FILM REVIEW: The Prophecy (1995)

diebitter · #1 10-22-2005, 04:40 AM

This is a film about angels waging war with each other in heaven, and the battle has reached an impasse, neither seeming able to win. And so the battle comes to earth. Garbriel has come down, and seeks a human soul corrupted, but also wise in the ways of war, to help win. And other angels have come down too, to either help him or stop him.

Christopher Walken does his great stuff as Gabriel, and the rest of the cast is pretty great too. The male and female human leads slowly figure out what's going on, and where this soul resides, trying to stop Gabriel getting it and perhaps winning the war in heaven (for the bad guys). Eric Stoltz also plays a 'good' angel Simon, trying to prevent this, and is excellent in his small part. Where he finally faces Gabriel, obviously about to die, he utters a line that is moving (in the context of the movie) and simple: 'Oh. Gabriel. When was it that you lost your grace?' In addition, there's a nice, menacing turn from Viggo Mortensen as Lucifer, proving a suitable nemesis for the frankly-scary Gabriel.

Also, the film is a bit of a reunion of Pulp Fiction players, have Walken, Stoltz and Amanda Plummer, and when I first saw it, I remembered thinking, 'is this gonna have the whole cast in?' as it went on!

There's also some comic lines that integrate very well into this, an essentially serious film. Example: from Gabriel: 'Study your math, kids. Key to the Universe.'

Before my verdict, I have to admit I've never seen a film with angels I didn't like. Oh, I'll qualify that, specifically angels with wings (and so excluding the dire 'City of Angels'). Barbarella, Constaintine, Dogma, yep, all goodies, and this is no exception.

Overall, an interesting, engaging, thought-provoking, and very entertaining film that definitely deserves to be watched, and the sooner the better.

OVERALL: 4/5
REWATCHABILITY: High, would stand up to 2+ times a year if you have the time

RATINGS (out of 5):
1 - don't bother
2 - okay for a single watch, if you've got time
3 - Definite watch if you get a chance
4 - See it very soon, at least once before you die
5 - See it immediately, no excuses

Opinions/comments/arguments please, especially if you think I missed anything worth discussion/expansion, or violently agree or disagree.

PM me any you'd like reviewed sometime.

ptmusic · #2 10-22-2005, 04:56 AM

With your ratings system, I give it a 1 (don't bother). ON a normal 4 start system, I give it 2 stars.

I really did not get much of anything out of this movie.

By the way, looking at your list, I guess I pretty much don't like movies with angels. City of Angels - weak. Michael - weak. Dogma and Constantine - marginal. Heaven Can Wait - original and Warren Beatty's were half-decent; Chris Rock's (I forget the title) was unwatchable.

I'm sure there are some I'm not thinking about now that are pretty good, but Prophecy - not worth renting.

-ptmusic

KaneKungFu123 · #3 10-22-2005, 05:01 AM

dogma should get more then 2 stars, atleast 3.

#4 10-22-2005, 05:12 AM

I love movies with angels in them as well. I've seen this movie multiple times as well as Prophecy II and III. I've even rented these new pretty crappy Prophecy spins off that don't have Christopher Walken.

On your rating system, I would give it a 4. Because a lot of other people aren't really interested in angels and such. I just find the idea of real life angels to be fascinating, especially angels of death. That crappy angel movie with John Travolta was lame.

diebitter · #5 10-22-2005, 05:16 AM

Best 'angel of death' film === The Devil Rides Out

#6 10-22-2005, 05:25 AM

with Christopher Lee? or is it something else?

diebitter · #7 10-22-2005, 05:27 AM

yep, Chris Lee as the Duc de Richlieu

#8 10-22-2005, 05:45 AM

Man, you're killing me. I don't have a cool video store to go to where I can rent these old Christopher Lee and Bela Legosi films. so I have to buy them over the internet. This one is at $80 used from amazon, I guess I'll try elsewhere. thanx for the tip

diebitter · #9 10-22-2005, 05:52 AM

eBay can be your friend. Or if you got a region 2-capable rig, I think you can get it pretty cheap (£10 inc. delivery?)

Blarg · #10 10-22-2005, 09:35 AM

I've heard good things about this one before, and anything with Walken in it immediately makes me first ask why I would NOT want to see it. It's been in my Netflix queue for a while.