Daniella, having seen this movie at some point in the foggy past, remembered THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES as a scary thriller/suspense-y/horror-y flick. We shrugged off the fact that it was in the “Drama” section of Casa Video rather than “Horror,” because, hey, they had SNAKES ON A PLANE in the “Horror” section so maybe it was just a slight misclassification.
Turns out it was. But only because it should’ve been shelved in the “Fancily Edited Movies with No Suspense and No Point” section. And that section doesn’t exist. At least not at Casa Video.
The story, as it is, centers around Richard Gere, a well-coiffed newspaper reporter, trying to figure out who the mysterious Mothman character is that’s showing up in a small West Virginia town. People have seen the Mothman. People have heard the Mothman’s fuzzy digital voice on the phone. The Mothman has whispered weird koans in people’s ears that seem to foretell disasters: “99 on 9 in Denver” is interpreted as a warning about a plane crash that kills 99 people. And so on. The Mothman hasn’t really harmed anyone, but he’s hanging around, harassing people like a bored teenager.
As Richard Gere is pulled further into his pursuit of answers, the movie tries to tread the fine line of “Are these people consumed with a mass paranoia?” or “Is there a supernatural creature harassing the citizens?” Or, in other terms, is THE MOTHMAN PROPHESIES a psychological thriller or a monster movie?
Spoiler alert: we never find out. Or… it’s actually neither?
What is the Mothman? Why is this happening? Hewing close to truth (and this is a “based on real events” movie), these questions aren’t answered. Using his newspaper reporter resources, Richard Gere analyzes some recordings of the Mothman and finds out that its fuzzy digital voice isn’t human. He talks to a doctor who became enamored with the Mothman and ruined his life. And that’s about it. Outside of one split-second appearance that’s written off as a hallucination, the Mothman monster only appears on-screen as frantic sketches in people’s notebooks–everyone’s least favorite scary movie trope. See above.
So after almost two hours of characters explaining what they heard, telling what they saw, and the audience hearing the fuzzy digital Mothman voice on the phone a few times, we’re treated to no answers and no resolutions.
…which could work if the movie wasn’t structured as a star-driven drama (the movie is told through the perspective of, and is ostensibly about, Richard Gere’s main protagonist character).
But it is.
So here’s the problem: because the actual interesting questions of the movie aren’t answered (what is the Mothman/why is this happening), but this is a star-driven movie, the filmmakers are forced to try to structure the story so that our protagonist gets a cathartic, redeeming ending.
This is rather clumsily set up by having his wife die tragically at the beginning of the movie. Giving Richard Gere a sad backstory enables the filmmakers to switch the main question of the movie from “What is the Mothman?” to “Will Richard Gere be able to let go of his past?” And thus, toward the end, the Mothman sends Richard Gere a message that his dead wife will call him on the telephone at some appointed hour. Will Richard Gere give into the Mothman luring him deeper into the rabbit hole and answer the telephone or will he be able to LET GO OF HIS PAST and not answer the telephone?!?!?!
Yes. By switching the main question of the film from “What is the Mothman?” to “Will Richard Gere let go of the past?” the emotional resolution of the film boils down to whether or not he answers the goddamn landline telephone. He doesn’t. Hooray?
The lameness of this is pretty clear. I see it. You see it. The filmmakers saw it. That’s why this is not the real ending of the film. Instead there is a climactic effects-budget-busting action set piece in which a bridge collapses and Richard Gere must save his potential new love interest from a watery grave.
And, since this a Richard Gere movie, he must be the hero somehow. Simply not answering a landline telephone is not enough for star movie actor. So he has to show off all his brave hero moves by saving innocent bystanders when the bridge is collapsing and then rescuing his potential love interest by utilizing the Hollywood powers that allow him to swim down to a sunken car, hold his breath for 3 minutes while performing rescue actions, see in perfect clarity at the bottom of a fast-moving river full of bridge debris at night, and escaping the sunken car so he can haul up her unconscious body while both of them are wearing full winter clothing.
When in doubt: ACTION SEQUENCE. Even if it doesn’t fit the tone or central ideas of the story.
It’s this lack of clarity in what THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is about (and even what kind of movie it is) that makes it a frustrating viewing experience. It’s a fascinating real-life story that’s crippled by its star-driven structure.
Come for the over-the-top editing and cinematography (at least they had fun), stay for the feeling of ennui that washes over you when the credits roll.
FADE OUT 