Only a few times in movie history has a sequel had something important to say, rather than just cashing in on the original's popularity with a regurgitation of the same thing. Examples of sequels (trilogies) that got it right: Return of the Jedi (original Star Wars trilogy), Exorcist III (ugh, but just skip Exorcist II), and of course Prophecy 3.
In each of these cases, the stories are written in a fluid, logical manner that rewards you with an amazing conclusion, as if the writer had planned it from the beginning. The Prophecy trilogy isn't just about angels & action, it's the story of Gabriel (played, as none other, by the incomparable Christopher Walken). That's about all I'll say about the plot because I don't want to ruin it.
What made the original Prophecy so great wasn't just the story & the action/drama but it was the way they blended some hilarious comedic moments into the mix. In that respect I compare the original Prophecy to dark action comedies like "Pulp Fiction" (which features a lot of actors who also appeared in The Prophecy). If you liked those surreal Prophecy laughs like when Gabriel & Rachel stop at a roadside diner, or the comedic wit of the coroner Joseph, etc, you'll see more of that here in the 3rd installment.
Gabriel stops in at the same roadside diner to irritate the stone-faced "Madge" once again. We also get some great moments from Joseph the coroner (Steve Hytner from Seinfeld... "Gold, Jerry! Gold!") and of course the great one-liners from Gabriel, instantly reminding us that this is a characteristic, human movie.
The action scenes are very good, using the new (at the time) wire techniques like in Crouching Tiger. There is a relentless tension that builds due to one character's unstoppable hunt for another, like in Terminator or Westworld. But this movie throws you a curve ball at the end, showing you the story is actually about something completely different.
I haven't yet seen The Prophecy 4 & 5, but I can't imagine anything that could follow this film as the best conclusion to the angels-behaving-badly series. If you've seen the original Prophecy, you absolutely must see the whole trilogy.
In each of these cases, the stories are written in a fluid, logical manner that rewards you with an amazing conclusion, as if the writer had planned it from the beginning. The Prophecy trilogy isn't just about angels & action, it's the story of Gabriel (played, as none other, by the incomparable Christopher Walken). That's about all I'll say about the plot because I don't want to ruin it.
What made the original Prophecy so great wasn't just the story & the action/drama but it was the way they blended some hilarious comedic moments into the mix. In that respect I compare the original Prophecy to dark action comedies like "Pulp Fiction" (which features a lot of actors who also appeared in The Prophecy). If you liked those surreal Prophecy laughs like when Gabriel & Rachel stop at a roadside diner, or the comedic wit of the coroner Joseph, etc, you'll see more of that here in the 3rd installment.
Gabriel stops in at the same roadside diner to irritate the stone-faced "Madge" once again. We also get some great moments from Joseph the coroner (Steve Hytner from Seinfeld... "Gold, Jerry! Gold!") and of course the great one-liners from Gabriel, instantly reminding us that this is a characteristic, human movie.
The action scenes are very good, using the new (at the time) wire techniques like in Crouching Tiger. There is a relentless tension that builds due to one character's unstoppable hunt for another, like in Terminator or Westworld. But this movie throws you a curve ball at the end, showing you the story is actually about something completely different.
I haven't yet seen The Prophecy 4 & 5, but I can't imagine anything that could follow this film as the best conclusion to the angels-behaving-badly series. If you've seen the original Prophecy, you absolutely must see the whole trilogy.