Customer Reviews

Phenomenon [VHS]

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I came to this film with low expectations, seeing as how it only has a 53% positive RottenTomatoes.com rating and a lot of critics panned it as being corny and sentimental.

Actually this is a very good film, largely carried by the strong cast of John Travolta, Kyra Sedgewick, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall. Yes there are a few corny moments especially towards the end but they were forgivably brief not tediously drawn out, compared to your typical Hollywood tearjerker which this is not. I won't give away the ending except to say that it is not one of your dime a dozen and-they-lived-happily-ever-after things.

"Phenomenon" actually has a lot of Eastern philosophy behind it---the idea that we are all connected at a deep cosmic and psychical level which most of us never imagine nor dare to access, as well as the New Ageish belief that we only use about 10% of our brains' full capabilities.

Travolta is known to be a Scientologist, which made me wonder a little how much that might have influenced this film which is nowhere near as kooky as your standard Scientology doctrine which you can get from L. Ron Hubbard's infamous (science fiction) book, "Dianetics."

I took me awhile to catch on to the John Travolta "comeback." Always a good actor, he is trancendent in "Phenomenon." Taking his character of George, struck by a mysterious light, and turning him from an average man to a genius, could have been an actor's trap. Travolta makes it his triumph. He gives George such a humanity that even with the genius powers we are aware that George of old is still there, trying to desparately to just be his old self, and only the girl he longs for, played excellently by Kyra Segwick seems to understand his wanting to remain the same, no matter how many "miracles" he performs. So many films like this are too serious, use too many special effects, or are just plain ridiculous. Travolta great performance seems to lift the entire genre and wins us over like he does Segwick and her two children. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Robert Duvall, who does miraculous things with the town doctor. Forrest Whittiker is also good as George's best friend. The town accepts the miracles like no other movie town does. Yes, they are in awe, but they still doubt, as George doubts, that he was given a gift as a mistake, but when all is said and done, we know the "bright light" made the right choice, that he was able to even handle his own mortality. There is a scene near the end of the movie, when George is sharing his last moments and an apple with the two young children, that is as moving as any I've seen in recent memory. Some may see "Phenomenon" as too far-fetched or mauldlin, and if so they are as jaded as many movie goers are getting. What does an audience want? Here is a movie without much violence, blood, or spectacular special effects and does have a message but does not force it on you, how all of us have the possibility to be more than we think, that there is genius on a small scale, in the feelings for love, simple pleasures, sharing an apple with children, or facing one's own mortality without fear. A great Movie.

Phenomeonon was advertised as a sci-fi movie, and whilke it has a sci-fi sort of theme at its core, anyone going to see the movie based on that was sorely disappointed.

What this movie is, actually, is a story about a man learning to cope with something that he can't understand, and how it brings him closer to his friends and his community, and how it allows him to understand and deal with his own fate.

Yes, it's a bit sappy at times, but it also contains some really excellent performances. Travolta delivers what it certainly his most authentic and touching portrayal of a real human being yet seen in his post-Tarantino career. Forrest Whittaker and Robert Duvall likewise contribute first-rate performances. A wonderful contemporary soundtrack ties it all together.

I thoroughly enjoyed Phenomenon, which I found to be an unusually graceful, warm, and genuine movie. Sure, it had flaws, and one could take issue with a variety of departures from reality. But the characters genuinely care for each other and the dialoge and behavior carefully reflect that. I didn't try to take it too seriously, as I fell in love with George, the Dr., and Lace. George genuinely cares about his friends. The Dr., played wonderfully by the great Robert Duvall, understands people, and Lace is over the top sexy ( like some jewish women I have known...can Sedgwick be a jewish name?) I thought the writing was great. How about George teaching Nate the portuguese language? Marvelous! The little details and cinematography were very well done in this picture. Kudos to the writer, director, and the guys behind the cameras.

An added bonus is the soundtrack, which throughly enhances the movie at every turn. Well done. My final comment is absolutly true - I could watch this movie a hundred times. I'm remodeling a house, and I play it in the background some days, so I've already seen it at least a dozen times.

Many thanks.

The phenomenon about Phenomenon is that it wasn't more of a hit at the box office! I found this movie to be extremely "watchable," and if you harbor any lingering doubts about Travolta's acting abilities, this movie will extinguish them for good! Travolta delivers a stirring performance as George, and ordinary guy who gains extraordinary powers after being struck on the eve of his thirty-seventh birthday by a mysterious blinding light, out of the blue. George then gains superior mental abilities, which, ironically, meet with many negative consequences in the small town where he lives. This movie is very haunting; it definitely stays with you. It is also DEFINITELY worth seeing, and makes a beautifully unique addition to any movie collection.

George Malley (John Travolta) is an affable, easy-going auto mechanic in a sleepy American town. He has become smitten by Lace (Kyra Sedgwick), a ferociously-independent and emotionally guarded single mother who manufacturers chairs in an even more remote location than the town itself. George's bumbling attempts at piquing her interest continually fail, yet he remains optimistic, even after she rebuffs him for his 37th birthday party.

Remonstrated by his long-time friend Nate (Forest Whitaker) that he shouldn't be purchasing his own drinks at his own birthday party, George wanders outside, where he has a most unusual encounter--perhaps even of the "first" and "close" variety. Rendered senseless by the experience, he soon recovers and heads back inside the bar, where his pals continue their celebrations and chuckle as he tells his story. Later that night, George lies awake, pressured thoughts consuming his mind. Suddenly, he bolts out of his useless bed as a surprising illumination enters his brain: he now knows exactly how the darned rabbit keeps getting in his fenced-off garden!

There are so many undercurrent messages socked away in this movie, it is a wonder the director, Jon Turteltaub ("Instinct," "National Treasure"), remembered to film the thing. It is a testament to this director's subtlety that these messages come across as gentle and graceful reminders of life's beauty, rather than as annoying platitudes meant to placate the unwashed masses. A few examples, and I have doubtless missed many: "sometimes remarkable things happen to unremarkable people," "every person's life belongs to a greater whole," "judge not with haste," "information is power," "humans possess near-unlimited potential," and "love can be everything." I tend to view the cramming of acceptable moral precepts down an audience's collective throat--during something meant as entertainment--to be a particularly sad method by which Hollywood demonstrates its humanity; however, this tactic is not being employed here.

*minor spoilers/plot points below*

We are witness to George coming to grips with his new-found powers. His rise in the community from country gentleman to powerful entity is shown clearly through the eyes of the audience, who exhibit very believable reactions: fear, humility, puzzlement, and, that most cursed of double-edged swords, worship. He witnesses friends drifting away, metamorphing into disciples, or being shamed into silence because of their perceived intellectual inadequacy. George becomes slave to these myriad new ideas filling his brain, preventing sleep, self-care, and respite. He involves himself in a cipher "game" on the short-wave radio belonging to Nate, and ultimately provokes very highly-placed unwanted attention, indeed. George wonders why all his newfound abilities help him not at all in his quest to pierce Lace's heart. He invents many rude implements, which yet work spectacularly well in their functions. A seismologist from Berkley, visiting Mr. Malley to verify his ability to "sense" ULF (ultra-low frequency) emissions--which herald the arrival of an earthquake--is swept along on a scavenger hunt of sorts for an extremely sick local boy.

*end minor spoilers/plot points*

There are far, far too many ideas explored in this movie, but it succeeds anyway. Travolta is not fantastically convincing in the beginning; yet he, like George, becomes more and more remarkable (and thus, believable) as the movie progresses. The gentle way he informs Lace that "it's happening," made me want to switch the movie off, so real it seemed. Kyra is absolutely convincing, as always. I fell in love with her character at least five separate times in the movie. Robert Duvall and Forest Whitaker also steal many scenes with their requisite skill. Mr. Duvall's outburst in the pub towards movie's end stunned me into silence. Forest's performance as socially-stunted introvert, incapable of expressing his feelings towards women, was totally on the money. I'm sorry I waited nearly eleven years to see this movie. It touched my mind and my heart by the end--just as Malley's experience touched his, and those of the people he loved. This was a beautiful and worthwhile movie. Sometimes "star-studded" yields something truly memorable: here is that movie.

Who would have imagined that John Travolta could do a Jimmy Stewart impression? At times though, I felt a strong resemblance - especially with the gentle, bemused Stewart of "Mr Smith goes to Washington" or "The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance". Even the name "George Malley" fits, and the two birthday parties held under very different circumstances.

The challenge of imagining what it would be like to be hyper-intelligent has defeated a lot of writers. How could we know, after all? How could a chimp grasp the thoughts that go through the average human mind? This movie does quite a good job of handling this problem, but it really zooms in on the difficulty of finding a role in life when all your friends look at you in awe (or downright fear) and even the government sees you as a security risk.

It's not very exciting, but it is emotional and thought-provoking. And surprisingly funny, in an unassuming way. A great way to spend a quiet, reflective evening that will give you plenty of food for thought. Probably best avoided by Quentin Tarantino fans, though.

This movie moved me to tears - can I rate it more than 5 stars?
To this day I cannot hear Bryan Ferry's "Dance With Life" without being reminded that life is a gift and it's all about how you treat people and interact with them. John Travolta has been my favorite since Welcome Back, Kotter and so versatile an actor. When the town's mechanic changes to a genius overnight after seeing a brilliant light in the heavens on his 37th birthday, people don't know how to treat him. As he touches lives with his gift, some are grateful, others suspicious. If you have not seen this movie yet, DROP EVERYTHING and do so! It will move you to dance with life!

I watched this again for about the fourth time and it always gets me. The plot requires some forceful suspension of disbelief, but the characters, the acting, and the emotional territory explored by the film are believable and affecting. I love the gentleness, humor and forgiveness of human foibles; at times it almost feels informed by the work of Steinbeck. The love story is sweet, but the friendships John Travolta has with Robert Duvall and Forest Whitaker are perfect. Viewing is enhanced by lovely sets, scenery and cinematography and a pleasant soundtrack. Corny for sure, but in this case I don't mind a bit.

An extraordinary drama, Phenomenon, brings to the screen the story of a man who suddenly undergoes a major mental transformation allowing him to make use of abilities he never thought he had.
It is a film about human relations, hope and second chances, but most importantly about trust, love, and inner strength.
John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Robert Duval, Forest Whitaker, Brent Spiner (!) and the rest of the cast, have outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least. All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)!
The setting, the plot, the dialogues, and the music are all wonderful!
In short, Phenomenon is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection! 4 1/2 Stars