'

The Mothman Prophecies

Play trailer

The Mothman Prophecies

PG-13

Released Jan 25, 2002

1h 59m

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

141 Reviews

56%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

From the director of Arlington Road comes a spine-tingling, super-natural thriller based on actual events that will rattle your nerves and shake your beliefs. Distraught by the sudden, tragic death of his wife (Debra Messing), John Klein (Richard Gere), a journalist for The Washington Post, finds himself mysteriously drawn to a small West Virginia town when his car inexplicably strands him. Rescued by the sympathetic but skeptical local police sergeant (Laura Linney), he soon learns that many of the town's residents have been beset by bizarre events, including sightings of an eerie "moth-like" entity, similar to the one seen by his late wife. Investigating further and having his own terrifying encounters with the creature, he becomes obsessed with the idea that this supernatural being can predict impending calamities and is trying to warn the town of one. Is this a psychic delusion brought on by his grief or can he convince the police sergeant that there's a tragedy that must be averted? His life, and potentially others' lives, depend on his making the right choice before time runs out.

Critics Consensus

A creepy thriller that poses more questions than it answers.

Read Critics Reviews

Bill Stamets

Chicago Reader

Sights that might have been comforting before suddenly seem strange and menacing, and the technological landscape we depend on for our survival becomes the mise-en-scene of a horror film...

Rated: 3/4

Jun 23, 2022

Full Review

Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

One of the creepiest movies ever made.

Rated: B+

Oct 9, 2020

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Psychological thriller may deeply upset some kids.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

More of a vibe than it is a narrative-driven thriller, but it's an extremely chilling vibe nonetheless.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 4, 2023

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

A handful of creepy sequences aside, it's ultimately a hokey and uninformed adaptation of a genuinely bizarre series of events.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 20, 2023

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Unfortunately, the actual event caused more fright than the film.

Nov 13, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Scott M

The Mothman Prophecies is one of those films that people tend to either love or hate. In my opinion, it's easily one of the most underrated and genuinely creepy films of the 2000s, though not without its flaws. Marketing it as a mystery/thriller did the film a great disservice and set people up for disappointment, because the film is actually more of a slow-burn, unsettling, cerebral horror drama. There is very little in the way of action, suspense, or cat-and-mouse-style chases, as people often expect from thrillers. This movie is a vibe more than anything; a very eerie, uncanny feel that really gets under your skin if you let it. The film also had the misfortune of being released in a time when American audiences generally favored big, loud, shocking horror over challenging, deliberately paced chillers. To be fair, the second act is a little dull at times, but the first and third acts are very compelling. If you enjoy movies like Kairo (Pulse), Lake Mungo, and The Empty Man, there's a strong chance you'll appreciate this film, so long as you don't go into it expecting fast-paced thrills or concrete answers.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Janis E

A true masterwork. It pulls you into a world of ancient myths comes true with magnificent photography, intriguing performers, and a compelling story. An immersive experience is produced through the visually arresting visuals, precise set design, and great acting. Your emotional investment is maintained by the outstanding cast's ability to give their characters depth and dimension. The blend of mystery, adventure, and mythology is expertly done, with ideal pacing and topics that will get you thinking. The musical score for the movie adds yet another level of excellence. The mothman Prophecies is a masterpiece of epic storytelling of alleged real life event with twist of fantasy and a must-see for movie buffs.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

Full Review

Geoff M

Beautifully shot and haunting

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/07/25

Full Review

Robert M

A Sci Fi thriller with Richard Gere and Laura Linley. I've seen reviews that say it's a horrible movie and garbage. I couldn't disagree more. It has good performances by the above actors, it's well filmed, and has an interesting plot.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/02/25

Full Review

Anton H

This absolute garbage excuse for a movie has about as much intelligence and horror content as a basket of sun-dried moth carrion. Rewatching it gave me great shame, as I somehow remembered it being a lot better. What did 14-year-old Me know?

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/08/24

Full Review

Farah R

There's an intriguing mystery at the heart of this well-acted thriller, but the agonizingly slow pace ruins it. Had the fat been trimmed, the climax would've impacted more.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/07/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Mark Pellington

Director

Richard Gere

John Klein

Laura Linney

Connie Parker

Will Patton

Gordon Smallwood

Debra Messing

Mary Klein

Lucinda Jenney

Denise Smallwood

Fear X

57%

39%

Fear X

Watchlist

Dragonfly

7%

62%

Dragonfly

Watchlist

High Crimes

31%

50%

High Crimes

Watchlist

The Truth About Charlie

34%

27%

The Truth About Charlie

Watchlist

The Sixth Sense

86%

90%

The Sixth Sense

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Sixth Sense

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

From the director of Arlington Road comes a spine-tingling, super-natural thriller based on actual events that will rattle your nerves and shake your beliefs. Distraught by the sudden, tragic death of his wife (Debra Messing), John Klein (Richard Gere), a journalist for The Washington Post, finds himself mysteriously drawn to a small West Virginia town when his car inexplicably strands him. Rescued by the sympathetic but skeptical local police sergeant (Laura Linney), he soon learns that many of the town's residents have been beset by bizarre events, including sightings of an eerie "moth-like" entity, similar to the one seen by his late wife. Investigating further and having his own terrifying encounters with the creature, he becomes obsessed with the idea that this supernatural being can predict impending calamities and is trying to warn the town of one. Is this a psychic delusion brought on by his grief or can he convince the police sergeant that there's a tragedy that must be averted? His life, and potentially others' lives, depend on his making the right choice before time runs out.

Director: Mark Pellington
Producer: Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Gary Goldstein
Screenwriter: Richard Hatem, John A. Keel
Distributor: Screen Gems
Production Co: Screen Gems, Lakeshore Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Some Sexuality|Language|Terror)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 25, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $35.2M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)