The Man from Earth (2007)

Interesting concept, one I’ve always wondered about myself. Some of the ideas are genuinely thought-provoking, especially the second half’s exploration of the history of religion. I wonder if that was the real motivation behind the script. The movie has a strong Twilight Zone vibe, and in fact, a similar concept was explored in a 1960 episode of the series.

But the execution is a little off. The dialogue and performances feel rigid and scripted, with certain expressions feeling very dated. Most exchanges between characters are attempts to outcool or outwit each other. And it all feels a bit rushed, with few dramatic pauses or moments for us or the characters to truly process the gravity of what’s being discussed.

This movie was made in 2007, but it feels very 1997. Echoing steel guitar strains to set an ambient mood, and the use of Beethoven during dramatic scenes comes off as overly corny. Sedans of the period are too prominently shown. And because the movie was shot on camcorders, image quality is distractingly bad and does even more to make it look 90’s.

David Lee Smith, a cross between Robert De Niro and Eric McCormack, plays the part as well as can be expected, but the rest of the cast is mired in rigid dialogue. It’s painful to watch Katt, an actor I enjoy, work his way through this, and it doesn’t help that he keeps doing weird things with his legs. Why is Alexis Thorpe in this one? Just because the movie needed a cute girl? Funny that she looks a lot like Rachel Leigh Cook, another actress who helped define girlish cuteness in the 90’s.

Some plot questions… How did John get this power? If it’s a genetic mutation, doesn’t that mean the trait would have passed on to others? Speaking of, does this guy have any kids? Never discussed. The biggest question is why John decided to tell THESE people at THIS moment. They’re a generally unremarkable group of educators, and it seems strange that out of the thousands of groups that have come and gone in John’s 14,000 year-long life, a simple, “It looks like you have something to tell us” is enough to get him to spill the beans. When they ask for evidence, John has none, but he could have at least shown photos of himself at the same age from 50 or even 100 years ago, or demonstrated his knowledge of long-dead languages.

With the dialogue-driven story and single set, this is definitely stage play material. Weird title.