Le prophète du mal

Fact based movie about polygamist cult leader skims the surface without delving too deeply into the 2 year manhunt and years surrounding it. Brian Dennehy does adequate job, for the amount of screentime allotted him. William Devane, is the investigator, who is also a devout Mormon, vigorously pursuing him while basically revealing stresses to his homelife, but again, isn't looked at closely enough. If film was longer, may have been more interesting. But still worth checking out if only for the fact that true-to-life films hold an historical interest, to a degree.

William Devane and Brian Dennehy give strong performances in this deranged religious cult leader tale. Based on a true story, the film tries to cover a lot of ground and years, with decidedly mixed results. Some scenes are so rushed, especially at the conclusion that some impact is lost. The followers in this film are simply brain wired pawns for sect leader Dennehy, programed to carry out his grand plan of religious dominance. Devane and Dennehy are the reason to see the film, with the rest of the cast mostly forgettable. For fans of the actors, this is a real showcase. "Prophet of Evil" may have only been a TV movie, but it is definitely worth seeking out. - MERK