The Prodigal Planet is a 1983 film by Russell S. Doughten and directed by Donald W. Thompson. It is the fourth in a series of at least five films (one still in production) based on an evangelical interpretation of Bible prophecy and the rise of the Antichrist. Unlike the other films in the series which were filmed in Iowa, this one was filmed in New Mexico.[1]
During the final years of the reign of the Antichrist, a nuclear war has devastated the earth and the Antichrist and his world government find their grip on power slowly slipping away as the return of Christ draws near. One of the lead characters from the previous film, David Michaels (played by William Wellman Jr.), is now part of a growing underground movement of Christian believers trying to stay out of the hands of the government and thus escape execution. The government is using underground agents to infiltrate this movement. David's mission is to travel across a nuclear-devastated landscape to Albuquerque where he will meet with other underground believers to await the final return of Christ. The earth by this time is populated by doomsday people, mutants as a result of the nuclear exchanges. After rescuing one of them, Jimmy, David leads him to Christ. Jimmy later dies to save the others from Jerry, bravely, leaving Jerry their temporary captive.
Connie Wright (played by Terri Lynn Hall) is a government agent pretending to be a Christian. She rescues David from his internment at Unite, then tries to get David to reveal the believers' secret hideout. Along the way, they rescue Linda and her daughter, Jody. Linda is a scientific researcher, brilliant, but terrified. Jody is a spoiled brat who, after being told off by Jimmy, begins to change. She even starts to slowly accept David's preaching. The same cannot be said of Linda, who is too rational a scientist to accept David's faith. However, Linda is actually evidence of divine providence, because her scientific specialty is radiation, so as they travel through the war-ravaged nation, Linda's knowledge keeps them alive and provides crucial guidance. But it leaves her feeling dreadfully guilty, because she was part of the team that helped create the mutant doomsday people.
David suspects Linda of being a spy, since it seems that the government agents always know where they're at. It turns out, ironically, that she is the only one who is trustworthy, since Jody is discovered to have been transmitting their position surreptitiously, and Connie quite deliberately. Connie is later picked up by a senior UNITE officer (dubbed "General Goon" by David in Image of the Beast). They are soon killed as their van goes out of control and runs into a train. At the end of the movie, however, Jody accepts Christ as her Savior, while Linda still thinks about the matter, or at least she does not yet openly receive Christ on camera.
Meanwhile, a badly wounded and sobbing Jerry is shown in the ruins of the UNITE military base, which is then destroyed by explosions, but not before he rips off his UNITE armband in disgust.
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