The 1998 sequel to the 1995 movie "The Prophecy" was certainly watchable and enjoyable, however it just wasn't quite as intense as the first movie. But still, it makes for a good movie, nonetheless.
"The Prophecy II" continues on with the story of Gabriel, and actually includes a more clear and drawn out prophecy this time, whereas the first movie was more hesitant about such a thing - oddly enough.
Similar to the first movie, "The Prophecy II" boasts a rather impressive set of casted actors and actresses. And it is nice to see Christopher Walken return to reprise the role as Gabriel. It was a shame that they didn't have Elias Koteas return to the role as Thomas, despite it being a small part in "The Prophecy II". But they had Bruce Abbott - from the "Reanimator" movies - step in and fill out his shoes, and he does have somewhat of an resemblance to Elias Koteas for sure. "The Prophecy II" also have some good performances by Tom Towles, Brittany Murphy and Eric Roberts.
There was a good pacing to the storyline told in "The Prophecy II", however the storyline felt a little bit rushed at times and as if director Greg Spence just wanted to get the movie finished. Personally, I felt there were parts of the movie that were just skimmed across without going into depth with the aspects of the movie, and that was a shame.
All in all, "The Prophecy II" is a worthy sequel to the 1995 "The Prophecy" movie for sure.
The Prophecy II
1998
Fantasy / Horror / Thriller
Plot summary
Gabriel returns to Earth to prevent the birth of a child conceived by one of his kind (the Angel Danyael) and one of God's "monkeys" (a human woman - Valerie). The coming of this child has been prophesied by a monk, Thomas. When the Angel Danyael kills members of Gabriel's army of angels, Gabriel instead employs the assistance of a teenage girl (Izzy) who has just committed suicide. Gabriel keeps her alive to assist him in his war against Danyael and the other angels which climaxes in a battle in Eden.
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Good, but not as intense as the first movie in the franchise...
Story Is Laughable, But Walken Fun To Watch
This is one of those films I could rip up unmercifully because the Biblical theology is so brutal - no incorrect, so preposterous, outrageous, stupid, etc. - that it an insult to anyone with any knowledge of The Book. For those viewers of this film who don't, who knows what they'll believe. Hopefully, none of the stuff in here. It also makes evil look cool and the worst "angel" - Gabriel (Christopher Walken) is not only evil and cool, but has a great a sense of humor. Gosh, ya gotta love the guy! Well, no surprise Hollywood would do that.
Having said that, though, and for strictly entertainment value and nothing else, the movie isn't half bad! Walken, regardless of his role, is always fun to watch, the story moves fast and it's only 80 minutes long. You could do worse.
You have no choice but to watch it
If you're reading this review, chances are you've already seen & liked the first Prophecy and are debating whether to continue the saga. Either that, or maybe you're just a weird person who likes to watch sequels before seeing the original. Whatever waxes yer wings...
In either case, if you are interested in dark, religious thrillers about angels doing nasty things, you MUST see the Prophecy trilogy. Yes, I know there are 5 Prophecy films, but we'll just focus on the first 3 for now.
Much like Star Wars/Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi, the first 3 Prophecy movies tell a continuing story about 1 character: Gabriel, the Archangel of Death (played by Christopher Walken). Although the films' plots are mostly independent of each other, the theme of Gabriel's quest is a continuing story that doesn't wrap up til the end of the 3rd movie. Ergo you can't stop at Prophecy 1. You have to watch all 3.
That's all you need to know, but if you want to know more about Prophecy II, here it is. By itself it's a worthwhile flick. What makes it special is the surreal blending of dark suspense and cozy humor, as in the first Prophecy. Although we lose some of the quirky characters who made the first film so memorable (such as Jerry the oozing sidekick, Rachel the catatonic chauffeur, and most of Joseph the stand-up comedic coroner),we get a new one who's just as memorable: Brittany Murphy as Izzy the suicidal emo girl (long before the term 'emo' came into being).
Walken and Murphy maintain the wacky humor that made the first Prophecy so characteristic & human. The other characters are there for action and furthering the plot, which is pretty straightforward as far as angels-fighting-a-war-on-earth movies go.
The music isn't quite as lush as the first, although one of the themesongs (the airy tribal piece) is carried over. Most, if not all, of the movie takes place at night so it is both literally and figuratively dark. Not quite "The Crow" dark, but dark nonetheless.
This movie has a distinct early-90s feel to it. The 90s was a decade of action films leaving behind the simple, clean stories of the 80s and embracing a darker realism (as in "Seven" and "The Usual Suspects"). I'd say this 2nd Prophecy film is closer to the 80s than its groundbreaking predecessor, but it's still a good film.
Watch it for Walken, watch it for the continuing epic story, watch it for some engaging action and a few great gags. Most of all... just watch it.