Like a handful of other reviewers for this picture, I too felt that it had the flavor of an X-Files story. Considering all the Monster of the Week episodes that show came up with, it's a bit surprising they never tackled the legend of the Mothman. The closest they ever came was a fifth season episode titled 'Detour', in which Mulder considers the creature that he and Scully are tracking may be related to cryptids like the Mothman, a cryptid being an animal whose existence cannot be substantiated. Richard Gere and Laura Linney in a way seem to be acceptable stand-ins for agents Mulder and Scully in this film, although the entity they attempt to investigate seems to be more of a supernatural aspect than an actual animal or person.
The movie creates a surprisingly effective mood of tension and apprehension following the death of John Klein's (Richard Gere) wife Mary (Debra Messing), following an auto accident and a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. A most unsettling aspect to the story is how John found himself in the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia while en route to Washington, DC ('Detour'), a destination reached within an impossible time frame given the distance traveled by car. From there on, the mystery deepens,as Klein's association with police chief Connie Mills (Linney) encounters a whole host of supernatural-like events, most notably those involving local resident Gordon Smallwood (Will Patton). Eventually, Klein enlists the help of a discredited scientific investigator (Alan Bates), who's cryptic explanations regarding The Mothman only serves to confuse John even more.
With a premonition of impending disaster, Point Pleasant's Silver Bridge becomes the focal point for what might be the Mothman's fatal warning regarding the town. The scenes of the bridge's structure and cabling giving way to stress fractures is really quite well done, and adds to the horror aspect of the story without resorting to the time honored means of a massive explosion. In an apparently ironic twist to a dream Connie Mills related earlier to Klein, the bridge's collapse resulted in thirty six victims perishing, while she was subconsciously warned with the words, "Wake up, number thirty seven".
The movie creates a surprisingly effective mood of tension and apprehension following the death of John Klein's (Richard Gere) wife Mary (Debra Messing), following an auto accident and a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. A most unsettling aspect to the story is how John found himself in the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia while en route to Washington, DC ('Detour'), a destination reached within an impossible time frame given the distance traveled by car. From there on, the mystery deepens,as Klein's association with police chief Connie Mills (Linney) encounters a whole host of supernatural-like events, most notably those involving local resident Gordon Smallwood (Will Patton). Eventually, Klein enlists the help of a discredited scientific investigator (Alan Bates), who's cryptic explanations regarding The Mothman only serves to confuse John even more.
With a premonition of impending disaster, Point Pleasant's Silver Bridge becomes the focal point for what might be the Mothman's fatal warning regarding the town. The scenes of the bridge's structure and cabling giving way to stress fractures is really quite well done, and adds to the horror aspect of the story without resorting to the time honored means of a massive explosion. In an apparently ironic twist to a dream Connie Mills related earlier to Klein, the bridge's collapse resulted in thirty six victims perishing, while she was subconsciously warned with the words, "Wake up, number thirty seven".