The Celestine Prophecy (film)
The Celestine Prophecy is a 2006 American film directed by Armand Mastroianni and starring Matthew Settle, Thomas Kretschmann, and Sarah Wayne Callies. The film is based on James Redfield's best-selling novel of the same name. Because the book sold over 23 million copies[3] since its publication and has thus become one of the best-selling books of all time, Redfield had expected the film to be a success.[4] However, the film was widely panned by critics and was a box office failure, with a total worldwide gross of $1.5 million.
The Celestine Prophecy | |
---|---|
Directed by | Armand Mastroianni |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | The Celestine Prophecy 1993 novel James Redfield |
Produced by | Barnet Bain |
Starring | |
Cinematography | R. Michael Givens |
Edited by | Maysie Hoy |
Music by | Nuno Malo |
Distributed by | Celestine Films LLC |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $1.5 million[1][2] |
Cast
- Matthew Settle as John
- Thomas Kretschmann as Wil
- Sarah Wayne Callies as Marjorie
- Annabeth Gish as Julia
- Héctor Elizondo as Cardinal Sebastian
- Joaquim de Almeida as Father Sánchez
- Jürgen Prochnow as Jensen
- John Aylward as Dobson
- Cástulo Guerra as Father José
- Obba Babatundé as Miguel
- Tequan Richmond as Basketball Player
- Vinicius Machado as Spanish Conquistador (uncredited)
Plot
Having lost his job as a middle school teacher, John Woodson (Matthew Settle) finds himself at a turning point in his life. He takes a vacation to Peru, where he spends his time exploring and searching for the ninth scroll, lost from a set of eight ancient texts, rumored to reveal the future of humanity.
Reception
Box office
The Celestine Prophecy grossed $1.2 million in North America[1] and $286,444[2] in other countries for a worldwide total of $1.5 million.
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 4% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 2.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Adapted from the bestselling self-help tome, The Celestine Prophesy [sic] is indifferently directed and acted, and its plotting is virtually tension-free."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 23 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[6]
Film critic Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle called the film "clumsy -- not merely unconventional but awkward in its narrative development and dialogue", and added: "characters are sketched in shallow terms".[7] In his top ten list of the worst films of 2006, LaSalle called it a "misbegotten film, an awkward, undramatic effort", and ranked it third on the list.[8] Mark Olsen of the Los Angeles Times said "the movie is flatly acted and extremely ill-paced, lacking any sense of urgency, momentum or fun".[9]
Bibliography
- Redfield, James; Joynes, St Leger; Joynes, Monty (2005). The Celestine Prophecy: The Making of the Movie. Hampton Roads Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-57174-458-6.
References
- "The Celestine Prophecy (2006)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- "The Celestine Prophecy (2006)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- Dubecki, Larissa. Addressed to the nines, picking up good vibrations, The Age, March 22, 2008. Accessed September 30, 2008.
- Caine, Barry (April 28, 2006). "Looking for enlightment in all the wrong places". East Bay Times. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- "The Celestine Prophecy (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- "The Celestine Prophecy Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- Mick LaSalle. Smarmy take on 'Celestine Prophecy' isn't very fulfilling, San Francisco Chronicle, April 21, 2006. Accessed September 30, 2008.
- Mick LaSalle. From Bad to Worst, San Francisco Chronicle, December 31, 2006. Accessed September 30, 2008.
- Olsen, Mark. The Celestine Prophecy, Los Angeles Times, July 21, 2006. Accessed September 30, 2008.