The Prophet's Game

The job of the director is to pull a performance out of an actor. This director couldn't pull a tab off a can of Dr. Pepper! Maybe the director was having a bad year?! All of the performance were lousy ... which basically shows you that some of our favorite actors aren't as talented as we thought we were. Stephanie Zimbalist basically played a character somewhat reminiscent of Valerie Harper, in voice only. She looked horrible with freckled and blotchy skin. Get with it people ... we don't want to see her looking bad, takes all the fun out of watching her. Dennis Hopper was his usual boring self ... just kidding! Dennis is Dennis ... nothing more, nothing less. Just an average actor. Joe Penny ... what a let down! The man was two legs short of a roasted boar ... a total disaster area! Do we really want our hero types playing villains? I think not! Basically, the movie is a flop ... and somewhat boring. Nothing new ... old dialogues, and old plots! Oh ... and Sandra Locke ... guess she's only good in a Clint Eastwood movie, because she stunk worse than anyone else! Over-acting, with no sincerity what-so-ever.

Dennis Hopper is intense. He is by far the best thing in this by the numbers serial killer 'thriller'. The idea of the prophet's game itself is interesting, and could make a pretty good movie, but this isn't it. It's too bogged down in revenge, police politics, and laughable action to go anywhere, and the ending is unbelievably unsatisfying, with so much still left unanswered. As for the direction, there is really nothing to distinguish The Prophet's Game from a million other B movies, and although the supporting cast try hard, (with a few notable exceptions) they can't lift it from its dire script.

The most puzzling part of this film was where don swayze went. he had finished his role in the film even before the opening credit s came on. pretty strange. Dennis hopper did his best here obviously he's getting on & his judgment is clouded now so no sane actor would have their mame on this film. he chases a man over half his age for about 2 minutes & isn't even tired - strange cause he's 65. There are numerous bad takes in the film - one where a girl looks straight at the camera looking like she's taking instructions from the crew. The plot rambles along with some decent twists but the idea wasn't worked on well enough so in the end the film is disappointing.

O.K. Here is what happened. I went to the VIDEO STORE to rent THE TAO of STEVE and did not look carefully at the DVD case and ended up renting this stinker of a flick instead. Now don't get me wrong, this film had potential. Dennis Hopper is always at least tolerable or better, and is not bad here. The problem was the poorly explained plot, the numerous bad performances, and the director's insistence on using every police cliche going. The film uses the venetian blind shadows in just about every scene. I really cannot express the multitude of reasons no one should see this. Seems to me it went straight to video for a reason.

Disappointing police drama concerning the challenge between an old detective (Hooper) and a weird and uncanny serial killer. Tired formula with a plot that goes along in a peasant pace with no real catch or interesting situations and characters. I give this a 3 (three).