Gregory Widen’s The Prophecy is one of those mid-’90s supernatural thrillers that feels caught between the sacred and the schlocky. It leans heavily on biblical mythology, unpacks celestial civil war, and casts Christopher Walken as a renegade archangel—already a recipe for cult appeal. And yet, while its ambition sometimes outpaces its execution, the film still lingers in the memory nearly three decades later.

The plot hinges on a war in Heaven that has spilled onto Earth, with Gabriel (Walken) searching for a dark human soul that could tip the divine balance. Standing in his way are a former priest turned cop (Elias Koteas) and a young girl unknowingly carrying the fate of existence within her. The theological stakes are enormous, but Widen’s script often feels more like a term paper on angelology than a streamlined narrative.

What truly elevates the film is its cast. Christopher Walken is electric as Gabriel—quirky, menacing, and strangely funny. His line delivery alone gives the film an off-kilter energy that keeps things lively even when the plot meanders. Meanwhile, Viggo Mortensen steals his few scenes as a soft-spoken, snake-charming Lucifer, oozing charm and threat in equal measure. His entrance, late in the film, is so striking it nearly rewrites the tone altogether.

Despite its rich celestial lore and a few standout moments, The Prophecy is ultimately weighed down by its allegorical excess and patchy pacing. The script sometimes trips over its own gravity, and the visual effects—modest even by 1995 standards—haven’t aged gracefully.

The Prognosis:

Still, there’s a strange allure to Widen’s debut. It’s messy, yes, but it takes big swings. And in the shadow of countless formulaic horror-thrillers of the era, that ambition counts for something. Add in a memorable score, a few genuinely eerie moments, and a cast clearly relishing the material, and The Prophecy remains an imperfect yet intriguing entry in the religious horror canon.

• Saul Muerte