A thriller's success depends primarily upon its effect on the audience. It must grab its viewers mercilessly by the throats and drag them for two or so hours through seemingly endless caverns of darkness and fear. \The Mothman Prophecies,"" however, leaves the audience waiting for the thrill ride to begin.
This disappointment is surprising considering the gripping real-life subject matter of the film, which revolves around a series of unexplained phenomena and the man who involuntarily becomes their center. Prominent Washington Post reporter John Klein (Richard Gere) finds his life shattered by the sudden loss of his wife Mary (Debra Messing), who just prior to her death was terrified by the appearance of a dark, menacing figure.
Two years later, Klein leaves on assignment and finds himself stranded in Point Pleasant, W. Va., hours from his intended destination of Richmond, Va. Seeking assistance, he arrives at the home of Gordon Smallwood (Will Patton), and finds that Smallwood has seen Klein at his door at exactly the same time for the past three nights. Confused, Klein investigates further and unexpectedly discovers a connection between his wife's frightening vision and the numerous sightings of what the townspeople refer to as ""The Mothman.""
As his search for the truth deepens, Klein finds himself confronted at every turn by The Mothman's predictions of doom. The ominous prophet seems to be everywhere'the telephone lines, the mirrors and even the homes of Point Pleasant. This inhuman Mothman is an ambiguous nocturnal creature that manages to both drive the story and view it from the obscurity of the periphery. In doing so, the audience is robbed of a tangible connection with the film's most important character.
In truth, all of the actors find themselves playing sidekick to the larger-than-life Mothman. As Klein, Gere turns in a solid performance, but remains overshadowed by the circumstances of the story.
Mirroring Klein's fear and exhilaration in the search for answers is Laura Linney, who, although slightly miscast as Point Pleasant native, Sgt. Connie Parker, projects a much-needed air of realism. Patton, for his part, turns the otherwise negligible character of unbalanced victim Gordon into a substantial supporting role.
At its core, the greatest flaw of ""The Mothman Prophecies"" is that it never allows the audience past Klein's eerie motel room into an understanding of the enigmatic Mothman. Would the film have afforded a glimpse into the blacker corners of the creature's psyche, perhaps it would have made ""The Mothman Prophecies"" a successful thriller.
