review representif i have to make a thematic comparison and i would say andrew proyas knowing be the action film equivalent of 2001 represent a space odyssey ( 1968 ) . though it be no masterpiece like 2001 and know suggest the same thing 2001 do that determinism and coincidence and intelligent design and natural selection the great differing viewpoint on the nature of our existence may not be at odds after all while they may be counterpart to a great whole . nicholas cage play john koestler and an mit professor who have recently lose his wife . he live in a beautiful but shabby home in lexington and massachusetts with his ten year old son caleb ( chandler canterbury ) . at caleb school there be a ceremony where a time capsule be open . fifty year earlier a classroom of student be ask to draw picture of how they picture the future and to place their picture in this time capsule . lucinda and ( lara robinson ) and a seemingly disturbed child in the class do not draw the future . instead she list a seemingly chaotic sequence of number . now and fifty year later and john koestler get a hold of this list through his son and begin to see an alarm pattern emerge from the number . in some respect and knowing be similar to popular contemporary mystery like and say and the da vinci code . the main course of the film follow koestler a he scamper throughout the east coast try to find clue to what go on and reassure himself that the list of number mean what he think it mean . along the way koestler encounter diane wayland ( rise byrne ) and the daughter of the number writer lucinda and and diane daughter abby ( lara robinson again ) . they embark on a mission to find the miss clue for discover the secret of the number . all the while they be be pursue by mysterious and pale men call the whisper people by caleb and abby . like in andrew proyas previous film dark city ( 1998 ) and i and robot ( 2004 ) there be both visual and philosophical food for thought at work here . the central question of knowing be clearly state at the beginning of the film by cage character when he ask his student in a lecture whether they think the universe be inherently deterministic or a series of random event . a we know and determinism suggest a high intelligence control existence while randomness implicate a meaningless sequence of accident lead to our existence . i have always think determinism exclude randomness and vice versa be a limited way to think about the nature of thing . we have such a frustrating inclination to seek out mutually exclusive answer . for me and know suggests that the universe be in fact deterministic on a grand scale but that determinism be fuel by small and random occurrence and if that make any sense . the end be already write but it be only reach through the decision of individual try to avoid that very end . rating representon a scale of one to casablanca and this film be a big fish ( 2003 ) . rationalization representto express my honest opinion about this film and i would say i think the idea it evoke be more intriguing than the film itself . this be not necessarily a bad thing . most film do not attempt to evoke cosmic idea at all . most film only evoke the idea that love be good . knowing be a thought provoking film that bank on time honor sleuth plot device . some of the disaster sequence be exquisite though and especially the plane crash and the final disaster . i would even go so far a to say that the final ten minute of the movie be what elevate know above most mystery thriller . the last ten minute be visionary . they make me think back to 2001 represent a space odyssey . and yet and when i think about 2001 represent a space odyssey i must admit that know pale in comparison .