My mother is from a small town close to Point Pleasant, WV which is a point of interest in this movie. She had seen the movie before but, never got the name of it. When she finially discovered the name, I got on line and within a few days she had this movie and is very pleased with it. Thank You, R. Head Chatsworth, GA

Richard Gere is excellent and Laura Linney is even better in this otherwise forgettable film about an allegedly real (?) or not (?) supernatural creature, the Mothman, who appeared in a West Virginia town, Point Pleasant and predicted, among other things, the sinking of a bridge over the Ohio River in 1967. I knew nothing about the actual event, nor the folklore surrounding the Mothman when I picked up this DVD. I read only that the story was based on true events.

Since I am not a horror film fan at all--I stay away from them--my interest in this, besides the good cast, was that fact that this "supernatural" event was at least somewhat true. I do believe in some supernatural phenomenon so I had an interest in seeing exactly what did happen here. The story, though, isn't completely factual, so the viewer is left wondering what actually happened and what didn't. It's so bizarre. One wonders who was making the phone calls, who was disguising their voices, the time warp, the mysterious re-appearance of the dead wife...etc. etc. After a while my mind got tired of trying to figure it out and I focused on the possible romance of Gere and Linney. There, too, I was disappointed, as nothing conclusive is shown.

I guess if you really really love horror films and you don't care if anything is real, then you might like this film. For me, it is mostly a waste of excellent actors.

Some of the reviewers have stated: It's nothing like the book. Thank God. Having read the book, which is fine in and of itself, I'm glad that the movie was so much better and not a straight adaptation. If you wish to order and read the book after seeing the movie, go right ahead, but expect a few very dry, and yawning bedtime reads that might bore you.

The Special Edition of this film is the one to get. I already owned the Original Theatrical Release, but re-purchased it because I had to see the two documentaries that were included on disk two. I usually frown at studios double-dipping to rake in more cash from an unsuspecting audience, but in this case it was well worth it. This is a much over-looked movie that was superb in every way.

The next time the phone rings and no one responds back ... you'll immediatly think that it's the Mothman, whether you admit it, ... or not.

The Mothman Prophecies is one of the scariest films I have ever seen. It blends fact wih fiction (creating a haunting and earily "real" atmosphere that one does not easily forget.) Richard Ghere is great as the lead, and the story moves along at an almost perfect pace. There is not much action in this movie, but trust me, once you've started there's no stopping, and once it's over you'll have to watch a seriously funny movie to counter it's effects. That being said, Mothman is an excellent film in almost every way, and I highly reccomend it to the thriller fan.

Few movies are as creepy as this one, mainly because there's quite an element in truth to the horror. Compare it to "The Exorcist" or maybe "Ghost Story" (with Fred Astaire).

It's all about the people in a small West Virginia town on the Ohio River who suddenly become plagued with sightings of a VERY scary entity, The Mothman. A big-city newspaper reporter gets on the story and finds a lot more than he bargained for.

The Mothman is supposedly associated with an old Shawnee Indian curse on the whites as a result of The Battle of Point Pleasant. Given that basis for the appearance of The Mothman, The Silver Bridge, which spans the Ohio River, fell on a cold December night during the rush hour and many people were killed.

This part, anyway, is true... on 12/15/67 The Silver Bridge DID actually fall and 46 people were killed! That's what makes this movie so creepy, in part. The Mothman was blamed by many for the tragedy. I recall clearly the night that this bridge fell and actually had a close friend who had crossed the bridge about an hour prior to the disaster, so this movie is really personal for me.

The other facet of creepiness in this film is that it is simply well-done, brilliantly directed and perfectly cast.

This movie has been a real sleeper and if you haven't seen it, do so. But be ready for the fact that you might not sleep so good on the night that you do!

Rented it, had to go buy it. Great film based on true events. Great Amazon pricing as always.

Upon seeing this again it reminds of another creepy ghost movie that came out later (in 2005) called "White Noise" with Michael Keaton. I'm sure White Noise borrowed a lot from this movie: the fascination with the paranormal, death of a spouse, the cryptic and eccentric *paranormal* "expert", the inevitable tragic deaths along the way, and of course the creepy, scary and inexplicable happenings that adds to the mystery. Both also featured what is now called: EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) experiences. I enjoyed both this movie and "White Noise" for all of those things, but I think that The Mothman Prophecies works better as a complete movie and story than "White Noise" did.

Also like the some of the best X-File episodes this movie doesn't answer the questions of what the mothman is and exactly what the meaning of everything happening is too. It leaves it up to you to decide.

The horror is more from the suspense of the events than from blood and gore. This is a movie also along the horror-suspense of "The Sixth Sense" even more than the asian-inspired horror movies like "The Ring" "The Grudge" and such. It is more a drama than horror too, but there are good shocks and the scenes with Indrid Cold are perfectly chilling.

If you would like to check out a more intriguing horror movie, that leaves you wondering, try The Mothman Prophecies...you won't be disappointed.

Richard Gere plays a husband who can't figure out how his life was suddenly turned upside down by an unidentified, winged creature in this Science Fiction/Thriller. When his wife sees a strange image that causes her car accident, husband and wife are both haunted by an entity that appears to have 'noticed it's been noticed'. The question is, what does this entity plan to do about it and why? Gere stars as a reporter who must seek the answers to these strange questions, but in doing so will he destroy his own sanity?

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

I liked The Mothman Prophecies but I think it was a mistake to try to tie this movie in as much as it was with the hysterical tall tales that arose after the Silver Bridge collapse at Kanauga, Ohio/Point Pleasant, West Virginia in December 1967. In doing that, filmmakers unintentionally detracted from their genuinely eerie plot and instead left themselves open to constant, kvetching criticism that "none of that happened!" Of course it didn't. This is a movie. Duh. Leaving all that behind, The Mothman Prophecies is a fun film to watch even if it could have sped its pace up a bit. The "Chap Stick" scene was one part giggly funny and three parts chills down your back spooky, and it was little moments like those that made the supernatural elements work when they could easily have been overpowered by the investigative overtones that held the story together. I also felt the entire movie was somehow a subtle homage to The X-Files, with Richard Gear coming close to playing up on the old "Wow, David Duchovny looks like him" talk, but he was ultimately so upstaged by Laura Linney's performance that it's easy to miss that. This is a good movie but not a classic. It's well worth seeing once or twice, and it will probably give susceptible people the creeps. Not quite four stars but a little better than three.

This story gets involved with the issue of 'precognition' which is the ability of someone (or some 'thing' in this case) to be able to see and foretell the future.

This is an interesting subject.

Some people believe that it is possible not only to see other times but to travel there physically.

One theory is if you travel back in time and for example kill your parents we wouldn't notice the effect of your actions in this time but you would have created an alternate history. A 'parrallel' time.

What does this mean ? I have no idea.

But it raises the question of how can it be possible to see the future unless the future already exists in some form ? Otherwise it wouldn't be possible to see the future now because something could happen to change it.

This is all far beyond human comprehension but anyway the hero of this story is involved with some sort of force or creature who can predict the future.

The creature has been interacting with the population of a small town using telephones, visions, dreams, apparitions, etc.. The usual bridges to other dark dimensions.

But the moth man creature never comes out and says exactly what's going to happen. It just gives small clues and glimpses. That's where the 'adventure' comes in.

The opening credits indicate the story is based on actual events. Doing that in and of itself creates problems with this type of story.

Like many horror / new age type movies this story walks a fine line between being suspenseful and being utterly rediculous.

Supposedly the mysterious Great Pyramid tells the destiny of our human race encoded in the markings on the walls inside the pyramid.

Perhaps our future is really 'written in stone'.

Jeff Marzano

Phantasm

The Philadelphia Experiment

The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 1

Twilight Zone: The Complete Definitive Collection

The Truth About The Philadelphia Experiment

I've never read the novel that THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is based upon. I am, however, familiar with the events that took place between November 1966 and December 1967 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. I first heard about The Mothman when I was in the second grade and read a book about monsters in the United States. The story scared me so much that for days I had nightmares and was afraid of looking out of windows. I soon conquered my fear, but in doing so, forgot about Mothman. That was until I saw a special about the creature and Point Pleasant on the Sci-Fi channel a couple years ago. It was through that show that I learned a movie, THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES had been made about the events surrounding the 1966-1967 events in Point Pleasant. I finally got around to watching the movie recently.

The movie takes place in a modern setting and revolves around a man named John Klein (Richard Gere), a successful journalist for the Washington Post. John and his wife Mary (Debra Messing) finally find and agree to purchase their dream home. On their way home after the meeting, Mary sees a winged creature with red eyes jump at her and swerves off the road onto a sidewalk. John is fine, but Mary sustains a severe head wound which leads doctors to discovering a tumor in her brain. Not long after, she dies.

Two years later, John is driving out of D.C. and in less than two hours discovers that somehow he's traveled over 400 miles and is outside the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. When he approaches a nearby house, he is held at gunpoint by the home's owner until the police arrive. It seems that a man looking just like John has been knocking on their door for the past two evenings at 2:30am. A local police officer, Connie (Laura Linney) arrives on the scene and calms the situation. Connie isn't surprised by John's story because in the last few months in Point Pleasant a lot of strange things have been happening: strange lights, vivid dreams, haunting voices, bizarre physical illnesses, etc. The most unusual of the events are the reports and sightings of a creature the locals have begun referring to as The Mothman: a giant humanoid with wings and large red eyes. Upon seeing drawings of the creature, John is reminded of Mary and the sketches she drew of the creature she saw. He knows they are one and the same and John sets out to find how deep the connection goes and what exactly the mothman's purpose is.

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is a well directed film with some very talented actors. I like director Mark Pellington's film ARLINGTON ROAD and I really enjoy Laura Linney's work (though I could care less about Richard Gere). However, I really didn't enjoy the movie. To begin with, the film takes place in a modern setting while the events at Point Pleasant, which is what the film is based upon, occurred in the late 1960s. I thought the movie was going to be a period piece, but it turned out to be no such thing. Though there is a basic plot, the movie is highly disjointed with quick cuts moving from one scene and setting to another. I understand that this was done purposely as a way to produce the confusion the citizens and John feels in the audience, but I simply found it frustrating. Also, even though the Mothman can be seen several times in the movie, he is never seen clearly or in his entirety. Once again, I believe this is done for affect, but I wish the creature would have been seen clearly at least once. It might have just been me, but I found the deep friendship that developed between John and Gordon Smallwood (Will Patton) to be completely unbelievable. Actually, I found the whole idea of how John was able to become almost a citizen of Point Pleasant to be unrealistic. I'm from a small town and yes small town people are very friendly welcoming, but they are also very protective. I don't think the people of the town would have adopted John as quickly as they seem to do in the movie.

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is often found in the horror isle of the local video store, but the movie isn't a horror movie. It's more of a psychological thriller/suspense tale.

Overall, THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is the type of movie that you might enjoy if you like one of the actors that stars in the film or if you're a fan of the director. I'd also recommend it to people who have an interest in the event that took place at Point Pleasant, though remember that the film is set in the present and doesn't offer any real suggestions about anything (it also avoids the whole UFO and G-men that were also seen in the area). For the casual movie watcher, THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES will probably be a mixed bag with just as many people liking it as there are who didn't enjoy it. Watch at your own risk.

Richard Gere should retire and I would like to know who Debra Messing is related to, the girl is so one trick pony. Well I think the mothman should have made an apprearance during the film. But sll you hear is his/its voice on the telephone, I guess he had a lot of quarters

I usually don't get freaked out by a movie, but for some reason this movie made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up! The fact that this was based on true events makes it even freakier! Buy this movie!

"The Mothman Prophecies" is one of the most underrated contemporary horror films I've ever seen. I only saw this once and that was awhile ago, but I do remember being amazed that a movie this good could be swept under the rug as it seemingly has been.

Richard Gere (yeah, I know) plays a Washington Post reporter named John Klein who loses his wife in a very curious car accident. After the accident which is purposely filmed so that we don't know how or why it really happened, his terminally damaged wife starts drawing really weird pictures of a moth. She keeps asking Klein if he saw this bird of sorts or not, a kind of Dracula-like figure with two eyes that are too bright to make one comfortable. At first he insists he saw nothing but keeps the pictures, the childlike and chilling images playing a perennial part in the film later on.

Will Patton has to be the best actor in this movie. He plays Gordon Smallwood, outwardly a small town nut and actually a man being driven insane by the bizarre enigma that this innocuous little town unknowingly houses. When Klein shows up at Gordon's house (and has a rifle shoved in his face), it is not by accident. Nothing in this movie really is. The way Pellington shoots the scenes of Gordon losing his mind is unforgettable--it happens in a fizzy, weird video game type way which comes off very vividly.

I've never liked Laura Linney too much and have always felt she belongs on TV but she does a decent job as Connie Mills, the local sherrif who basically serves as the dramatic witness for Klein's breakdowns as
the REAL star of the movie--Indrid Cold--keeps calling him. Only in "The Exorcist" or "Black Christmas", perhaps, have I seen a movie before in which a creepy, otherworldly voice becomes the star. Even when Klein tries to escape his obsession and tear out the jack from the phone, it keeps ringing and ringing.

This is an exercise in derangement and a strange form of hope. The climax will strike some as impressive and others as senseless. Bottom line: every horror fan should see this.

I just read Dirk's "spolier" ending to the Mothman Prophecies and had to say huh? Demonic, fallen angles? What? Did we watch the same movie? If all you go by is the movie, that might be the impression you're left with. But if you've ever looked into the events that happened around Point Pleasant, or any of the books on the subject, you'll see that the Mothman was more UFO related than anything. At same time of the Mothman sightings the Point Pleasant area was in a wave of UFO reports, Men-In-Black, and all sorts of goings-on up in the sky. In fact, Mothman played only a very small part in the drama, it was by far predominately UFO related, as Keel makes clear.

Unfortunately, the producers chose to abandon this aspect of the story entirely, and so the happenings at Point Pleasant lost their entire frame of reference. If you see this movie thinking this was the way things actually happened, you might come to the conclusion of the Mothman being evil, demonic, fallen angles, whatever you like. But if you research the incident at all, you'll see you're only getting a fraction of the story from the movie. And if, like Dirk, you thereby think you know all about what Mothman actually was based on just the movie alone, then all your conclusions end up being based simply on a Hollywood writer's imagination and script and nothing more. Mothman having anything to do with demons and angels or any religious overtones is as far from the truth as you could possibly be. Don't judge by the movie, read the book!

I was scared of the dark after watching this last night! The acting, scenery and special effects were all wonderful. From the very beginning, you are drawn into the darkness and paranoia (sp) of Klein's unravelling life. Is the Mothman real or not? Klein's investigation forces him to confront metaphysics, angels, premonitions and other things that crouch in the shadows. OTOH I didnt care for the ending ... too staged.

The Mothman Prophecies is a well-crafted, and at times terrifying, story based on true events that occurred in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 1966. The setting for the film is modern times, and stars Richard Gere as a respected Washington Post reporter who becomes embroiled in the bizarre and surreal happenings in Point Pleasant.

The story takes monster movies to the next level. Without giving away too much, the suggestion is that the Mothman is a kind of sentient being far superior to humans. Is he warning or just messing with John and the citizens of a small town?

The music is great and had me jumping out of my skin in a few parts. Recommended for horror and psychological thriller fans. Very similar to X-Files.

The Mothman Prophecies is a throwback to the time when "horror movie" didn't actually mean "Teenage Gore Fest." I guess the word for it now would be 'thriller,' and thrill it does.

Based on a true story from Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1967, the Mothman takes place in present 2001, or thereabouts. It's the story of a newspaper reporter who finds himself in said town on his way to interview the governor. There he stumbles across several bizarre occurances; namely repeated sightings by the townsfolk of a not-quite-seen ethereal creature, and how these strange tales seem to intertwine with the reporter's own life.

The director, Mark Pellington (whose directorial credits include the mediocre movie Arlington Road and the music video of "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam) has created a mood and a tension in film that I don't think has appeared since The Exorcist in 1973. And he does so without blood, gore, or cheap scares.
And only a PG-13 rating.

Mr. Pellington falls backs on some outdated "tricks" like good acting, excellent cinematography, and an absolutely stunning soundtrack. Close-ups of the actors' faces here convey more real terror than in all the Friday the 13th films combined. The musical score sets the mood from scene 1 to the finale; dark and foreboding, tense and pensive. Sound work this good should have earned an Oscar nomination. The camera work is beyond reproach, as well. Sometimes long shots, setting a mood, sometimes jerky, fuzzy, or distorted like a funhouse mirror, all perfect to what needs to be conveyed - - without giving away too much.

The acting, also, is top notch. Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton, and Will & Grace's Debra Messing all convey a range of emotions not seen in modern day thrillers in sometime.

If there is a flaw to the Mothman Prophecies, it's that the townspeople are too quick to tell a stranger of their paranormal experiences. A moments' hesitation, a shifting away of the eyes, the use of a softer-spoken voice in public would have made the stories and the characters come more alive, and added only a minute or two to the films' overall length.

Counting Memento, this is the second great film I've seen in the past thirteen months. Get it while you can.
* * * * * * * * * *

Rating: Solid A

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
F.Y.I.: Although this film is rated only PG-13, it may be too scary or intense for children 15 and under.

"The Mothman Prophecies" is one of those rare films where everything magically 'works' resulting in a magnificent piece of cinematic art.

Richard Gere plays John Klein, a journalist for The Washington Post who is trying to come to grips with the sudden death of his wife. He soon finds himself mysteriously translated to the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. He develops a relationship with the sympathetic but skeptical local police sergeant, played by Laura Linney. They soon learn that many of the town's residents have sighted an eerie moth-like entity, similar to the one Klein's wife saw before she died. Deeper investigation causes Klein to have his own creepy encounters with the strange creature; he becomes convinced that the being exists on a sphere far beyond humanity's finite comprehension and that it can predict impending calamities. In fact, he comes to realize that this "mothman" is trying to warn the small town of one. Can he decipher what specifically the tragedy will be and when it will occure? Can he save his life and his loved ones before it's too late?

"The Mothman Prophecies" is not a monster movie, nor is it a mad-slasher horror flick; it's a creepy supernatural/mystery story with loads of mood & atmosphere. Every element of this motion picture skillfully works -- acting, story, editing, score, cinimatography, locations, etc.

Sensitive viewers will note an undeniable reverent, beautiful quality to the film. The ending is strangely touching.

The notable Amazon reviewer Lawrence Bernabo claims that the mysteries presented in the story are not supposed to be figured out and, indeed, CANNOT be figured out. This is completely untrue. One must understand that this film is brilliantly intricate. Many questions are raised with varying possible answers. Don't think for a second that there are no real answers in this film; they're all there, but you may have to watch it about four or five times to finally discover them. I appreciate the fact that the director and writer refused to spell everything out for the viewer, even allowing room for complete misinterpretation. If the viewer wants answers s/he must have "ears to hear" and be willing to work for them.

My initial interpretation was that the mothmen are good spiritual beings that are trying to help humankind by predicting great calamities but can be easily misunderstood because they are so far superior to humans. In a nutshell my interpretation was that the "mothman" brought Gere to Point Pleasant to meet and save the future replacement for his dead wife, who died due to a pre-existing condition that only the mothman knew about. This explanation obviously suggests that the "mothmen" are good in nature.

I've come to see that this translation is false; a brilliantly implemented red herring.

[SPOILER ALERT -- Don't read the following paragraphs unless you want to consider insights into the true nature of the mothmen]

The mothmen are in truth evil spirits, fallen angels or demons (they're synonymous). This is clear when viewing eye-witness drawings of the creatures; these pictures never show beautiful angel-like beings, but rather disturbing obviously-malevolent winged-creatures.

A mothman (evil spirit) CAUSED the auto accident that injured Debra Messing. Would a GOOD angelic being cause such a tragedy (regardless of the fact that she ultimately dies of a pre-existing problem)?

The bible calls Satan the "prince of the power of the air," hence, his underlings (demons) are spiritual and electro-magnetic in nature. They can thus easily manipulate a traffic light or speak through a phone that's not plugged in. They can even take human form, like the male nurse who insists Debra's drawings are of "angels" and then mysteriously vanishes, or mimic the voices of dead loved ones.

The researcher from Chicago reveals that the mothmen are from hell (the spiritual underworld that underpins the earth) and send out mixed messages to ruin peoples lives. They may seem to be benevolently warning humans but, at the same time, are obvious instigators of human tragedies (the car crash, Gordon's job loss, insanity & ultimate demise and the researcher's loss of his family & a respectable social life, etc.). Also consider the fact that they refuse to reveal their true selves and intentions. They are highly skilled masqueraders.

The reclusive researcher also points out that they have been around for a millenia and therefore see things at least 2 or 3 moves ahead of humans; they naturally use this vantage point to manipulate, deceive and destroy.

At the end, the saved police woman, number "37" (research that number), is still a victim in that her previous views that the mothmen are evil and destructive could now flip-flop into the deception that the they are somehow agents of good. Of course we never find out if this happens because the tale potently ends with Gere and Linney in shock sitting in an ambulance just glad to be alive.

The film powerfully illustrates that humanity is caught in a cosmic war and that there are beings whose sole purpose is to ruin or destroy us. Failure to understand and tactically prepare can be fatal. The only true protection from these evil spiritual beings is reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ's blood shield of atonement (not that the picture ever overtly reveals this, it's simply my addendum).

[END SPOILER ALERT]

"Mothman" ranks up there with my all-time favorite movies.

This is a visually elegant and thematically frightening movie. It conjures up some authentically unearthly and mysterious atmosphere. Once agan the outstanding musical accompaniment of TOMANDANDY helps to elevate the film to a level of dread not seen since DON'T LOOK NOW back in '73. This was a strangely malinged and neglected film at the time of its release but i think history will mark it out, alongside WHITE NOISE, as the best of the thrillers that came out in the wake of The success of THE SIXTH SENSE.

Although I rate this movie with a weak 3 stars, it is by no means a horror movie. Pretty good for a suspense/thriller type film, but no horror here. Richard Gere does give a good performance in this movie. Without going into all the details, this movie has good acting and good scenes and does not bore you to death like many other films I've seen. Worth renting if you have never seen this film before. Not bad entertainment.

Three problems with this film:

1. PACING - The film's pacing doesn't vary. It's very boring. As a matter of fact, this wouldn't be a problem if the film were much more tense (e.g., "Speed"), however this film lacks the high-action intensity to pull off such a slow expository speed.

2. EFFECTS - Too many sequences of this film rely on color and light superimpositions, and there is an overabundance of high-speed imaging. The scene changes that employ erratic barrages of images desensitize the viewer from the thrilling "horror" scenes. Furthermore, they fail to make enough sequential sense of the film's plot to really mean much to the film as a greater whole. The upshot: the film relies too heavily on the art of editing, to the point where plot twists are no longer interesting.

3. TRIVIALITY - The plot's conclusion quails in the face of the "so what?" question. The viewer is left with a sense of, "I sat through the film for THAT?" In light of points (1) and (2), this obnoxious bit is the icing on the cake.

Don't waste your life.

ALong

I watched this movie not knowing all that much about about the whole Mothman phenomenon, so fortunately wasn't in a position to have my expectations dashed. I guess that's the thing about movies based on real or alleged events, and there's not much that can be done about it if you've already read up on the whole incident. The movie should be taken for what it is, a good, spine chilling paranormal thriller. The Special edition includes a 50 minute documentary on the 1960s Mothman sightings on which the movie is based. Very interesting in its own right.

Great and suspensfull movie. It's one of the very few that I would watch again, and again, and.......

This movie, about the paranormal is based on some true events, that were reported to have happened. Not everything is true in these kind of films, as with all true story films, but it still makes you think. I'm really into the paranormal and have an open mind. I don't know why is says science fiction, and it doesn't state "based on true events" on this page, but it did when it was previewed in commercials when it came to theatre's. Maybe because people get weird and think that the whole film is telling a true story...but you must remember, even a movie like monster for example (life story of aileen wuarnos) no one was actually there other than aileen and the victim who died. Reporters report what they investigate, so nothing is 100 percent certain in this world, we can listen to evidence, photos, tapes, proof, witnesses, and then conclude what happened based on our own knowledge and judgement, but it doesnt mean something is not true. There is always that possibility, that these things happened, but you definately have to be into this stuff, have an open mind, and have knowledge of the paranormal and phenomena. Overall this film was creepy, and i enjoyed it. It can be weird at times, but i like weird, and the acting was terrific. I liked this film more than dragonfly with kevin coster.

(Below is my original review after seeing the movie in a theatre. Since then, I bought it and watched it on DVD. While I still felt the way I did earlier, I would have added another star or two because on DVD I could review scenes and freeze frames to see some really cool imagery that gets lost in the quick cuts. There seem to be a lot of mysterious elements that never seem to connect but THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is still an intriguing and frequently chilling experience that left me wanting me more. Keep your finger on the freeze button!).

I grew up near where the Mothman was sighted. Back then (1960-70s), it was only the real nuts who took the Mothman very seriously. In the wake of all the UFO lit that hit the market then, everyone focused on the Arkansas fishermen who were abducted by tin-foil aliens instead of giant flying monster with big red insect eyes in West Virginia.
The former seemed more plausible, I guess.

I still visit West Virginia every year and it's been fun to see the region embrace the Mothman--with tongue firmly planted in cheek. I bought a couple of recent books about the Mothman in Parkersburg's wonderful Trans Allegheny Bookstore last visit (they are online). There is even a Mothman statue in Point Pleasant.

But the movie, which starts out so promisingly with such an excellent cast, can't pull all the spooky supernatural elements together.

Loosely based on the book, THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES, the film takes it's most intriguing ideas and sets up a really cool story about a reporter (Richard Gere) dealing with the death of his wife--and trying to understand some of the other-worldly weirdness of it. This wasn't a documentary so the filmmakers should've cut loose and took us further into that weirdness.

They should have shown the Mothman. That they didn't just hurts the movie badly.
The first half does a great job of playing the mystery--but we're still left with just the mystery by the end. This is a movie. Give us a pay-off.

The bridge collapse sequence is so unbelievable that, as cool as it is visually, it's actually more difficult to believe than the Mothman by that point. The real Silver Bridge crashed in about a nano-second. The real Ohio River, especially in December, doesn't look like the clear water tank they filmed on a backlot. And nobody could've survived that. Sorry.

Some really good moments though. I loved the concepts so much that I wish there had been a couple more drafts of the script to see where it would go.

(My own theory as to why the Mothman sightings stopped after the Silver Bridge disaster: the community had a real tragedy to deal with and they just didn't have time for spooky campfire stories anymore. But the Mothman is still fun to read about).

The first time I ever saw this movie, it scared me to death. And now I've seen it many times and it still never fails to freak me out. I used to have trouble watching it alone. Now I'm fine watching it alone, as long as it's still daylight. Or as long as I've checked all the closets. The hairs on the back of my neck always stand up, especially when I think of number 37. I don't scare easily either. It might not be your cup of tea, but if you like movies, you'll enjoy the journey all the same. I love this movie...might even watch it yet again tonight!

This film has several things going for it--a moody, atmospheric look and feel; the star power of Richard Gere; solid supporting perfomances by the always-reliable Will Patton & Laura Linney. But these strengths ultimately fail to elevate "The Mothman Prophecies" into a first-rate thriller. After an intriguing start it becomes increasingly self-important & ridiculous, and closing credits arrive with a sense of relief.

Richard Gere does good work in his first supernatural thriller, as a grieving widower who grows increasingly frantic that he may be losing his sanity. The bulk of the action is set on the West Virginia-Ohio border in winter, and the bleakness of the landscape mirrors the wintry bleakness that Gere's John Klein feels in his soul. I could swear that many of the same exterior shots were used in "Silence of the Lambs"--the production design has a very familiar look. In order to accept the action of this film as plausible rather than incredulous, however, one has to be able to accept the basic premise--that a giant moth-like creature exists & is able to predict the future. I had a really hard time doing this, despite the claims that this film was based on actual events that occurred some 40 years ago. Whether 'Point Pleasant' West Virginia actually exists is easy enough to verify, but unless you are a dedicated believer in the paranormal already, this movie will do nothing to make the existence of such beings more plausible. Something that is never established satisfactorily: are the Mothman's intentions toward humans good or ill? Does he, er, 'it' warn of impeding disaster or cause it? If its intentions toward man are benign, why does it have such a satanic aspect that causes people to have car accidents or go insane? Why would a supernatural creature outside of space and time feel the need to communicate through a telephone?

"Mothman Prophecies" was released the same year as Richard Gere's triumphant performance in "Chicago". Hard to believe. This movie is a frozen wasteland removed from any Oscar-worthiness, that's for sure. If a supernatural thriller involving bugs is what you're after, "Mimic" delivers a much more satisfactory chill-fest. After "Mothman", "Mimic" practically seems realistic, and I never thought I'd find myself saying that!

I am not a skeptic, but I do like to look for the most logical explanations of paranormal events. Skeptics, on the other hand, look for equally preposterous 'real' explanations for stuff that humans perhaps just don't understand.

The Mothman Prophecies is full of mystery and subversion. Some parts of it could be explained, but negated by others. It's far-fetched but directed with such sombre timing that the unbelievable slowly creeps up on you. Ghost stories (yes, I am aware that the Mothman is not a ghost but I don't know what else to call him) are, by their very nature, far-fetched and this is probably why most people are eager to dismiss them. But most people fail to remember that their very existence in this Universe is the most far-fetched thing of all. There is an infinity out there than man does not/will never understand. It's arrogance to think that we've got our world figured out already and dismiss anything that doesn't fit in with our day to day lives.

So yes, I am inclined to believe in stuff like the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, the Skunk Ape and Little Green Men. Like the movie said, the Mothman has appeared in scriptures and literature of many cultures worldwide for thousands of years. Apparently the book on which the movie is based has more stories of strange happenings and info on Indrid Cold (who is probably the most puzzling, enigmatic character since the Mystery Man from Lost Highway), so it's perhaps a good idea to check it out if you were intrigued by the movie.

Director Mark Pellington creates a spooky and haunting Xmas atmosphere and uses the widescreen frame brilliantly. Occasionally he'll throw in a subliminal shot of the Mothman (sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle) or use bizarre imagery to heighten the sense of dread or mystery. It's very well edited and has a lot more class and sophistication than many recent corny PG-13 'horrors' like The Skeleton Key or The Forgotten. In many respects, Mothman is a lot like The Ring in terms of moody atmosphere and cryptic messages. But Mothman, while not a perfect film, is certainly the better of the two.

My main problem is that nothing is really wrapped up. I mean I know it cannot be fully explained because no one knows what the Mothman is or who Indrid Cold was but maybe there was more explained or suggested in John A. Keel's book (the man who Richard Gere's character was based on) than the movie featured.

Overall, it's a pretty good film and I look forward to Mark Pellington's next movie as I've been impressed with his work on this and Arlington Road so far.

The DVD is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with a very intense Dolby 5.1 sound design.

In the dizzyingly action-packed tradition of "Spider-Man" and "The Hulk", "The Mothman Prophecies" is the fast-paced story of the reclusive Mothman, a gossamer-caped crimefighter who swoops down on the Forces of Evil from his secret underground base in the hills of West Virginia.

OK, OK, I'm kidding. That's not what the movie is about, I just couldn't help myself.

Alright now: "The Mothman Prophecies" is a tastily creepy little mood piece that takes hearty helpings of conspiracy theory, precognition, UFO abductions, hauntings from beyond the grave, and Men in Black, throws them in a big cauldron, stirs and seasons with plenty of dark, brooding, atmosphere, and serves it up with a whallop.

And what a whallop! If you're looking for 8-foot tall Mothmen swooping down from the trees and carrying of their screaming victims, then you should look elsewhere, because that's not what this deliciously spooky film is all about. But "The Mothman Prophecies" snuck up on me, whalloped me with its unrelenting creepiness, and left me confused, spooked, and wanting more, and really---what more can you ask of a film?

"Mothman" centers on the strange adventure of its grieving widower hero John Klein (played---erm, affably by Richard Geere), a Washington Post reporter and political analyst. Two years after his wife dies of a brain tumor following a mysterious car accident, he is dispatched to Virginia to interview the governor. Four hours later, his car breaks down on a lonely stretch of rural road, his watch stops, and, afflicted with a strong case of the creeps, he walks up the road to get help at a nearby house.

That's when things in "The Mothman Prophecies" take a wonderful little detour for the Strange.

The man who comes to the door of the first house Gere comes to greets him with a surly "that's him again" and a shotgun---and seconds later, Gere finds himself huddled inside Gordon Smallwood's (played to distracted perfection by fine veteran character actor Will Patton) shower, held at gunpoint. When policewoman Connie Parker (played inquisitively by Laura Linney) arrives, the shoe drops hard: Gere has been knocking on Smallwood's door for three nights in a row. Oh, and instead of being in the middle of Virginia, he's in Point Pleasant, West Virginia---400 miles from where he should have been.

Director Mark Pellington takes this fine start and just keeps ratcheting up the creepiness from there; not a single second of the film's running time is wasted, and Pellington crafts an atmosphere of impending dread, doom, and general menace. And he's got some good material to draw on: "Mothman" is based on the book by John Keel (who wrote the screenplay), which deals with events that actually took place in 1966 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

So what do you get for your money? You get roughly 100 minutes of sheer, spooky creepiness, with very little gore---and this movie doesn't need it. When I finished "Mothman Prophecies" and crawled into bed, for the first time I noticed just how easily the shadows in my bedroom could cloak---well, something big, something Mothlike. Brrr....

You get Richard Gere, who in this film, anyway, is no great shakes. He has two expressions: Affably confused, or Confusedly affable. But it's alright, and it works for the most part. Laura Linney is a curious choice; sympathetic, but always appearing as if she's on the edge of revealing something. Patton plays his Gordon with a nice broth of simmering paranoia and kookiness, and steals the show. English actor Alan Bates has a hammy turn as Dr. Alexander Leek, who, asked about the mysterious Mothman, contends "we're not allowed to know."

But the real star here is the technique used to build up a sense of otherworldly menace: Pellington's strange camera shifts (and kudos also to Fred Murphy, who did the cinematography), half-seen shadowy figures, dizzying aerial shots, cameras that swoop down on their subjects. It all works well, a little too well, in that you're totally keyed up by the film's final credits.

In addition to that, the movie boasts two of the creepiest sequences in terror movie history: try not to have goosebumps when Gere has a whispered phone conversation with the mysterious Indrid Cold, or when, confused and trembling, he waits for a promised phone call from his 'wife'.

This is nasty, shivery stuff---just make sure your nightlight is working for when the film is over.

JSG

...is peculiar abstract, and this is the kind of movie who claims your attention. There's no obvious plot, it is very mysterious and quiet between a few minor "shockers" that will make you jump in your seat.

Is it a good thriller?

Yes, if you're a fan of the genre -and you're a bit patient. If you need something to happen often in a movie not to bore you out, this might be something you should stay away from -personally I found it very intense, well acted and produced. But it is different.

Mothman supposedly existed and was a creature that scared several people in the 60's. A book was written about the moral and supernatural angles of these sightings. This film is based on that book, not so much the creature itself, and as a result this is not an accurate horror/monster movie but instead a decent but disappointing supernatural thriller.

Having thoroughly read the history of the alleged titular creature, Mothman, I was at first quite disappointed in this film. The real case dealt with people who were supposedly chased by a tall, bird-like man creature with glowing red eyes and incredible speed. The creature did strange things like flying without flapping its wings, and it sounded like a woman screaming. The case, never officially solved, allegedly involved UFOs, although barely a legitimate link to them was made.

Instead of being based on these things, the film is more directly based on a book of the same name, which itself was more of a hypothetical study of what Mothman may mean and represent. A focal point in the film is how the sighting of the monster allegedly preceded disasters. In actuality, the creature was only scantily reported to have been seen around the Ohio river bridge when it collapsed in the late 60s. The film showed this collapse and is its finest scene. But then it adds extra mysterious details to the event, such as Mothman's ability to make people dream such an event before it happened, etc. This is an example of the film being based on the more glamorous ideas in the book instead of focusing on the facts of the case itself, which were far more interesting and would have made for a more frightening movie.

The movie is, however, well done. It takes itself seriously, is well acted, and features very good mood music and ambience. It sets the mood, leading up to some great scenes such as one in which the main character talks with the alleged creature on the phone. It's creepy stuff, but scenes like that are all too rare in this film. It had a lot of promise and was well done, but I had my hopes up for more of a thriller along the lines of the Sixth Sense, which was well written and acted but still had its fair share of visual chills. As it stands, the Mothman Prophecies is good, and I give it credit for getting a lot of facts and references to the actual case correct. But I was hoping for something much more based on the incidents as they were reported, as opposed to an opinionated book that merely theorized what may have really happened. If you liked the movie at all, I suggest you look up the actual Mothman case and see if you're more interested, as I am, in the supposed real-life creature of 60's West Virginia

People who are more geared towards plot and pacing probably won't enjoy this movie, as it is a "mood piece" which does not, when you step back and take a hard look at it, have much to offer in the way of a plot. But if you're in the mood for some shivers, you'll enjoy it. The atmosphere is well set, lent extra creepiness by the soundtrack by Tomandandy (The end credits song, "Half Light," is especially haunting). I would never have thought that the sight of Debra Messing -- now of "Will and Grace" fame -- could send a chill down my spine, but in this movie they pull it off. If, like me, you love the questions more than the answers, this is a movie for you.

MINOR SPOILER:
I'm also very fond of "subtle business" in scary movies, and there's a beaut in this one. Keep an eye on Richard Gere's reflection in the door mirror; shortly after he burns his hand on the tea kettle, if I remember correctly. If you've already seen this movie, I bet you missed it -- look again.

THIS MOVIE WAS GREAT. I THOUGHT IT WAS SCARY I CAN'T WATCH BY MYSELF IT IS JUST CREEPY. I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THIS MOVIE. BUT I WAS SO UPSET OF THE LACK OF FEATURES OF THE DVD. THE DVD I HAVE IS THE COVER THAT IS BLACK AND THERE IS A WHITE THING IN THE MIDDLE. IT ONLY HAD TWO FEATURES ON THE DVD
BUT THE GOOD THING IS THAT IT IS WIDESCREEN AND FULLSCREEN

THE FEATURES ARE:

1.THEATRICAL TRAILER

2.MUSIC VIDEO

THERE IS ONLY OVER 6 MINUTES OF SPECIAL FEATURES ON THIS DVD!

Largly overlooked upon its theatrical release, "The Mothman Prophecies" is a hidden gem. A story of otherworldy menace, one man's reality being undone, and of choices, this is one intriguing and intellectual yarn. Featuring stylish and atmospheric direction by Mark Pellington that gives the film a compelling eerie and ethereal mood as well as an uncharacteristically subdued and excellent performance by Richard Gere as the grieving widower facing an overwhelming, otherworldy menace, this is a concise, enjoyable and deliciously unsettling piece of ambient filmmaking that also features a fine minimalist score by TomnandAndy. Unmissable. As for the dvd, although the two versions have the same gorgeous transfer that shows the film's cold color palette, the special edition is the way to go for the added features especially for director Mark Pellington's commentary.