Average Rating: 6/10
Reviews Counted: 11
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 6
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 2
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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 4,792
The true story of how the Church of Latter Day Saints made its way to the American West in search of a home free from persecution informs this historical drama, based on the novel by Gerald N. Lund. In 1833, Benjamin Steed (Sam Hennings) and his wife, Mary Ann (Brenda Strong), were the leaders of a family of Mormons living in Missouri, but they and their fellow followers of the teachings of Joseph Smith (Jonathan Scarfe) knew little peace, as fierce anti-Mormon factions took violent action
Oct 13, 2005 Wide
May 9, 2006
$1.9M
All Critics (11) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (6)
Unless the filmmakers can heighten the drama (this was filmed and rushed through editing) and ratchet up the emotion, these movies should go straight to video, or a Mormon church near you. They aren't effective outreach, or entertaining drama.
To call this drama heavy-handed would be stating the obvious.
While a minor improvement over its promising but sluggish predecessor, "American Zion" despite its authentic look, feels shallow and hastily edited.
Scales back on the fictional characters and focuses on the more interesting historical figures.
The movie looks good, but it has that feeling of a pageant or passion play put on every year during the holidays, just on a bigger scale with more money.
The movie as a whole is agile and accomplished, and the performances are uniformly good, even among one-line characters.
An awkward mix of fascinating history and tepid fiction.
There's been a slight change in character focus, and those who receive the spotlight this time around are more interesting and compelling. But the technical aspects of the filmmaking aren't quite as good.
[Director Sterling] Van Wagenen and screenwriter Matt Whitaker... manage to turn musty dates and place names into wrenching moments
Unlike Holt, Van Wagenen knows what he is doing. Now fans of the series can look forward to the next entry in The Work and the Glory series, instead of dreading it.
I think i've seen it. Not too memorable.
March 10, 2008Super Reviewer
Oh my gosh Eric Johnson is my hero, there is no better Joshua in existence, & Jonathan Scarfe & Alexander Carroll are awesome as well
June 20, 2007| 35% | The Hangover Part II |
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| 69% | A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas |
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| 45% | The Rebound |
Journey 2 Not Worth the Trip
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