Too much of everything

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

A-Z Horror Movie of the Day..."The Prophecy 2" (R - 1998 - US)Sub-Genre: Monster/Biblical My Score: 5.9Cast=7 Acting=7 Plot=6 Ending=7 Story=6 Scare=4 Jump=3 F/X=6 Monster=8 Bible=5Gabriel returns to try to destroy the human race he despises so much, with the help of a suicidal teen and the opposition of the angel Danyael. "How many more worlds have to burn before you're satisfied, Gabriel?" Just the one, apparently as Christopher Walken is the only one that returns for this sequel that went straight to video. RIP Brittany Murphy...she shines in her role. Unfortunately, this one is not written very well...it also seemed like Walken got half the budget as the F/X are not as good. I still liked this more than the score would let out, so I think this is worth a watch.

So here we have THE PROPHECY II, a straight-to-video sequel for a film that wasn't all that hot to begin with. Christopher Walken is back as the sinister archangel Gabriel, a renegade determined to bring the existence of the human race to an end, so he goes after a pregnant woman for some reason or other. Yeah, none of this is particularly interesting, mired as it is in middle-of-the-road ordinary.One of the main reasons to watch this film is Walken himself; he brings a wry humour to his central role and he's quite a bit of fun to watch. The rest of the cast is populated by familiar faces who have little to work with. Jennifer Beals is still pretty years after FLASHDANCE although Russell Wong doesn't bring much substance to the part of protagonist. There are also minor roles for Bruce Abbott and Tom Towles as a cop. THE PROPHECY II is full of the usual religious mumbo-jumbo and random kill scenes and feels more than a little disjointed and insubstantial; it's watchable enough for fans of '90s-era movies but you don't bring much away from it.

Gabriel (Christopher Walken) returns to try to destroy the human race he despises so much, with the help of a suicidal teen (Brittany Murphy) and the opposition of the angel Danyael (Russell Wong).I pretty much never get sick of Christopher Walken. While this is not is best movie or one of his best roles, just seeing him act and talk in that voice of his is all I need. I particularly like him being menacing (his humor is good, but sometimes he gets just a little bit too campy).Tom Towles has a cameo role as Detective Waltrip. I had no idea he was in this, but recognized his face immediately. Tom is a great guy, and it was a pleasure to see this horror icon.Brittany Murphy will be remembered for only one thing in this movie, saying, "You're only keeping me alive because you don't know DOS." Although her inability to kill herself is morbidly humorous. Eric Roberts also stars... but who cares?

I'm not usually a big fan of sequels, but the continuity of story line and the introduction of some new characters keep this one fresh and intriguing. I was a little disappointed they could not get Elias Koteas back to reprise his role as Dagget, brief as that part is, but was pleasantly surprised to see Steve Hytner back in the role of Joseph, the coroner. Walken, of course, is consistent as the stars as Gabriel, and brings back a near corpse in the form of Brittany Murphy, who does a much better job in this film that others I have seen her in (In my opinion, the epitome of her career was in Uptown Girls, where she was totally upstaged by Dakota Fanning). Russell Wong is strong in his portrayal of Danyael, with the perfect balance of passion and aloofness. He cares for the human female, but realizes she is mortal, while the Nepahlim they create will not be. Jennifer Beals could have been a bit more passionate in the role, but her performance is passable and doesn't detract from the film's overall theme. Finally Eric Roberts does what he does best, let's his personality shine through, which is to say dispassionate, cold, and ambiguous. But that works here, and since the role is brief, does not detract from the plot or the action. Rated R for sexual situations, language, and graphic violence, this film is a worthy companion to the first, and if you own The Prophecy, this will make a nice addition. But as with all sequels, its a toss up. Definitely worth a viewing, but I suggest you rent it first before you buy a copy.