Review of The Man from Earth (2007) by P D — 13 Jun 2011

Do you remember books on tape? I would classify this movie as books on video. The Man From Earth is 100% story driven, there is zero special effects in this movie. 99% of the movie takes place in 1 room of a cabin.

You will see a lot of familiar B actors in this movie. Tony Todd (Candyman), William Katt (The greatest American Hero), John Billingsley (Star Trek Enterprise), Richard Richle (Office Space), and Ellen Crawford (ER). The Greatest American Hero, that brings back memories for me, some actors you never see again, then one day you pop in a low budget movie and there they are.

Here is my word of warning. If you are possibly offended by a movie that may or may not agree with your views on religion, then avoid this movie. I have recommended this movie to several people, and 1 person who was religious was upset at me for recommending this movie to them. Others that were religious enjoyed the movie. This is just a story, don't take it as truth, if you can't, or do not want to be subjected to a story that may differ from your views then move on to another movie.

This movie starts with John Oldman(the main character) played by David Lee Smith (CSI Miami). John Oldman is a college history teacher who is having a going away party. He has told his closest teacher friends he will be leaving the college that all of them currently teach, and that he will be moving on to somewhere else and he will never see them again, and he has also invited them to his cabin for one last night together.

John Oldman has a surprise for his friends. He announces to his friends that he is 14,000 years old and he wants to say good bye to his friends as himself, not the person they think he is. His friends are experts in their perspective fields that consist of Biology, Psychology, Religion, and Anthropology. His friends at first take it as a joke so they play along with John until they get the feeling that John is serious, and that John really thinks he is a 14,000 year old man, as his friends ask questions John seems to have a answer to everything they ask. As the questions are asked the story unfolds, and you the viewer will start to wonder who is John, and is he telling the truth, or just weaving a wonderful story.

I loved this movie, I was glued to it like I was reading a great book. I watched this movie on my blue ray player and some of the movie was grainy, but this is a story, it's not the special effects, or the acting (which was mediocre at best) that makes this a great movie, it's the story that drives this movie. If you need explosions, or fast cars to entertain you, then there is a thousand other movies you will like more than this movie, but if you want a great story, and you can separate fact from fiction then consider this movie. Most of my friends that I loaned this movie to felt this was a excellent/great movie.