From a cinematic standpoint, the movie was decent. Some of the acting is a bit overwrought, the love plot was cheesy and some of the dialogue was over the top. But what the movie managed to capture is life under the theocratic reign of Brigham Young, a man who I think was utterly convinced of his divine appointment as God's prophet. I still am unsure whether Joseph Smith was really deluded into thinking he was a prophet or if he was just a cheap con man who used the story of the Book of Mormon to gain power and women (it is probably a combination of both). But Young was an honest-to-goodness believer in himself and his divine appointment.
The temple ceremony scenes were creepy, but accurate. I am less convinced by the absolutes, the scenes of the kindly Christian preacher with a beautiful sunset behind him contrasted with Jon Voight calling down the curses of Jehovah upon the gentile invaders. But any serious look at the incident indicates that Brigham Young was complicit in the events, either by overtly calling for the attack or at least giving tacit approval. Regardless, the movie is thought provoking. I doubt many mormons will watch it given the "anti-mormon" stamp it has received, but they certainly should.
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