The Prophecy

A former priest (Elias Koteas) and a schoolteacher (Virginia Madsen) protect a young girl from a vengeful angel (Christopher Walken).

The Prophecy is a stylish, well-cast thriller that unfortunately makes too little sense, even in its own mythology.

The best thing the film has going for it is its cast. Elias Koteas brings a believable mix of toughness and vulnerability to his role as a disenchanted priest turned cop, while Virginia Madsen leaves an impression through sheer charisma, despite her paper-thin character. Eric Stoltz phones it in, but still registers, and Viggo Mortensen turns a small part into one of the film’s most memorable characters. But this is Christopher Walken’s movie.

Walken is great as the vengeful angel Gabriel. If the film had just followed him, and played up the black comedy in favor of the fantasy elements, it could have been a classic. Witness Walken’s diner scene with Amanda Plummer.

Unfortunately, scenes like that only serve to show what the film might have been, if only it wasn’t so bent on taking itself seriously. The script so full of plot holes it manages to contradict itself several times over, which wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t get in the way of Walken’s screen time, because, in the end, despite the great cast, it’s Walken and Walken alone that keeps The Prophecy from being a total loss.