The Mothman Prophecies Review
by Christian Pyle (Tlcclp AT aol DOT com)April 11th, 2002
The Mothman Prophecies
Reviewed by Christian Pyle
Directed by Mark Pellington
Written by Richard Hatem (based on the book by John A. Keel) Starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton, and Alan Bates Grade: B-
I felt an odd sort of nostalgia watching "The Mothman Prophecies," a remembrance of the 1970's when "true" tales of UFOs, demonic possession, and afterdeath experiences were all the rage. "Mothman" hearkens back to movies like "The Amityville Horror," which generated lots of press and public interest in the supposedly haunted house in Long Island.
The true stories behind "Mothman" concern a series of weird events in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 1966 and 1967, including sightings of a bizarre winged figure who has come to be known as "The Mothman." This period of odd happenings culminated in a tragedy that cost dozens of lives. The movie version, which makes no attempt to set its plot in the 1960's, centers on Washington Post reporter John Klein (Richard Gere). John's wife (Debra Messing of "Will & Grace") dies of a brain tumor shortly after a car accident that she claims was caused by a winged man. Two years later, John finds himself in Point Pleasant with no memory of how or why he came. He soon meets Gordon Smallwood (Will Patton), who hears an inhuman voice telling him prophecies of death, and local cop Connie Parker (Laura Linney), who is investigating a series of sightings of a strange winged figure. John quickly becomes obsessed with finding the truth behind the Mothman.
One can appreciate the wisdom of screenwriter Richard Hatem by comparing the events of the movie to the "true story" as covered by the official website. The tales of actual Point Pleasant residents seem trite by comparison, containing many references to UFOs and government "men in black." One guy claimed to have been abducted to the Mothman's home planet where "the people were mostly nude." Hatem's screenplay avoids any references to aliens or government cover-ups and chooses instead to suggest that the Mothman is not an intruder but a natural part of our world, a harbinger of death with all sorts of theological implications.
Although it reminds me of the 1970's, "Mothman" is one of the many films in search of the audience of "The Sixth Sense" (others include "Dragonfly," "The Gift," and "The Others"). This emerging horror subgenre puts more emphasis on atmosphere than fear, and director Mark Pellington shows considerable skill in "Mothman." The creepiness grows until it's almost unbearable. During the first three-quarters of the movie, I bought the plot and found it absorbing. The ending undercut the effect, though, by placing undue emphasis on the romance between John and Connie, a subplot that seems an obligatory Hollywood device. The creepiness is abated by a big heroic moment that doesn't seem to fit the movie.
The ending was probably doomed anyway. Like all those "unexplained phenomena" movies/books/tv series of the 1970's, "Mothman" cannot resolve its mystery. It can only end with words flashing on the screen that spell out the familiar refrain "these events remain unexplained."
© 2002 Christian L. Pyle
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