RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Knowing
Knowing

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Showtimes & Tickets
  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Knowing (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
33 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:160

Fresh:52

Rotten:108

Average Rating:4.7/10

Consensus: Knowing has some interesting ideas and a couple good scenes, but it's weighted down by its absurd plot and over-seriousness.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language.

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:25-03-2009

Synopsis: Nicolas Cage stars in Knowing, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming... Nicolas Cage stars in Knowing, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming true.

In 1958, as part of the dedication ceremony for a new elementary school, a group of students is asked to draw pictures to be stored in a time capsule. But one mysterious girl fills her sheet of paper with rows of apparently random numbers instead.

Fifty years later, a new generation of students examines the capsule’s contents and the girl’s cryptic message ends up in the hands of young CALEB KOESTLER. But it is Caleb’s father, professor JOHN KOESTLER (Nicolas Cage), who makes the startling discovery that the encoded message predicts with pinpoint accuracy the dates, death tolls and coordinates of every major disaster of the past 50 years. As John further unravels the document’s chilling secrets, he realizes the document foretells three additional events—the last of which hints at destruction on a global scale and seems to somehow involve John and his son. When John’s attempts to alert the authorities fall on deaf ears, he takes it upon himself to try to prevent more destruction from taking place.

With the reluctant help of DIANA WAYLAND (Rose Byrne) and ABBY WAYLAND, the daughter and granddaughter of the now-deceased author of the prophecies, John’s increasingly desperate efforts take him on a heart-pounding race against time until he finds himself facing the ultimate disaster—and the ultimate sacrifice. --© Summit Entertainment [More]

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn, Terry Camilleri

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn, Terry Camilleri

Director: Alex Proyas

Director: Alex Proyas
Studio: Summit Entertainment

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    "Message" TV Spot
    >
    "Warning" TV Spot
    >
    RT Review Revue - Knowing, I Love You, Man, Duplicity
    >
1 - 4 of 4

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Knowing

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

You’re better off not knowing.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment 1 Comment
03/27/09
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An expletive-filled expression of utter bewilderment awaits anyone who stumbles into what must surely be a new frontrunner for the barmiest blockbuster ever made.

Full Review Source: Scotsman | comment Comment
03/27/09
Alistair Harkness
Alistair Harkness
Scotsman

The CGI is unconvincing, the big shock-and-awe finale is a throwback to the days of Deep Impact, and underneath it all is the nervous American insistence that there is life beyond the stars.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
03/27/09
Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Independent

I've discovered a set of letters predicting when a catastrophically bad film is about to occur. They are NICOLASCAGE and, once again, the man who's given us more turkeys than Christmas is party to another shocker.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment 7 Comments
03/27/09
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

Knowing, though the story of disasters, isn’t a total disaster itself. It’s just too ambitious for its own good.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
03/27/09
Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm
This is London

As well as being perversely pessimistic for a blockbuster, it’s rendered tedious by a dense plot and lifeless characters. Even M Night Shyamalan would have done a better job. How dare such an empty film ask us to endure many realistic scenes of carnage?

Full Review Source: Sunday Times (UK) | comment 5 Comments
03/31/09
Edward Porter
Edward Porter
Sunday Times (UK)

Ambitious but overwrought.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment 1 Comment
03/20/09
John Hazelton
John Hazelton
Screen International

Stylishly directed by Alex Proyas (who made I, Robot) this is quite simply over-the-top bonkers.

Full Review Source: Sunday Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
03/27/09
Mark Adams
Mark Adams
Sunday Mirror [UK]

Knowing has a far more insidious agenda: to convince non-believers like Cage, an embittered, alcoholic atheist since his wife’s death, there is intelligent design in the universe.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment 1 Comment
03/27/09
Neil Smith
Neil Smith
Total Film

A ticking-clock thriller turned full-blown horror, Alex Proyas’s film isn’t the first to feature Cage wandering about bewilderedly. At least I Am Legend had a dog.

Full Review Source: thelondonpaper | comment Comment
03/28/09
Neil Smith
Neil Smith
thelondonpaper

'Knowing' this film certainly isn't, but if special effects are your thing, you'll enjoy the ride.

Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment 1 Comment
03/27/09
Patrick Marmion
Patrick Marmion
Daily Mail [UK]

Sometimes it's nice when movies do things you never saw coming. Knowing is an exception.

Full Review Source: SFX Magazine | comment 2 Comments
06/17/09
Richard Edwards
Richard Edwards
SFX Magazine

Know1ng is a terrible movie. But for sheer "you can't do that. You CAN'T do that. Did they just do that?" slack-jawed, drop- yer-popcorn astonishment, it's hard to see how this will be beaten in 2009.

Full Review Source: News of the World | comment Comment
03/27/09
Robbie Collin
Robbie Collin
News of the World

What starts out as a tense and interesting movie slowly becomes an end of the world sci-fi mess that is too long and not exciting enough.

Full Review Source: Heart 106.2 | comment Comment
03/27/09
Simon Thompson
Simon Thompson
Heart 106.2

Somewhere in amongst the mystery/thriller/horror/sci-fi/drama genre-bending shenanigans something gets seriously lost.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment 1 Comment
03/28/09
Tim Postins
Tim Postins
Sky Movies

A clunky screenplay doesn’t help matters, but the spectacularly shoddy special effects are the nail in the coffin for this doomsday scenario.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
03/27/09
Wendy Ide
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It has a wicked premise and many fascinating themes but, overall, it becomes a little bit silly towards the end.

Full Review Source: Sunday Mail [UK] | comment Comment
03/31/09
Sunday Mail [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It really shouldn’t take itself so seriously because the plot is, to be frank, a load of sci-fi nonsense which stretches the suspension of disbelief beyond breaking point.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
03/27/09
Sun Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An earnest Cage lends some gravitas to a film of amazing coincidences and less than amazing special effects that sci-fi fans will embrace until something better comes along.

Full Review Source: Daily Express | comment 1 Comment
03/28/09
Allan Hunter
Allan Hunter
Daily Express

It probably helps that the trailer flatlined our expectations, but the engaging, unconventional Knowing certainly qualifies as a pleasant surprise.

comment Comment
03/28/09
Charles Gant
Charles Gant
Heat Magazine
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for Knowing

July 06, 2009: RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
It's a genre lover's feast this week on DVD, but don't say we didn't warn you about those pesky rotten Tomatometers. First up? Alex Proyas's latest science fiction thriller,... More...

March 22, 2009: Box Office Guru Wrapup: Audiences Power Knowing To # 1
This weekend Moviegoers still love Nicolas Cage action flicks as the actor's latest film, the doomsday thriller Knowing, easily beat out two other new releases to capture the... More...

March 19, 2009: Critics Consensus: I Love You, Man Is A Fine Bromance
This week at the movies, we've got a bromantic comedy (I Love You, Man, starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel), ominous numerology (Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne),... More...

March 19, 2009: Box Office Guru Preview: Cage, Roberts, and Rudd Battle For #1 Spot
Three new films roll into North American multiplexes and for the first time in ages, all three have a realistic chance of claiming the number one spot. Comedies have been... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

arrow arrow Show more Show less

100% 100% The Red Shoes 11/12
88% 88% Unmade Beds 11/12
71% 71% Where the Wild Things Are 11/12
67% 67% Carriers 11/12
40% 40% The Limits of Control 11/12
11% 11% The Stepfather 11/12
— Mascarades 11/12

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
21
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
162
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
78
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
53
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
49
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
46
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
43
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
40
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
39
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
35
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
26
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
22
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
22
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Knowing at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Knowing at IGN
  • Knowing at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.