The Prophecy - Uprising (DVD)

I guess there’s a whole series of Prophecy films… I remember the first one, which starred Christopher Walken and Virginia Madsen, but that’s it. Needless to say, my hopes weren’t especially high when I popped The Prophecy – Uprising into my DVD player and hit the play button.

The story is nothing “new” but it’s well-told. A body-hopping demon, Belial, is after an ancient religious manuscript which, if it possesses this tome, will give it the power to rule the earth and the heavens. The Lexicon is a never-ending story that continues to write itself and reveal the mysteries of the future — it’s worth noting that the CGI used for this device is well above average for a straight-to-DVD movie. When the beastly book lands in the hands of an unsuspecting young woman, she is suddenly thrust to the center of an epic battle between ruthless fallen angels who will move heaven and hell to learn the secrets contained therein — if you liked the premise of Constantine and you have a library card, then you’ll definitely get into Prophecy – Uprising.

Right from the start, the movie grabbed my attention and impressed me with non-stop action, and good dialogue, acting and direction — most striking of all is the look of the film, aided by masterful, moody cinematography, superb sets, and excellent locations. The players are well-known in the horror world — Prophecy stars starring Kari Wuhrer (Hellraiser: Deader), Sean Pertwee (Equilibrium), and Doug Bradley (Pinhead, of the Hellraiser franchise) and they all lend to their roles reasonable weight and believability.

It’s mainly a supernatural thriller, but the moments of horror are truly chilling and best of all, they sneak up on you unexpectedly. I have never seen director Joel Soisson’s only other film (Maniac Cop III, or something like that…) but he is slated to do the next Prophecy film, and am I am definitely looking forward to seeing it.

Special features on this DVD include director commentary, an extended ending, cast auditions, and more.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson