Grade: D+
Synopsis: While working a job for the mob, a hitman (Roger E. Mosley) posing as a Baptist preacher decides to take over the rackets for himself.
Sweet Jesus, Preacherman has potential. In casting the man who would go on to play TC from Magnum, P.I. as a hitman so cold blooded he’ll pose as a preacher in order to get his job done, the filmmakers unknowingly gave their creation an extra bit of longevity. Unfortunately, while the film isn’t a total loss, it never exploits the satirical aspect of its setup. Here it is, poised to show, in the most over-the-top method possible, how society’s various institutions, from the church, to the police, to the government, and even the mob, all conspire to keep the ghetto down, but instead it loses its nerve and falls into predictable mediocrity.
Which is a shame, as Mosley is good, and the film handles its action well, but the problem is that you’ll spend the entire 99 minutes waiting for the film to become something it never does. Of course, with a title like Sweet Jesus, Preacherman, no one could really blame you, but still, the result is that you come away feeling just a little bit burned.
