This brooding, absorbing thriller did well enough on its original release but didn’t quite score with the horror fans. Now, thanks to the Australian boutique label Imprint, The Mothman Prophesies emerges from its chrysalis but doesn’t quite prove itself to be a beautiful butterfly.
Two years following his wife’s death, Washington Post reporter John Klein (Richard Gere) finds himself in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Quite literally, as he has no recollection of getting there and wasn’t planning to go there either. Klein uncovers a strange phenomenon – an apparition that acts as a portent of disaster. Along with the local sheriff (Laura Linney), he attempts to discover the mythical ‘Mothman’ truth.
With the emphasis on atmosphere and eerie images, director Mark Pellington (Arlington Road) builds an intriguing tale – based on an urban legend from Point Pleasant – into a visually stunning movie that needs a better screenplay. The titular character is mostly unseen, save for a few flashes and some scrawled drawings, but its presence is felt, bearing over the town and characters ready to bring death and destruction. Gere and Linney are at their best here, the former particularly displaying a more nuanced performance than we have grown to expect. Standout, however, is Will Patton (recently seen in the Swamp Thing TV series), playing a local hick to whom the Mothman is drawn with its predictions of doom. The script ventures too much into X-Files territory at times, appearing small screen instead of giving that cinematic experience we should expect, and if the story is a little too talky for those seeking horror thrills, the climactic bridge collapse makes up for it.
Imprint’s Blu-ray is packed with so many extras; making up for any shortcomings the film may have. As well as some features ported over from previous DVD releases, there are brand new interviews, commentaries, and featurettes that shed more light on the film’s production. The supplementary material alone makes this a worthy purchase.
