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Phenomenon

Phenomenon

  • Status: Released
  • 05-07-1996
  • Runtime: 123 min
  • Score: 6.5
  • Vote count: 1222

An ordinary man sees a bright light descend from the sky, and discovers he now has super-intelligence and telekinesis.

John Travolta

George Malley

Kyra Sedgwick

Lace Pennamin

Forest Whitaker

Nate Pope

Robert Duvall

Doc

Jeffrey DeMunn

Professor Ringold

Richard Kiley

Dr. Wellin

David Gallagher

Al

Ashley Buccille

Glory

Tony Genaro

Tito

Sean O'Bryan

Banes

Michael Milhoan

Jimmy

Troy Evans

Roger

Bruce A. Young

Jack Hatch

Vyto Ruginis

Ted Rhome

Brent Spiner

Dr. Bob

Elisabeth Nunziato

Ella

Ellen Geer

Bonnie

James Keane

Pete the Cop

Susan Merson

Nurse

James Anthony Cotton

Cal

Justin DiPego

UFO Man

Mark Soper

Reporter

Daniel Zacapa

Father at Book Fair

Cab Covay

Book Fair Heckler

Tony A. Mattos

Ella's Father

Mark Valim

Alberto

Carl D. Parker

Man in Orchard

Beth Kennedy

Female FBI Agent

Tom Fridley

Male FBI Agent

Richard Gross

Customer at Malley's

Jack Chouchanian

MRI Technician

Michael Forner

Charlie Shipper

Sage Callaway

Female Officer

Jewel Benedict

Townsperson

Betsy Berryhill

Townsperson

Mariann V. Carothers

Townsperson

Claudia Crespin

Townsperson

Joseph A. Nicosia

Townsperson

Dan Partain

Townsperson

Isaac Reiswig

Townsperson

Charlie

Attila

Filipe Manuel Neto

**A good film, spoiled by a horrible ending.** When I decided to watch this film, I was quite curious about its story. In fact, the film has its interest and works almost until the end. It is precisely the ending that ruins the efforts made so far. It's not the first time, and it certainly won't be the last, that I've come across a film that would have had everything to work if the screenwriter and director had had the ability to end the story as happily as they started it. Technically, the film doesn't present anything special. Cinematography, visual and sound effects, sets, costumes, filming locations, soundtrack... it's all reasonably well executed, but it doesn't present any surprises or quality notes worth mentioning. It's just another bland, meek and nothing special film. As for the cast, it is up to us to recognize everyone's collective effort and the good performance of most of the groups. John Travolta, who is an actor that I don't like very much, manages to give us a very friendly and committed performance, creating an appealing character, who easily captures our empathy and who has the necessary charisma to stand out and captivate the audience. Alongside him are two excellent actors, Robert Duvall and Forest Whitaker. Both stand out for their sympathy and manage to give us two secondary characters strong enough to give the film additional interest. Kyra Sedgwick is worse off, as she doesn't seem to have any value to the film other than being a love interest. The script has excellent premises that, although not really original, manage to have the interest they need to support the film: a completely ordinary man who lives in rural America becomes a genius after suffering an inexplicable incident on the night of his birthday with a light coming from the sky. In addition to an extraordinary ability to think and reason that allows him to solve problems quickly, he begins to read uncontrollably, learn everything and improve things around him, in an absolutely visionary way. Everything indicates that he suffered some type of incident with aliens, and this hypothesis is used for a lot of discussion in the film. When we are approaching the end, the script completely derails and gives us the most anticlimactic ending we could imagine, which not only disrespects everything that has been done but does not explain even half of what happened to that man. Worse than this, just a hard kick to our heads.