Knowing

Play trailer

Knowing

PG-13

Released Mar 20, 2009

1h 55m

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

35%

Tomatometer

182 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Fifty years after it was buried in a time capsule, a schoolgirl's cryptic document falls into the hands of Caleb Koestler, the son of professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage). John figures out that the encoded message accurately lists every major disaster from the past five decades, and predicts three future calamities -- one a global cataclysm. When his warnings fall on deaf ears, John enlists the help of the prophetic author's daughter and granddaughter to try to avert the ultimate disaster.

Watch on Peacock

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

... I was dozing off...

Rated: F

Sep 12, 2017

Full Review

Jordan Hoffman

UGO

Knowing feels like a bunch of cool ideas that were strewn about a table, picked up, shoved together, tied up with duct tape and, somehow, managed to stay working for the ride.

Rated: B

Aug 14, 2009

Full Review

Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Rather like watching an intricately arranged set of dominos starting to topple. That's neat. I didn't see that one coming, you think, as yet another train carriage joins the pile-up.

Rated: 2/5

Apr 3, 2009

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The result should not be dismissed as an average thriller, and yet, seen in those terms, it still succeeds because Proyas is a superior director, and after several missteps, he has finally redeemed himself with another fine piece of science fiction.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 2, 2023

Full Review

Emiliano Basile

EscribiendoCine

Here, normality is affected by tragedy and reality acquires a mystical sheen where the inexplicable takes over what's rational. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The plot is hinged around a predicament so overwhelming that its conclusion can't possibly resolve satisfactorily.

Rated: 6/10

Nov 29, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Christopher W

I enjoyed the plot.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/03/24

Full Review

Diogo A

Ótimo filme, história impactante

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/19/24

Full Review

Rupak M

Nicholas Cage starrer "Knowing" reminded me of Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and also has similarities with Keanu Reeves' "The Day the Earth Stood Still". It has the touch of that Spielberg's 70s movie but certainly not the class of it. But the unique thing about the movie was it was 'dark' throughout, not a light moment, neither Cage nor the child actors or the lady played by Rosy Byrne could conjure up a smile at any moment. The brooding MIT professor kept brooding throughout and the knowledge of the impending disasters didn't seem to help his cause. As a viewer, can only pass a judgment but can't say what exact mix makes a movie from poor to average to good to great !!! 6/10

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/21/24

Full Review

B G

Actually graphic for a PG-13 film. The only scene that was pretty well done was the plane and the subway disasters, but the solar flare was just awful. Not helping that nowadays some people are really worried that the world will end.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/24/24

Full Review

Lynge M

I love this movie. Watched it for the 4th time tonight and was still captivated even though I know the story by heart. As good as Dark City.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/09/24

Full Review

Luke A

A powerful mix of awe, foreboding and fear, that ends in hope. A must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/03/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Alex Proyas

Director

Nicolas Cage

John

Rose Byrne

Diana

Chandler Canterbury

Caleb

Lara Robinson

Abby

Ben Mendelsohn

Phil

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Knowing: Official Clip - A New Beginning

3:16

Knowing: Official Clip - Solar Flare

2:00

Knowing: Official Clip - The Whisper People

2:03

Knowing: Official Clip - Kidnapping

2:15

Knowing: Official Clip - I Need to Know

2:15

Knowing: Official Clip - Aerial Cataclysm

2:24

Knowing: Official Clip - The Stranger

2:29

Knowing: Official Clip - Subway Hell

2:41

Knowing: Official Clip - Disaster Codes

2:26

Knowing: Official Clip - At Earth's End

2:01

View more videos

The Invasion

20%

40%

The Invasion

Watchlist

Super 8

81%

75%

Super 8

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Super 8

Project Almanac

38%

45%

Project Almanac

Watchlist

Flatliners

4%

32%

Flatliners

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Flatliners

Rememory

25%

42%

Rememory

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Rememory

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Beyond The Wicker Man: Celebrating 35 Years of Nicolas Cage Curiosities

RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Audiences Power Knowing To # 1

View more photos

Synopsis

Fifty years after it was buried in a time capsule, a schoolgirl's cryptic document falls into the hands of Caleb Koestler, the son of professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage). John figures out that the encoded message accurately lists every major disaster from the past five decades, and predicts three future calamities -- one a global cataclysm. When his warnings fall on deaf ears, John enlists the help of the prophetic author's daughter and granddaughter to try to avert the ultimate disaster.

Director: Alex Proyas
Producer: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch
Screenwriter: Alex Proyas, Stuart Hazeldine, Ryne Douglas Pearson, Juliet Snowden, Stiles White
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Production Co: Summit Entertainment, Escape Artists
Rating: PG-13 (Disaster Sequences|Brief Strong Language|Disturbing Images)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 31, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $79.9M
Runtime: 1h 55m

Most Popular at Home Now