The Prophecy: Forsaken (2005) Reviews

• Not as good as "The Prophecy: Uprising"

  tarbosh220002005-09-02

  "The Prophecy: Forsaken" is a step down from "Uprising". The problem is that the movie is just too short. There's no reason for this movie to be 75 minutes. It had some good ideas and scenes but it didn't go anywhere. Kari Wuhrer once again plays Allison. She still has to stop renegade angels from getting the "The Lexicon". This book contains the access to destroy the earth. Jason Scott Lee and Tony Todd play characters who try to stop her. Kari Wuhrer does a decent job as Allison. Jason Scott Lee was OK. Tony Todd was fun, but he goes over the top. In the end: It could have been way better. It's worth seeing once just to complete the series. For more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com

• This and Uprising need to be seen back to back.

  Lollipop45982005-11-26

  They were made back to back and are basically one story. Just told in two parts. One of the things I like about the post Christopher Walkin Prophecy movies is that they are not a replica of every other Stephen King inspired "Devil in our back yard" movies. I'm not saying that is bad. Its just over done. The antichrist is always in a medium sized American suburb with nice normal middle class parents. Its nice to see a more global perspective. Not everything happens in middle class America. The underlying question of these movies is whether there can be such a thing as blind faith. The devil puts it best by saying you always have to ask why. The movie is cool. It is spooky in a way. But it will not scare you. It isn't trying to. So if you are looking fora horror film this is not for you. I would still suggest you see it, just to realize that the subject of revelations isn't just there to scare us. It can inspire us too.

• Good Sequel, Disappointing Conclusion

  claudio_carvalho2007-08-23

  In Bucharest, Allison (Kari Wuhrer) is protecting the mysterious bible, "The Prophet Lexicon", where the last chapter about the apocalypse, called Revelations, discloses the name of the Antichrist in its last page. Meanwhile, the evil and jealous leader of the renegade angels Thrones, Stark (Tony Todd), forces the hit-man Dylan (Jason Scott Lee) to kill Allison to get the information about the Antichrist, but Dylan mysteriously feels attracted by the woman, protecting her against the Thrones. Allison seeks John Reigart (John Light) for help, but Satan tell her that he is interested in the apocalypse to gather millions of souls to Hell. Alone and betrayed, Allison discloses the truth about her origins, while protecting the Lexicon. "The Prophecy: Forsaken" is a reasonable sequel of "The Prophecy: Upraising", but could be better and better. The story gives a perfect sequence to "Upraising", but it is too brief with only 75 minutes running time. There are good ideas that are not well explored or developed, like for example the story of Allison's parents, and indeed I was quite disappointed with the weak and confused conclusion of this good series about the war of angels. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "Profecia - Renegados" ("Prophecy - Renegades")

• It wears an accurate and descriptive title

  jaywolfenstien2006-12-13

  After enjoying Prophecy Uprising, I honestly did not look forward to Forsaken. Uprising left off with a nice open-ended finale that did not need further elaboration. To use a cliché – the gunslinger walks into the sunset, destined to emerge again before his lifetime expires to participate in other gunfights. But do we need to hear about those later battles now that his main story has been told? Can't we just leave the rest as an unspoken truth? Forsaken comes across as the collection of miscellaneous details wrapped up after the main conflict. An epilogue (a 75 minute long epilogue), and not a complete movie – one of the minor skirmishes that go on after the war has ended, if you will. That last dinner roll you take home to snack on later. Pure excess. Enter the new villain in pursuit of the Prophet's Lexicon which holds the key to Armageddon – Stark, the seraphim (played by the Candyman, himself, Tony Todd). And let's not forget the henchman, Dylan (Jason Scott Lee), whose introduction pays homage to a previous Prophecy film where Christopher Walken resurrects a human lackey. Allison (Kari Wurher) returns as the underused holder of the Lexicon. She exists in Forsaken to run from the newest angelic threats and ask questions. Questions that prompt other characters to deliver exposition. And what about Allison, herself? What about her character exploration? Incidentally, we discover more revelations concerning her through words spoken by Dylan and Stark than we do by following and observing the heroine. Which leads to the question, "Why show the character at all?" From the mouths of others we hear about Allison, but Joel Soisson denies the audience the chance to actually meet her and explore her dilemma. She's the protagonist of the film, and yet she's a stranger. And tragically, the material has great potential for a provocative and compelling thriller. Allison flees from angels, and speaks face to face with Lucifer. By protecting the book, she protects the course of events that will lead to Armageddon and billions of suffering souls – she essentially becomes the guardian of the anti-Christ. But nowhere does she audience even catch a glimpse of the scale of Allison's burden or the incredible faith she must wield to go on without questioning her mission. Forsaken dabbles with these questions mostly through Stark's dialogue, but ultimately leaves them hanging. Much how it treats its protagonist, I might add. Flipping over to the villains, the seraphim Stark pursues Allison with a desire to eliminate her and claim the Lexicon for his own; however, his status in the angelic hierarchy discourages him from direct intervention. Hence the henchman to actually pull the trigger. It's yet another scenario with potential; however, it feels mundane in this film. Like Dylan is Stark's coffee boy. And the nail in the coffin? The circles these characters go in. The dark powers have Allison in her clutches, she has no prayer of escape, and I called Joel Soisson on the bluff. She escapes with help. She walks into a trap. Stark lets her go. Dylan holds her at gunpoint, and I yawned. Speaking of Dylan, he flip flops between reluctantly agreeing to kill her, and reluctantly trying to save her life throughout the entire running time. Stark threatens, but does nothing. How do you build suspense when the danger feels whimsical? When forty-five minutes into the film the main character still seems like a stranger? When Dylan leads Allison into the clutches of Stark's angelic minions – the audience should feel betrayed by the character – hold their breath, and climb to the edge of their seat to find out what happens to her and think "this might be it." But as it stands, we cross our arms and correctly predict, "It's got nothing." In closing, the film has great cards; unfortunately, they don't add up to a worthwhile hand. It stands as a number of wonderful possibilities missing the final card to complete itself. At best it can bluff, but it's not good at that either.

• Satisfying payoff to the series

  bigdawgsheet2006-11-29

  Enjoyed the movie immensely. Too short. It seems like there could have been more depth to the conflict between Tony Todd's character and Kari Wuhrer's. Wished the film had Walken and Viggo Mortensen but Tony Todd and John Light were great alternative choices. I'm not sure how Simon really fits into the story. Is he the same Simon from the original film? I was intrigued by the notion of Allison being a nephalim (and Simon her father?) but wanted to know more. I liked the dark and ambiguous ending. Most of all, the series left me wanting more. Which for me is a good thing. Especially at a time when everyone is trying to interpret the Bible to justify their own destructive ambitions (won't mention any names here). Hope there are more Prophecy movies to come.