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Chrieraux
Reviews
Messenger of Death (1988)
Decent film....but it's not really a "Mormon" feud
The film has Charles Bronson in its favor, and is fairly well-made. It'a a little unbelievable, but fans of the genre or Bronson should enjoy it. Basically, Charles Bronson is an investigative reporter who investigates the slaying of a man's family, originally under the impression that the slaying was due to religious differences. One thing of minor note...it's not really a feud between different Mormon sects. The LDS Church has banned polygamy, in accordance with federal law, and excommunicates members who practice it. I suppose some might say that all the break-off groups(like the RLDS, FLDS and polygamist clans) can be considered part of a Mormon Religious Umbrella....but that would be kind of like saying members of the Russian Orthodox Church are really Catholic.
The Avenging Angel (1995)
Meh....not bad
The movie is okay. It's not very accurate, but what do you expect from an old western staring Charlton Heston? Tom Berenger is good as a young member of the "Avenging Angels" learning about intrigue and scandal in his group. Kind of like Mission: Impossible, but in the West.
James Coburn is excellent as Orin Porter Rockwell, an interesting enough character, they could have made the whole movie about him.
Charlton Heston is Brigham Young....if you liked him as Moses, you'll like him here. If not, you won't.
The basic plot of the movie is based on inaccuracies and exaggerations. There may or may not have been a group of "Avenging Angels" in early Utah. Whether there was or not, the group was not an official Church unit and neither murder, nor blood atonement, has been enforced or used by the Church at large.
As long as you understand it's fictional, though, it's a decently interesting movie.