDS film, KNOWING contains many themes (throughout, even to the end) that are consistent with LDS theology. These themes go far beyond the mere "latter-day" theme. I am not going to give these themes away, because half the fun for the viewer is finding them. There are some clear religious elements to the story.
WARNING: The movie contains multiple scenes of intense tragedy that will be disturbing to many (if not most) viewers. The scenes are crucial to the story, but they are intense and graphic. I found myself closing my eyes on certain parts. At other times I was tearing. This movie clearly could be too emotionally intense for some individuals. Potential viewers should be forewarned. (Hmmm, maybe that dimension of the movie was by design of the producers).
RECOMMENDATION: This is a five star movie that far exceeds most other Hollywood attempts at science fiction. It is well acted. The story grabs one's attention from beginning to end. Most of the movie is absolutely gripping. The special effects are extraordinary. As long as one pays attention to the warning provided above, I do recommend the film. I imagine that some LDS viewers will think I am off my rocker for having this opinion – like my wife.
A FEMALE PERSPECTIVE: My wife did not like the movie as much as I did. I am guessing that she wanted more romance and less tragedy. In terms of relationships, the movie does not always go in expected directions, such as one would find in a romance film. My wife recommended that we see the movie, but I think I enjoyed it far more than she did.
WARNING #2: The COMMENTS below contain SPOILERS. Avoid reading them until after viewing the movie.
Copyright 2008 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.
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24 comments:
Just got home from watching this movie and I'm glad to see I wasn't the only Latter Day Saint in the theater who was thinking, "Hey! That tree looks familiar! Is there an iron rod in this scene?" Several other elements also had my LDS friend and I raising a questioning brow. Do you think it was at all intentional? Do you know anything about the writers? I thought the pentecostal theme was only thinly veiled with the whole alien thing (I've never seen aliens depicted as suddenly sprouting billowy wings), but I'm surprised that this metaphore isn't discussed in any of the reviews I've read. I don't "know" maybe it's just me, but I don't think this movie had anything to do with aliens.
Seattle Mom:
It sounds like we had similar reactions to the movie. I am glad to know I am not totally off my base.
OK, now off to Battlestar Galactica I must go.
I've just seen this movie with my sister, and I want to understand it. I know the tree from somewhere, and the "beings"? Are they alien or other?
Ok this is weird. I caught it too that is how I found this page as I typed "knowing the movie Mormon" and this page came up. Although I grew up in the church and believe it whole heartily I never made it to the Temple but there are things that really, as you say raised an eyebrow during the movie. Which was very good.
N. Men:
I don't know the intentional meaning of the symbols in the movie KNOWING. I just know that much of the symbolism could easily be interpreted with a significant LDS spin. One explanation of the tree is found in the Book of Mormon (free copies can be obtained).
If you are not LDS, then I invite you to Church. See the video posted at the bottom of the blog.
Rushfan45:
The temple is something I highly recommend. Work with your Bishop to determine the steps you need to take to reach that goal.
S. Faux
I think the tree at the end of the film was more likely the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" rather than the "tree of life" simply because of the title of the movie. I know that makes the ending less exciting for the LDS viewer, but sometimes it is important to remember that we are not the only ones to use trees as religious symbols.
There are many different 'lenses' an individual can place over a message to receive a meaningful interpretation. Thus, the fun of understanding parables is 'knowing'.
C. Faux (second son)
Well, C.Faux (aka Son#2):
I would just say that viewers impose meaning upon art forms. So, it does NOT matter what the authors' intended. The various symbolic forms can have a variety of meanings simultaneously. As for the tree, I was thinking more in terms of Adam and Eve, than I was thinking in terms of Lehi. But, who cares?
There are a lot more LDS themes in this movie than have been given credit. Also, as a Baptist convert to the LDS church, I have the advantage of seeing things from several points of view. The Tree of Life would be recognized by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Tree of Life (or Knowledge, if you think it is the other tree). Christians of all types, including Mormons, would recognize the chosen being taken up and what would happen to those left behind. Also, all would recognize the whisperings of the Spirit, etc. What Mormons would recognize others would not, would be the Urim and Thummin reference (the stones handed out and which implied knowledge, though they left that sketchy), "together forever," the Earth being baptized/immersed by fire (which also reminds one of Joseph Smith's prediction that after it was baptized, it would be like glass and be a giant seer stone), and one is also reminded of Brigham Young's thoughts on how Adam and Eve got here and where they came from, the beings are from another world, but bright and angel-like (and it should be noted their flesh burned away before they left and their physical form was a more pure form of matter, spirit matter, as Joseph Smith would have said). Also, Joseph Smith observed there are creations with beings like us, but more pure, higher, nobler, not the kind to kill their Saviour, who lived in light. I think it is worth noting Jews might take note of the names of Caleb and Abby in the movie, which are both very old Hebrew names from the Old Testament. Also the implied question of species survival always brought up about how just one male and one female could be genetically diverse enough is answered when we see more than one of Ezekiel's Wheels going to different parts of the world. Mormons might also compare the time capsule words speaking from the dust that need to be translated and that are for our times. It is worth noting predetermination and chaos theories are compared, but in the end, it is free agency that determines what the future of Caleb and Abby will be (and the future of "all mankind"). Also notice that a father had to sacrifice his son for the new creation. Now it might be observed that the Tree is not in a garden, but, one could say, in an Elysian field, as the Greeks would put it. There are more observations, but does anyone else care to share them? I think I've given enough input to start with on this blog. :)
Dear Anonymous:
Regarding your comments:
"There are a lot more LDS themes in this movie than have been given credit." ...
"I think I've given enough input [LDS themes] to start with on this blog. :)"
PLEASE NOTE that this review intentionally did NOT spell out the LDS themes under the assumption (as indicated in the text) that viewers would enjoy the movie more if they could find the themes themselves. Further, I have little doubt that most viewers with a religious orientation will be able to find many symbolic themes on their own.
No problem. I inserted a WARNING #2 at the bottom to warn readers to avoid the COMMENTS until after seeing the movie.
But, thanks for your listing, as it provides good food for thought, especially after seeing the movie.
FOR THE RECORD: The movie's credit line for STORY belongs to Ryne Pearson, who was also the lead writer for SCREENPLAY. Pearson is a devout CATHOLIC. One can read an excellent interview with Pearson at "Sister Rose."
My point is that while it is fun to put an LDS spin on this movie, we need to recognize that many of the movie's themes are universal in nature.
I thought I might add my two cents to the discussion. I'm not here to fight, but as a warning I had a little different reaction to the movie than most of the people commenting, just putting it out there. I am an active member of the LDS church.
Just from a film standpoint, I thought it was poorly written and lacked any kind of real intention.
I was actually glad to hear that the man who wrote the movie was not a Mormon because I think if you were to interpret the movie from an LDS standpoint, then it can easily become a gross misinterpretation of LDS theology.
For example, angelic ministers in Mormon theology don't work in darkness, whereas these "angels" are always perceived to be dangerous or evil. Another example would be the impact that the angels had on their "chosen ones." I think it quite disturbing that these individuals are driven mad by the voices that they hear and are forced beyond their will to masochistic behavior. But the point that I take the most issue with is that there seems to be no rational basis for which one is chosen and another is left. God is not a respecter of persons in Mormon theology, and therefore would give every opportunity for his children to come unto him. There's a few more things I took issue with, but I think I'll see where things go from here.
I will concede that I thought the scene with the field and the tree was cool, but it seemed a random ending to a plot full of holes. In any case I would be interested to hear any reaction to my comments and hope none are put off by my opinion of the movie.
Anonymous:
Thanks for your thoughts. I liked the movie much more than you. Every movie has holes, but I did not see many in this one. Further, this movie was NOT trying to precisely fit particular doctrines. The purpose of art is to remind one of important symbols. It worked for me, not for you. That is all.
I just watched the DVD, googled, and ended up here.
"But the point that I take the most issue with is that there seems to be no rational basis for which one is chosen and another is left."
Caleb and Abby must have paid their tithing.
Also, 4 beings led them to the spaceship. 3 Nephites and John? Haha, fun stuff.
Sorry to invade your blog.
You guys should pick up a bible, invite jesus to teach you the truth and then read on. Only then will you be free. Jesus died for us, so that he who believes in him shall not perish and so on. No need for mormon books, no need for religous rituals, you only need to accept jesus as your saviour, and you will recieve life as a gift back.
This movie does everything a new age movie is supposed to do. It takes portions from most religions and believes known, mix them up and make a new story out of it.
The movie is good, yes, from a science fiction point of view, but it corrupts the faith of innocent believers and make them doubt and so on. Nothing in this movie can be backed up by the bible, and should not be seen from such perspective at all. It is a movie, and that is ALL it is.
The bible however - that is not fiction. I have been a christian, though I dislike the word, for about 15 years, and as a child I was raised into the faith, but I dropped out, but came back at about age 17.
I think that we should start seeing what is in the bible instead of calling ourselves christians, catholics, mormons, baptists, pentacostals etc. No no no, there is only ONE true thing, and that is the bible. Other things are opinions of man. If we all just would live after the bible's way of doing it, we could stand together as ONE army for the lord jesus christ, not fractions fighting eachother.
I said I disliked the word christian - not to be confused with the name Christian :) - I want to be where Jesus wants me, because that's what best for me.
Read the bible! I encourage you to read it with an open mind, and if you can't have an open mind then first: PRAY to recieve eyes and ears to see and hear the truth.
Then you make a good fire in your fireplace, and throw in the flames the mormon book - because all you need is in the bible - not in a book containing revelations of a man not backed up by Gods word.
Then you throw in any catechism books of catholic or protestant churches.
All these books are of NO value what so ever if not backed up 100% in the true word of God, the bible.
You should really know this: Jesus christ did not save us so that we should need to do a certain set of rituals, he saved us so that we could live in freedom with him. That is the great gift you know.
Just read the bible alone and with God's help you will learn the truth. Do not use other books or movies or other people's word as God's word!
All my love to you guys.
Wannaseethetruth:
Thanks for your comment, although it comes off as a little judgmental. I think people realize that KNOWING is ONLY a movie. Thanks for recommending the Bible. I read it. A little exploration of this blog site would demonstrate that claim.
"Also, 4 beings led them to the spaceship. 3 Nephites and John? Haha, fun stuff."
Again, I think this is another example of a member of the LDS church reading into the movie as if an LDS member had written it.
I on the other hand found the obvious parallel to be the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Also, the tree at the end was, in my opinion, a reference to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This story is shared by many religions. Caleb and Abby were meant to be the Adam and Eve of this new world, they were still children, in innocence.
Still, I do see why Mormons find the movie interesting. The beings were essentially the same "image" (i.e. arms, legs, etc). And the black stones were interesting, but the Bible refers to white stones, not black... D&C 130:10
"Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known."
As for the Bible guy who commented... yeah, we know this is a movie. We do not base our beliefs off of this movie. The question was whether or not someone with an LDS history used their imagination to make a piece of fiction with religious elements to it. In other words, a piece of fiction inspired by religion as opposed to a religion inspired by fiction. It turns out the guy was Catholic, not Mormon, but still worth the discussion.
And a little food for thought. The definition of "extraterrestrial" or an "alien" would be "originating outside the limits of the earth". So, technically speaking, God and angels are "extraterrestrials" even to a regular Bible thumper. Now the science fiction aspect of the story which is not based on scripture, would be the space ships. That just made for an interesting idea for the movie.
I am a little late to the party just finished watching the movie. The tree in end just jumped out at me, hit Google and found out that I am not the only one. I don't know if that is a picture from primary or what but it seems so familiar.
Good film, obviously not scripture, but a good flick.
I found the movie totally advant-garde. Some soup just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's like twenty cooks passed by the pot and randomly threw something in without giving a thought to how it would taste. Might as well put a bucket of different colored paints in each seat of a Ferris Wheel, watch the paint fly out helter-skelter on a humongous canvas and label it art. Boulder dash!!!
The one redeeming quality is that it made me curious what others thought of it and saw in it, and for that, I am glad I saw it!
I'm an active temple attending Latter-Day Saint (Mormon). I just finished the movie and liked it; it was not boring. However, this movie did not have much of a Mormon infulence in my opinion. It came accross with a heavy "traditional christian" flavor to me throughout (the beings had wings appearing at one point). Take that and combine it with the movie Contact - the idea that there is these benevolent aliens watching over us. There was a code that had to be decifered (borrowed from other stories).
Mormon doctrinal influence would not have left the aliens as aliens with the mysterious seemingly dark side so that you could barely tell if they are good or not. Also, nothing God does to speak to his children tortures or disturbs them. It would instead give them peace, clarity, and happiness.
However, there were these things that you don't see from typical movies of this type. It was not a completely secular explanation for bible stories like I thought it might be. It had a definate emphasis on believing in the afterlife, and a lessor emphasis on God implied only through his father being a priest and him coming back to his father and agreeing with him that this is not the end.
Just so you know, "definite" is not ever spelled "definate." Think "finite," which denotes "specific," "exact." Thus, "D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E." Also, a "lessor" is one who "leases" apartments and other items to "tenants." It is a noun, NOT an adjective. "L-E-S-S-E-R" is the proper adjective in describing something as being "less" than something. For example, some people have unfortunately had a "lesser" education in the english language.
Anonymous:
It is tempting NOT to publish your spelling lesson due to irrelevance, BUT you also appear to need to be taught how to spell E-n-g-l-i-s-h. "English" is always spelled with a capital "E."
No more spelling lessons, please.
I thought the movie was great...just watched it and since I am LDS noticed the connections, although I realize other faiths have some of the same beliefs; however, my perspective is of the LDS Faith.
Let's all realize it is just a movie and that it is fun to think about the religious connections.
Also, my wife didn't like the movie, similar to your wife.
Wanna see the truth?... "Nothing in this movie can be backed up by the bible". That's ironic, because the BIBLE isn't backed by ANYTHING at all. Science continues to disprove the poorly written fables written in the bible, stories of which contradict eachother to begin with.
Thanks, Chad.
Since I am a professional scientist who has read the Bible, I feel qualified to say that the Bible does NOT pretend to be a book about physics, chemistry, or biology. Instead, it is a book of symbols with MUCH deep meaning. The movie KNOWING is also a symbolic message. It is fun to try to match up the symbols between the movie and the Bible. I see no harm in that non-scientific effort.
Although some weird elements in the plot, I think that Nicolas Cage is the one who made the difference from just other sci-fi movie to a good humane and touchy drama with a sci-fi basis.
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