Film Filter: Off- After I watched The Ninth Gate, The Prophecy was suggested to me. Y'all know I can't turn down a theological thriller, so I obliged.
Pros- I think this movie actually had a lot going for it. The cast was pretty solid, the acting wasn't too bad, and it had a unique plot. Well, maybe an overused plot that had some minor changes, but those changes were enough to set it apart from similar films.
Christopher Walken was particularly interesting in this film, despite the fact that he overuses the term "talking monkeys" quite a bit. I'm sure a drinking game can be found somewhere in there... I also enjoyed Viggo Mortensen as Satan/Lucifer. Although not on film for a huge portion of the movie, his part was critical and I thought he did it justice. I'm also a big Elias Koteas fan, so I was glad he was the protagonist.
I thought it interesting and effective that there is a very early-on twist regarding the Angel Simon and his character's disposition. It's interesting to me when all signs point toward a character being one way, when they actually aren't. He also wasn't in a major enough role to see it coming, which made it even more effective.
Cons- I'm going to start with my biggest beef with this film, and then lighten up as I go. I don't understand why there is a need to portray the Angel Gabriel as someone out to rebel against God. Prove me wrong if you can, but in my research there is no proof to corroborate this story, and it is very irritating to me for a big reason: it is taking a well-known character and changing its pre-determined story. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for fiction, and I'm also not opposed to changing and challenging what has already been determined, but in this case it just doesn't work for me. Case in point: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Lincoln (probably) didn't hunt vampires, but for the sake of the fictional story, we can buy into it. Why? Lincoln still dies at the end (sort of), thus the plausibility remains intact. It's a fictional story, about a historical figure, with a loose amount of believability. Now, let's say this movie took Abraham Lincoln and instead turned him into a double agent who was actually working against the United States government in attempts to have England regain control of the New World, and let's throw in that he lives at the end. I would have a problem with that, as it is a fictional scenario based on a real historical figure that didn't do any of that. Whether or not you believe in angels or the bible is kind of irrelevant; the story of Gabriel has already been told and this movie not only fictionalizes it (which is one thing) but completely changes the disposition, action and motivation of the entity that is being referenced. No bueno.
On to the lighter things. Is this teacher certified? In ANYTHING? She leaves the kids unattended not once, or twice, but THREE TIMES...and that's just in the 98 minutes we get to see her irresponsible monitoring skills. Not to mention that two out of the three times the students are unsupervised, the kids end up not just in proximity, but on the LAP of a TOTAL STRANGER. Seem weird to anyone else? Maybe it's just me.
So, Gabriel is an angel. Got it. He can spontaneously combust people, pull them from death's doorstep, and hurl people across the room, but he can't drive? Or teleport? Or fly, maybe? This is just ridiculous.
I kind of have a problem grasping the fact that the person that saves the day in this story is...Satan? Huhshdflnwhaaat? I can wrap my mind around the rationale as to why he might intervene, sure, but there is just something about this picture that won't ever sit right with me.
Wrap up- Overall, I think I need to take a break from 90s theological based horror flicks. The premises and casts are promising, but the effects, delivery, and overall stories are disappointing.
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