by James Gilmore
The most remarkable feature of The
Mothman Prophecies is its arrestive visual acumen and atmosphere. Not a minute goes by without haunting imagery
gracing the screen.
Unfortunately, the story is weak at best, and its interlocking pieces
ragged, tired, or forced. Although the
supernatural entity known as “the Mothman” is supposedly the lynchpin of the
story, he need not exist at all since the plot involves a number of individuals
having prophetic visions, and the fact that the Mothman sometime appears in
them is only incidental. Also
superfluous to the plot is the main character’s relationship with his wife (the
focus of the B Story), which fails to have any conclusive ending nor any reason
for inclusion in the film except as a weak initial impetus to move the
protagonist to the remote location of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
Laura Linney’s acting performance is worth mentioning. Despite the minimalist approach to her
character, it proves to be one of her best performances and indicative of her
serious dramatic acting ability.
This psychological/supernatural thriller is also a borderline horror,
and will appeal to those in the mood for an intriguing, even perplexingly
illogical, filmic experience.
Rating: 2 / 5
