First, let me clear up a couple of things. No, I am not going to be 97% objective in my review. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have never read the novels the movie is based on. So, you aren't going to be hearing me harping on how it didn't live up to the book, etc. Neither are you going to hearing how the LDS filmmakers are using the movie to proselyte their religion.

First, the positives: The main actors do an excellent and convincing job. The actor who plays Brigham Young (Andrew Bowen) could rival Orlando Bloom in skills and screen-image appeal. Jonathan Scarfe, who plays Joseph Smith, does an excellent job. The special effects are done well. The cinematography is superbly done. It has a rough feel that matches its era. The relationships between parents and children (especially the babies) is especially endearing. Oh, yes, Eric Johnson pulls off his character (Joshua Steed) very well, too.

Second, the negatives: Some of the supporting actors, that only have one or two lines aren't very convincing or experienced and it weakens some of the drama.

Well, gotta run.

The movie made me cry, probably cause I'm a dad.

I liked the first installment in this series, better than this movie, the second installment. The first was the story of the (fictional) Steed family set against the backdrop of the founding of the LDS church.

This movie can't seem to make up its mind about whether it's a story about the Steed family with a backdrop of LDS history, or if it's the early history of the LDS church using a fictional family to flesh out a story.

Although there were plenty of conflicts in the movie, they seemed disjointed. I didn't see an overall flow or development. I haven't read the books, but it seemed like the screenplay just didn't flow right. I kept wanting the filmmakers to focus more on the Steeds as the main characters to tie it all together into a good story.

The acting was pretty good. Sets and costumes had good production values. Directing and cinematography were overall good. But there were a few scenes that were awkward, like a play where actors are brought on stage, say their lines and leave.

Though it contains much LDS (Mormon) history, this movie is not sponsored by the LDS church. There are a few cheesy pro-family lines that you might expect from The Waltons or Little House on the Prairie, but the movie does not preach religion and does not proselyte. One of the main themes of the movie is the importance of family in the midst of conflict and upheaval, so the cheesy lines are in context, and can be excused.

I also agree with a previous commenter that this is probably the best and most human portrayal of Joseph Smith that I have seen.

If you're expecting great movie making, you might be disappointed. I'd rate this movie a B- or C+.

I recommend: 1. If you're LDS and want to support Mormon cinema, go see the movie in the theater.

2. If you're not LDS, and are curious about Mormon history, go see the movie.

3. LDS or not, if you're looking for a really GREAT movie, then save your box-office money, because, IMO, this movie isn't worth first-run ticket prices ($8+) as far as movies go. But I will buy this movie for my Mormon movie collection when the DVD comes out on Ebay.

4. If you have a family of 3 or more, just wait for the DVD. No sense in spending $25 to see this movie, when for the same price you can get the DVD or VHS.

Bottom line: Yeah, it's worth watching on video with friends and family, whether you're LDS or not, but not what I consider first-run box office.

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.