The Celestine Prophecy (2006)

4% of critics liked it
(23 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(19,275 ratings)

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 of James Redfield's best-selling novel. John Woodson (Matthew Settle) was a high-school history… More 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 of 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

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Armand Mastroianni
Written By: James Redfield, Barnet Bain
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Apr 19, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Dec 19, 2006
Studio: Celestine Films

Critic Reviews

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
... tedious and ill-made claptrap it makes staring at your hands seem like four-star entertainment by comparison.
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, 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, Los Angeles Times
The movie is flatly acted and extremely ill-paced, lacking any sense of urgency, momentum or fun.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Believer and skeptic alike can agree on one thing: It is a transcendentally awful movie.
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 ...
Jonathan Kiefer, Sacramento News & Review
James Redfield's best seller hits the big screen with a dull thud.
Anton Bitel, Eye for Film
Just about the best thing that can be said for this spiritual potboiler is that it is not much worse than The Da Vinci Code.
Frank Lovece, Film Journal International
This is just dogma delivered in the blunt tones of an old classroom hygiene film.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
One would think that since the book sold 14 million copies, Hollywood would have bought the film rights waay back then , but they didn't I can now see why.
Ernest Hardy, L.A. Weekly
The Celestine Prophecy Movie never transcends either the look or the feel of a cult recruitment film crossed with a Christian-network infomercial.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
Armand Mastroianni brings James Redfield's huge bestseller to the screen with all the care it deserves ... which is none.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
If "The Da Vinci Code" were based on New Age theories similar to those in "What the Bleep Do We Know?" -- and if it were terrible -- the result would be "The Celestine Prophecy Movie."
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
So clumsily made on every level -- acting, dialogue, decor, lighting, editing, scoring -- that it would never have found its way into theaters if there weren't the name of a best-seller to slap on it.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
A thrill-less thriller.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
Based on the best-selling self-help book, the movie shares the book's chief flaw, which is that it's so awkwardly put together that it's hard to concentrate on the interesting ideas it may contain.
Kimberley Jones, Austin Chronicle
Spiritual epiphany is tough to convey onscreen, and near impossible in the hands of wooden actors.
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly
How's this for a prophecy: This earnest but hokey adaptation of James Redfield's New Age best-seller won't last more than a few weeks in theaters.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Mark W

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… More
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 high-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.
Jeff "

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… More
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 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.
Thomas J

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.... I… More
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.... 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.
Lady D

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… More
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 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.
Panta O

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… More
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 predicting 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!