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Matthew Settle, Thomas Kretschmann, Sarah Wayne Callies, Annabeth Gish, Hector Elizondo ... see more see more... , Joaquim de Almeida , Jürgen Prochnow , Obba Babatundé , Robyn Cohen , John Aylward , Castulo Guerra

The prophecy of a worldwide spiritual awakening gradually begins to come into focus in director Armand Mastroianni and screenwriters James Redfield, Barnet Bain, and Dan Gordon's sweeping adaptation o... read more read more...f James Redfield's best-selling novel. John Woodson (Matthew Settle) was a high-school history teacher before the loss of his job left him disillusioned and facing an uncertain future. When John is contacted by ex-girlfriend and journalist Charlene (Robyn Cohen), who is currently in town on a brief layover after covering a story in Peru, the pair arrange to meet for dinner and Charlene explains that she has just returned from a remote Eden known as Viciente, where scholars are currently studying a mysterious set of eight ancient scrolls. It was there, continues Charlene, that she came into contact with a priest named Father Jose, who explained to her that the scrolls contain a prophesy written before the birth of Christ and foretell a coming time of enlightenment that will redefine life in the 21st century. Though at first skeptical, John is compelled to book a flight to Peru when Charlene states that she appears to have been drawn to him by a higher power, and a travel brochure on Peru appears in his mailbox the following day. A subsequent encounter with a professor who is also on John's flight and has been studying the scrolls reveals that the scrolls were written in 5 or 6 B.C. and buried in a wooden box that was assembled in the 1600s. Though there was, according to legend, a ninth scroll, it has yet to be recovered. A late-night stroll on the streets of Lima soon leads John into the company of Father Jose, who later disappears after a frightening encounter in which a high-ranking operative holds the priest at gunpoint while insisting that he reveal the location of the lost scroll. Later led to Viciente by the guide who was with Father Jose when the cleric discovered the scrolls, John is haunted by dreams of a remote paradise and a young child, setting into motion a spectacular series of events that will ultimately culminate in a transformation of light that promises to reveal the future of humanity. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

41% liked it

19,275 ratings

Critics

4% liked it

23 critics

PG, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Armand Mastroianni

Release Date: April 19, 2006

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DVD Release Date: December 19, 2006

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Flixster Reviews (622)

  • MrMarakai
    October 18, 2011
    MrMarakai
    I don't know why I expect a film adaptation to do a book that I love justice. It's always the same high expectations, falling short. This however, takes bad transfers from page to screen to a whole new low.
    Based on James Redfield's 1993 bestselling novel it tells the story of h... read moreigh-school teacher John Woodson (Matthew Settle), who undertakes a journey to find and understand a series of nine spiritual insights on an ancient manuscript in Peru, taking him on a spiritual awakening as he goes through a transitional period of his life. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church and government try to suppress the ancient psychological and spiritual beliefs he unfolds, putting his and others' lives in danger.
    Poor production value, hammy acting and a stifling screenplay. The author James Redfield can't really complain though as he's one of the screenwriters. The book deserved so much more than this. Where it succeeded in capturing your attention and imagination, this succeeds only in putting you to sleep. It's boring and tedious pap and even as a television film it looks cheap. Maybe one day someone will adapt this properly, it's certainly deserving of a better version.
    Very little, if anything, to recommend it. Fans of the book will only be seriously disappointed and those who haven't read the book will be lost, and will ruin what is a great read.
    Stay well clear of this turkey.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    July 22, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    The Celestine Prophecy has got to be the most boring film ever made. A total waste of time from start to finish. I never read the book, and won't after seeing this trash. But man was this film pointless and lame. I never seen something so crappy. The film has a terrible plot, and... read more worse acting. I here the book is great, but after watching this, I'm not so much interested anymore. I think that the film could have been a good one, but it feels so cheap, and preachy that it's laughable. The cast here are terrible, and theres not really impressive names here. I thought the film was a missed opportunity and maybe, maybe could have been something really good. But instead The Celestine Prophecy is simply a bore fest from start to finish, and you're waiting for something interesting to happen, but it doesn't. The Celestine Prophecy is a waste of Celluloid This film shouldn't have been made and it was a poor execution of a popular book. What The Celestine Prophecy is, is a film that tries to be something spiritual and feel good, but it ends frustratingly painful for the viewer to watch. Finishing watching this film was a chore, and now I can only hope to warn potential viewers that this film simply sucks, and is not worth watching. This is a wasted film that has a stupid, pointless script that doesn't go nowhere. The film fails at being spiritual, and ends up being very cheesy. One of the worst film ever made for sure.
  • Tomassgringo
    September 1, 2010
    Tomassgringo
    Hokie ideas in an advertisement for new age ideas. I am not enlightened or have the insights to see this even as entertaining. I was often distracted by Matthew Settle because at times he looked exactly like Tom Welling. Hector Elizondo must have had rent due an NEEDED money..... read more.. I hated seeing him in the trash. But at least Joaquim de Almeida was not tug, hitman or drug kingpin... good to see him play another type role.
  • 76Majikat
    October 31, 2009
    76Majikat
    The best selling and internationally renowed book written by James Redfield has made a huge impact on followers ? No this film goes nowhere near the excellence of the book (yes, I am a follower) and often comes across corny. The insights themselves tend to blend into eachother a... read more little too much, making them a little difficult at times to seperate if you?re not already familiar with them.

    What it does for me however, is allowes me to refresh the insights in a quick fix.

    Not recommended unless you have read or have an interest in the book.
  • panta2
    April 20, 2012
    panta2
    This spiritual adventure film based on James Redfield's worldwide best-selling novel, The Celestine Prophecy is chronicling the discovery of ancient scrolls in the rainforests of Peru. The story introduces us (not very effectively) to the prophecy and its nine key insights predic... read moreting a worldwide awakening, arising within all religious traditions, that moves humanity toward a deeper experience of spirituality. Because I am a historian and archaeologist, I love Peru and spending time there, and I am a teacher (as the main character) who loves references to vibrations and energy - it was natural that I wanted to see this movie (I missed it originally because I was in the jungle with an expedition  )... For those who are not familiar with the book it'll be a little bit confusing, especially when you have to process in a short time advices to avoid the negative (you can tell good people by their eyes), stop doubting, follow your intuitions and premonitions, flow with coincidences, believe in the purposiveness of everything, join thousands of others on the quest, tune into your feelings and evolve to a higher plane... On the other side, people who love the book almost hate the movie! Why? Because of the high expectations and missed opportunity.

    Due to the fact that The Celestine Prophecy novel sold over 23 million copies since its publication in 1993 and has thus become one of the best-selling books of all time, everyone expected the film to be a success. However, the film was a disappointment for most of the fans of the Celestine prophecy theory.

    The cinematography wasn't bad, the story was clumsy, special effects not something you could be proud of... but I really wonder what were these guys thinking casting Matthew Settle as John Woodson... I have no idea... Thomas Kretschmann as (sterile look) Wil wasn't better choice, and I have no words to describe Sarah Wayne Callies as Marjorie and Annabeth Gish as Julia! The only one worth mentioning in the "acting department" is Hector Elizondo as Fr. Sebastian , who was just average.

    I like the idea, but the execution could be done so much better!
  • jam233
    June 30, 2010
    jam233
    The first mistake was presenting this as something the audience is supposed to actually believe. The second mistake was making the movie at all. It?s a cheesy and unconvincing mess, with surprisingly bad cinematography and special effects. The acting by the lead players is not go... read moreod at all, but at least the supporting cast is pretty good. It is unintentionally funny way too often. What a joke.
  • mizchvus
    July 23, 2008
    mizchvus
    Powerful message. This movie changed the course of my life. The acting however, could have been better.
  • auroraaquitaine
    July 14, 2008
    auroraaquitaine
    I would have given it a higher review if it hadn't included the whole "heaven" reference. otherwise, I found it to be very intriguing.
  • StaisilD
    July 26, 2007
    StaisilD
    I haven't read the book, but if it is like the movie or better I might give it a read. It is clearly not a polished, big-budget film, and yet it attracted many well-known and respected actors. It addresses issues of power and control in relationships, religion, and politics in a ... read morefresh and contemporary way. To me, its greatest accomplishment is bringing a New Spirituality perspective to screen - where humans are not disconnected beings in a random universe, nor sinners subject to the wrath of an angry God, but are one with everything and are co-creators of their experience of life.
  • aakashaessa
    July 21, 2007
    aakashaessa
    This is the first movie where all those seeking for Spiritual Enlightenment can understand Nature's Truths.

View All The Celestine Prophecy Reviews

Critic Reviews

Amy Biancolli
August 12, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

... tedious and ill-made claptrap it makes staring at your hands seem like four-star entertainment by comparison. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
August 12, 2006
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

[The film is] arguably as effective as Ambien at inducing sleep, but possible side effects include uncontrollable laughter.

Manohla Dargis
August 10, 2006
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

A delectable fusion of New Age babble and luridly bad filmmaking based on the best-selling 1993 book by James Redfield.

Mark Olsen
July 21, 2006
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times

The movie is flatly acted and extremely ill-paced, lacking any sense of urgency, momentum or fun. Full Review

Colin Covert
May 25, 2006
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Believer and skeptic alike can agree on one thing: It is a transcendentally awful movie. Full Review

Bill Muller
April 28, 2006
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

The movie is self-conscious and lacks dramatic tension, and the dialogue sounds like people reading passages from James Redfield's novel ... Full Review

Robert Denerstein
April 21, 2006
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

The film does have some decent production values, but the story fails to generate much tension, perhaps because the external forces that oppose the protagonist are drawn without subtlety.

Mick LaSalle
April 21, 2006
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The film is clumsy -- not merely unconventional but awkward in its narrative development and dialogue. Full Review

Dennis Harvey
April 21, 2006
Dennis Harvey, Variety

Anyone unfamiliar with the book's basic ideas will probably choke on their popcorn, agog at so much windy spiritual mumbo-jumbo floating in a woozy stew of action-adventure absurdity. Full Review

Jonathan Kiefer
August 7, 2008
Jonathan Kiefer, Sacramento News & Review

James Redfield's best seller hits the big screen with a dull thud. Full Review

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  • A man ventures into Peruvian rainforests searching for manuscript involving nine insights into spiritual guide throughout your life. Based on excellent life changing best sellers. Movie is_   Answer »
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