I had always been under the impression that this film was rather underwhelming and, certainly, the only person I know personally who has given me an opinion didn't like it. I liked it a lot but if suffers from the malady that afflicts too many modern films. let me explain: personally I would have been quite happy if the film ended when Richard Gere doesn't pick up the phone - I would have been completely satisfied, although I can understand why the majority of viewers would have found that ending lacking. But as the film is inspired (rather than based on) supposedly real events that happened in West Virginia which culminated in the collapse of a bridge over the Ohio River director Pellington, understandably, had to take the story further and I have no problem with that. So what is my beef? It comes when Richard Gere, playing a Washington Post reporter, jumps of the collapsing bridge, swims down into the depths, breaks into a sunken car, pulls out the driver and swims back to the surface! And, I might add, he does this in December, at night and while fully clothed, wearing a heavy overcoat and his shoes! C'mon, is it just me, or is that stretching it a bit? I've seen so many films in recent years where the credibility of a film is ruined by such unlikely behaviour by a charater or by a script that ends in a dramatically satisfying way and is then spoiled by having a completely illogical twist ending that makes little sense even in the context of a fantasy film (Michael Stokes THE BEACON being just one example. I can't say that THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES was ruined for me because I liked it a lot for many other reasons. Performances are first rate from Richard Gere and Laura Linney and I was charmed by Deborah Messing who play's Gere's wife, partly because she bore a spooky resemblance to a friend of mine. Director Pellington builds atmosphere nicely.
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| The Mothman Prophecies |
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