MovieChat Forums > K-PAX (2001) Discussion > A possible scene explanation if it's nee...

A possible scene explanation if it's needed

posted 11 years ago by go_titans
6 replies | jump to latest

First, I love this movie, although I haven't watched it for a couple of years. Second, I, like a lot of people, fully believe that Prot was an alien like he claimed.

Now forgive me if this has been discussed before, but there was one scene in this film that frustrated me as far as Prot being an alien or not is concerned, and that was the aloha scene at the observatory. He doesn't move, and from memory one of the others says 'see, Prot, on this planet that's what's known as the fastest draw in the west routine' to which Prot replies 'but I do not come from your planet Dr...' whoever he was.

It came across as a crummy display by Prot, but then this morning for some reason I was thinking about this scene and suddenly realised something. Correct me if I am wrong, cos I haven't seen it for a while, but doesn't Prot explain to Bridges at one point that light travel needs to be planned or scheduled because of the number of travelers out there? If this is so, then there would undoubtedly be a firm rule in place restricting unscheduled travel unless the destination is the same as the departure point, just to avoid any chance of 'collisions'. That makes sense doesn't it? Well, it explains that scene for me anyway.

[–] nataswon-98-941428 11 years ago

I'm watching this amazing movie this very moment (I just can't explain why, but everything about this movie never ceases to grab my attention). I believe the scene your describing wasn't him actually traveling by light speed but simply demonstrating what it would be like, instaneous. Showing that he understands a joke, "The fast gun in the west" routine. Not quoting the movie but he stated he wouldn't tell the scientists how light travel works because we'd endanger ourselves. So, when they ask to show them what it's like he simply does the joke of "Adios, Aloha". Not actually traveling but showing what it'd be like.

Quick review, everyone in this movie are amazing. Naturally you can never get a bad performance from our stars, Bridges and Spacey. They are always amazing and captivating. It's a 13yr old movie and doesn't feel like it one bit.

[–] canicolson 11 years ago

But later when Prot tells the doctor when he will be leaving earth on a certain date, he says he can go anywhere on earth while there but not anywhere interstellar.

[–] go_titans 11 years ago

Hmm, that certainly kills my argument then. I could fall back on what nataswon said, but I think this scene at the observatory will probably always bother me. I can appreciate that the director can't ruin his movie by having Prot zap from one end of the room to the other and thus end the mystery, but having Prot do the Aloha bit made him hard to believe. I would have preferred if he'd given a good reason for not doing such travel in front of them.

[–] ove-hetland79 11 years ago

Time stops at the speed of light, so it was possible that Prot was able to travel and return instantaneously, without them even realising he was gone. Of course, he could've traveled somewhere, then waited for half an hour, then come back, but that would certainly spoil the movie, since it would've proved conclusively that he's an alien. In this way, they maintained the doubt that's the whole point of the movie - did he really travel or not?

[–] canicolson 11 years ago

But part of the beauty of this movie is the dual possibilities. Either prot is an alien being visiting earth or he's a sufferer of a form of PTSD. There's evidence made clear for both outcomes. Prot knowing about distant galaxies is possibly explained as he could be a savant. Plus the Sherri of the town where the human form of prot tells us he was highly intelligent. The best evidence of this is when Prot is under hypnosis and talks like he's called upon by his human friend, we know they both occupy the same body so it could be a split personality. Movies like this, ones that have you questioning it over and over even after multiple views are the best example of storytelling.

[–] Gdub33 11 years ago

Well according to the book prot is an alien.