End of Days – 1999 – Action, Supernatural, Thriller
Directed by: Peter Hyams
Written by: Andrew W. Marlowe
Main Players: Arnold Schwarzenegger; Gabriel Byrne; Robin Tunney; Kevin Pollak; CCH Pounder
Arnold Schwarzenegger only makes smash hit action movies, right? Oh, you say neither critics nor viewers really like End of Days? Well, shit. Is it worth a try? I mean, it’s not that bad, however go in with tempered expectations.
In the faith-based thriller End of Days, the film opens in 1979 and the Vatican City in Rome as a comet is observed passing near the moon. This leads to busting out old scrolls, which notate the comet as the Eye of God. Under this sign, a special child is born, and she must be found, says the Pope. One of the cardinals disagrees and says she must be killed. NO, the Pope says, we are men of faith! They must believe, and keep her safe from evil.
This child happens to be born in New York city shortly after this discussion; however, the young babe is whisked away to the basement by a hospital worker. An ominous group of people examine the newborn child. Rituals are performed, and the baby is finally returned to mom, and named Christine.
A couple decades later and it’s almost New Years Eve 1999. Three nights until Y2K as well as the biggest Times Square celebration ever. The city begins reacting. Underground pressures spike. Fires blow out of manholes. Chaos has erupted. But… why?!
Out of this fire comes a demonic creature, searching the city streets for its target. It eventually settles inside a man (Byrne) who is out dining. This man is now something else, and something devilish, with altered behavior and a chilling presence. As he exits the restaurant with a boom, the plot is in full swing.
As this devil man hunts for the comet baby Christine (Tunney), will a suicidal ex-detective Jericho Cane (Schwarzenegger) stand in the way of the End of Days? Maybe his buddy Bobby Chicago (Pollak) can help keep him on the rails.
An okay cast helps push the film along, however it remains a bit slow. While faith-based stuff is not usually my vibe, this script attempts to make an action movie out of it, instead of the usual possession plot. Schwarzenegger is a decent burnt-out officer, and Byrne oozes demonic presence. There are some decently cool visuals here and there, and this one is good enough for one watch, but again don’t expect much from the story.
See This If You Liked:
Constantine; Prince of Darkness; Stigmata; Legion (2010); The Omen (1976; 2006); The First Omen; The Ninth Gate; The Prophecy (1995); Fallen (1998); Warlock (1989)
Score:
6.5