The Prophecy

R

1995

1h 38m

Fantasy

Mystery & Thriller

List

46%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Evil angel Gabriel (Christopher Walken) has come to earth to strengthen his powers by claiming the wicked spirit of a psychotic veteran. The benevolent angel, Simon (Eric Stoltz), want to stop that from happening, so hides the man's spirit where Gabriel would least expect to find it: in a little girl (Moriah Shining Dove Snyder). Caught in a cosmic battle in which even Lucifer (Viggo Mortensen) plays a part, a liturgically minded cop (Elias Koteas) moves heaven and earth to protect the child.

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Critics Consensus

The Prophecy has its moments, but any fantasy thriller starring Christopher Walken as a murderous angel should be a good deal more engaging than this.

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Justin T

This is much more of a thriller in the vein of Se7en (1995) than a horror. This is also a good enough film. It is not too long and not too short but feels a little unoriginal. The acting is excellent as are the effects and so on but just misses the edge it was looking for because of its lack of originality. It is basically a middle of the road dark religious thriller.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/16/23

Full Review

Steve D

A little too warped up in its own mythology but entertaining as hell.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

sean s

They made 5 of these in this series. I recently watched all of these, because one of the pay channels had them all in a row. Christopher Walken is in the first three and is always fun to watch. The first one is ok. The second, third and forth are better, and the fifth is pretty bad.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

kevin w

The story herein, a bit of Biblical fanboy fiction, involves angels revolting against angels and needy for a really bad human soul to tip the balance. Chris Walken is a perfect casting choice - if only the medium had been respected more. As it goes the story lacks bang. There's a priest, for instance, fallen from the path, central to the story, and one comes away with little connection to him. This one rides on the fumes of what one hopes it will be, only it fails to live up to that hope.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Kinda boring, half way I wish it end fast

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Thomas Dagget (Elias Koteas), a Catholic seminary student, loses his faith when he sees visions of a war between angels. Years later, Thomas is a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. Two angels fall to Earth: Simon (Eric Stoltz) briefly enters Thomas' home and warns him of coming events, while Uziel, a lieutenant of the Archangel Gabriel (Christopher Walken), is killed in an altercation with Simon. Investigating the disturbance, Thomas finds in Simon's apartment the obituary of recently deceased Korean War veteran Colonel Arnold Hawthorne, and a thesis about angels which Thomas himself wrote in seminary. Meanwhile, in Chimney Rock, Arizona, Simon finds Hawthorne awaiting burial and sucks his soul out of his body. The medical examiner informs Thomas that Uziel's body has no eyes, hermaphroditism, and the blood chemistry of an aborted fetus. His personal effects include an ancient Bible, with an expanded Book of Revelation that describes a second war in Heaven and prophecy that a "dark soul" will be found on Earth and used as a weapon... Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reads: "The Prophecy has its moments, but any fantasy thriller starring Christopher Walken as a murderous angel should be a good deal more engaging than this." Eric Hansen of Variety called it "daring and unique on the one hand, but hard to swallow on the other". Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote that the film is bad enough to end the recent proliferation of religious thrillers. David Kronke of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Though Widen proves himself capable enough behind the camera, his script here is simply too loopy for him to render it in any credible fashion." Mick LaSalle of The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "Yet for all its goofiness, director Widen has made a film with some genuinely creepy moments." Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly rated it D− and described it as "an occult freakshow so inert it seems to have been pasted together out of stock footage". It has since gone on to become a cult film. There´s something I do like with this fantasy thriller and the war in heaven between angels. Christopher Walken is solid as the Archangel Gabriel and so is Viggo Mortensen as Lucifer. But, to be honest the acting and direction is quite wobbly most of the time. "The Prophecy" is quite frankly a b-movie and nothing more. Trivia: The film was originally filmed in 1993 and released two years later in 1995. This was the Weinstein's M.O., as they would film a movie before editing them, reediting them, and finally releasing them a year or two later.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

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Gregory Widen

Director

Christopher Walken

Gabriel

Elias Koteas

Thomas Dagget

Virginia Madsen

Katherine

Eric Stoltz

Simon

Amanda Plummer

Rachael

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63%

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14%

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Anthony Puccinelli

Chicago Reader

The Prophecy is blessed with a remarkable cast.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 7, 2022

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Marc Savlov

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 2/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It had great potential, but turned too ridiculous for comfort.

Rated: B-

Aug 25, 2015

Full Review

Steve Newton

Georgia Straight

Surprisingly, the appearance of perennial film weirdo Walken in slicked-back raven hair actually marks the point where The Prophecy begins to slow down and deteriorate.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

I like to think that Walken flipped through the script, realized how lame it was, and decided to have some fun anyway.

Rated: C-

Jan 20, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

Evil angel Gabriel (Christopher Walken) has come to earth to strengthen his powers by claiming the wicked spirit of a psychotic veteran. The benevolent angel, Simon (Eric Stoltz), want to stop that from happening, so hides the man's spirit where Gabriel would least expect to find it: in a little girl (Moriah Shining Dove Snyder). Caught in a cosmic battle in which even Lucifer (Viggo Mortensen) plays a part, a liturgically minded cop (Elias Koteas) moves heaven and earth to protect the child.

Director: Gregory Widen
Production Co: NEO Motion Pictures, First Look Pictures Releasing, Overseas Film Group
Rating: R
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.7M
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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