Saturday's Warrior

While I can admit that this movie wouldn't appeal to many people outside the Latter-Day Saint community, I still feel it's a decent movie to watch...especially for children that are born and raised LDS. The plot can't be reduced to something simple--on the surface, it's the story of a family and some of their acquaintances before, during, and after mortal life. But the most important part, in my opinion, is the subtext--how do we really know what's the truth, or is what our parents/church have been telling us since we were small really the truth? Jimmy's struggles with that are what many people--no matter what religion--go through at some point in their life, and the movie does a good job at showing that internal battle. As I said, it's not the greatest movie in the world, but it does a good job where it counts.

This is a stage play that was video taped!

It takes a few liberties with Mormon beliefs and pokes fun at Mormon culture in a light-hearted way. Basically it is about a Mormon family and the issue of Mormon pre-existance, large families, and over-population. Some of the songs are nice, but Lex de Azevedo is a well known composer of LDS songs and usually does a good job.

This was fairly big in Utah in 1989-90. Erik Hickenlooper (who plays Jimmy)was a minor celebrity for a while.

If you're not Mormon, you probably won't enjoy it. And even if you are Mormon, you may find the plot a little corny. At BYU or in Utah it may be appreciated. I enjoyed some of the songs, and the parts about the Mormon missionaries.

But if you're looking for a story on Mormon missionaries or a little of the culture, rent "God's Army" or "The Other Side of Heaven" instead.

Mormon films are starting to make inroads, especially Richard Dutcher's stuff. But this one is really just a Mormon Ward play made into a video.

When I first saw it in Utah in 1989, I liked it, because I was part of the culture there, so I gave it a 7/10. But having been removed from Utah culture for a number of years, and looking back, I would give it a 5/10, because some of the song are still nice.

This movie should be called "plan 9 from joseph smith." i think its weirdness is underappreciated. the playwright seems to have read paul ehrlich's "the population bomb (1968)," and crafted a musical response made especially for mormons. the whole point of the play is that having as many children as you can is part of "heavenly father's" (god's) plan. and anything that stands in the way of having more babies is very bad. get it?

This version was filmed in 1989, which is confusing. it's utah, so it looks and feels like 1983, the play was actually written in 1973, and of course, the theology is part 1840's, part battlestar galactica. some of the action takes place on earth and some in the "pre-existence, an aimless romper-room where annoying kids wait to get their bodies so they can come down try not to slam the door on the missionaries, losing their shot at celestial glory.

it is as stagey as they come, but don't let the poor theatrics spoil your appreciation for this demented mormon universe where the 'cool kids' are all into population control, (presumably) counseling their parents not to have any more children!! having big families was, at the time the play was written, the cultural norm in the lds community, and more importantly, considered part of God's plan. the church has since done a 180, and have made family planning a choice of the parents, and large families are much less the cultural norm now. making the entire doctrinal premise of the movie for a modern-day mormon moot!

ahhh but it's really only as good as the music. there are some catchy tunes here that just won't let this movie die the 1970's death it was pre-destined for. the brother and sister sing some love songs to each other that make you wonder if maybe something else was going on there --wink. and the tough, cool kids make new kids on the block look like metallica. so cheers to all that! gather the family around, make some jell-o shooters and enjoy the show!

Thi smight be the cheesiest movie in the history of ever.

This video has an uplifting message which helped me to feel a greater Closeness to my family, plus the peaceful reassurance that there is someone who cares; so very much about us - which words cannot portray adequately enough. Though with the understanding of that simple sweet truth, it reminds us to endeavor; by always striving to - fill the void in the lives of the many heartbroken people that we come into close contact with everyday - and not, to just let these opportunity pass us by. This movie 'Saturday's Warrior' is great and that is how it touched me... I recommend it to anyone and everyone. Good for viewers of all ages. I gave this theatrical, musical a 10/10.