As Gerald Lund has already written nine volumes of his epic on those early Mormon settlers with his fictional protagonists the Steed Family and we've only seen three films so far, this promises to be an LDS version of Harry Potter. This second film American Zion continues the fine depiction of the early days of the Mormon Church. We're now in the Jacksonian era and the Saints have moved from Palmyra, New York to Ohio to Jackson County, Missouri. Always following their leader Joseph Smith in their search for an American Zion as the ancient Hebrews in the Bible did follow Moses.

The Steed Family is as deeply divided as ever. Father Sam Hennings however has sold his Palmyra farm to be with his younger son Alexander Carroll who is an original follower of Jonathan Scaife playing Joseph Smith. He's not sold on the church, but he's already lost his oldest son Eric Johnson who left with bitter antipathy to the Mormons because Carroll stole the girl he intended to marry and she's converted. Johnson is married to a Missouri girl, but things are not going well on the domestic front there.

As for the religious wars, Scaife has taken his followers first to Ohio and then Missouri. They've purchased the land they live on and work all legal and aboveboard, but the antipathy follows them and the locals in Jackson County are ready to force them off their land by whatever means as the government turns a blind eye. Johnson is part of the militia organized to do the job and Carroll is on the other side.

Unlike the first film, this one ended on a note of suspense more like a TV miniseries than a film as a nice little war is about to start with a whole lot of angst from all the cast members playing Steeds for one reason or another.

The quality of the film is as good as the first, but one thing is missing. The main reason for this antipathy though by no means the only one is the Mormon practice of polygamy. Eventually that was given up, but we're getting way ahead of ourselves historically. Hopefully the next installment will face that issue.

This second installment of the series based on the "Work and the Glory" books far exceeds the first effort. The music, cinematography, story line, acting and general "feel" of the movie are all great. I have not read the underlying novels, so I have no idea how or if the story details in the movie mirror the books, but I can say this: this movie is moving, inspiring, and dramatically (though slightly fictionally, since the main family is fictional) portrays a slice of true American history.

I do not believe the movie is preachy, at least not about Mormonism. I think most Americans (and others),who take for granted such notions as a free press and upright civil authorities who can be trusted to uphold the law, will easily recognize how different such things were back then.

Mormon history buffs will be a bit disappointed that some of the details were glossed over or left out. My only complaint is that, in an attempt to make this movie appeal to non-Mormon audiences, some of the more dramatic mythic stories from Joseph Smith's time, though alluded to in the movie, are not satisfyingly portrayed.

Not for young children, this movie gets a 9 from me; just a bit more coherence in the story line and some other such movie "polish" would have garnered a 10.

Bravo to all involved! And thanks for a family-friendly, beautiful, moral story that all who see can connect to.

The movie was a bit violent, but then, those were violent times. Joseph and others were tared and today, that would be a crime which would place them into police custody. The movie was well done. I think the characters were very well (fleshed out). It was a pleasure to see the human side of the Prophet Joseph. I am sure he got tired and I know he grieved for his lost children. The cast have captured the flavor of the books, and I look forward to seeing the next installment. I think the clothing was well done, those shirts looked SO uncomfortable! I don't know if they were in the 1830's, but they surely didn't have the wonderful fabrics we do today, and everything was made by hand, and they were not wealthy people (except Martin Harris) so their clothing was a reflection of that. By the way, the narrator has a clear and easy to listen to voice. The only vague things were based on the relationships with Ben/Joshua and Joshua/Jessica. If some one hadn't read the books, or see the last movie, they might not really understand what makes Ben and Joshua so angry with each other. Maybe that should be a little more clear in the future. After all, if they are going to make (9) movies, people will need to understand each movie as though it were standing on it's own. It is a movie after all, not a mini-series for TV.