The Prophecy II (1998) (V)

Director:

Greg Spence

Writers (WGA):

Gregory Widen (characters)
Matt Greenberg (written by) ...

Release Date:

20 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

An evil force has declared war...

Plot:

Gabriel 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 Daniel.

Plot Keywords:

Angel | Suicide | Monk | Morgue | Shot To Death

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Christopher Walken	...	Gabriel
Russell Wong	...	Danyael
Jennifer Beals	...	Valerie Rosales
Brittany Murphy	...	Izzy
Eric Roberts	...	Michael
Glenn Danzig	...	Samayel
Steve Hytner	...	Joseph
Bruce Abbott	...	Thomas Daggett
William Prael	...	Rafayel
Renee Victor	...	Mother
Elizabeth Dennehy	...	Kathy Kimball
J.G. Hertzler	...	Father William
Nicki Micheaux	...	Detective Kriebel
Tom Towles	...	Detective Waltrip
Danny Strong	...	Julian

Also Known As:

Ashtown: Prophecy II (USA) (working title)
God's Army II (Europe: English title)
Prophecy II: Ashtown (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gore, and a strong sex scene.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

First Congregational Church - 540 S. Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

The monastery is the mission style building pictured on the cover of the Eagles "Hotel California".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Danyael is showing off for the kids with the chair, there's a shot of his head and neck. The collar of his shirt is lifted a couple of inches off his neck, obviously from the wire or harness he's using for that stunt.

Quotes:

Valerie Rosales: [referring to God] It's not that he stopped loving you. It's because you don't listen.
Gabriel: What does he say ?
Valerie Rosales: [whispers into Gabriel's ear] Jump.

Movie Connections:

Follows The Prophecy (1995)

Soundtrack:

Puer Natus

Gabriel: The Terminating Angel

Everybody knows that Gregory Widen's original "The Prophecy" didn't really require a sequel, but you also don't need a degree in rocket science hanging above your chimney to realize that further cash-ins on this profitable horror concept were inevitable. Part two is a very prototypic example of a straight-to-video sequel, meaning the creative and convoluted plot of the original has been simplified a lot in favor of more action, more witty one-liners and a lot more eerie religious scenery. The only good news is that the producers managed to keep Christopher Walken for the role of Gabriel, and he delivers another gloriously brazen performance that promptly justifies the price of a rental. If it wasn't for Walken's performance (and perhaps a couple of players in the supportive cast like Brittany Murphy and Glenn Danzig), "The Prophecy II" surely would have disappeared into oblivion straight after its release. The movie begins with Gabriel literally getting spat out of hell to proceed with his ongoing War of Heaven here on earth. The purpose of his battle this time is to prevent the baby of nurse Valerie Rosales (Jennifer Beals) from getting born. For you see, her unborn child is the first ever hybrid between a heavenly angel and an earthly "monkey" and the birth of such a superior being would imply the downfall of Gabriel's evil dominion. Thus, just as in the first movie, he engages a suicidal accomplice to assist him and hunts Valerie all the way down to the Eden for the final showdown. "The Prophecy II" is an endurable and occasionally even entertaining movie as long as you don't make comparisons with the original and as long as you manage to overlook the multiple plot holes and errors in continuity. Whenever the storyline becomes too tedious, the makers luckily enough always insert a near-brilliant Christopher Walken moment to distract you. His interactions with the rebellious Izzy and particularly his ignorance regarding modern earthly technologies often result in worthwhile and memorable sequences. On a slightly off-topic note, I often felt like "The Prophecy II" ambitions to look similar to "Terminator II" … Gabriel's resurrection looked somewhat like the teleportation of a futuristic cyborg and the Eden location, where the final battle takes place, looks very similar to the steel factory where "Terminator II" ended as well. Coincidence, I guess? Overall, this is an inferior and passable sequel but still worth checking out in case you're a fan of Christopher Walken's unique acting charisma (and who isn't?).