End of Days (1999)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writer (WGA):

Andrew W. Marlowe (written by)

Release Date:

24 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Prepare for the end.

Plot:

At the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. It's up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him.

Plot Keywords:

Satan | Millennium | Murder | New Year's Eve | New York City

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Nov. 18	10:30 PM	AMC
Thur. Nov. 19	5:15 PM	AMC

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Jericho Cane
Gabriel Byrne	...	The Man / Satan
Robin Tunney	...	Christine York
Kevin Pollak	...	Bobby Chicago
CCH Pounder	...	Detective Margie Francis
Derrick O'Connor	...	Thomas Aquinas
David Weisenberg	...	OB / GYN
Rainer Judd	...	Christine's Mother
Miriam Margolyes	...	Mabel
Udo Kier	...	Head Priest
Victor Varnado	...	Albino
Michael O'Hagan	...	Cardinal
Mark Margolis	...	Pope
Jack Shearer	...	Kellogg
Rod Steiger	...	Father Kovak

MPAA:

Rated R for intense violence and gore, a strong sex scene and language.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #37048) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Philippines:PG-13 (cut) | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Belgium:KNT | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Bryant Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Beacon Communications

Trivia:

Father Kovak says to Jericho Cane that "Satan's greatest trick was convincing man he didn't exist". This quote from the French poet Charles Baudelaire also appears in The Usual Suspects (1995), also featuring Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Pollak.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Bobby surprisingly returns after having been burned to death earlier in the explosion/fire of his vehicle, no singe or scorch marks are seen on his clothing - although he had been surrounded by intense flame. However, Bobby did make a deal with the Devil.

Quotes:

Jericho Cane: Easy on the hardware.

Movie Connections:

References Se7en (1995)

Soundtrack:

Deck the Halls

Arnie vs. Satan

Arnold peaked at the end of the '90s, I guess. He's battled Terminators, Greek gods, bears, alligators, planes, and macho men in fish net clothing. The only choice left is, of course, Satan. So they put together a movie about Satan and gave Arnie the lead.

I think everyone working on this thought it would be much better than it actually is. The script was in development for years and Arnie fought to get it made. It's kind of unfortunate because Arnold gives a fairly decent performance in a film muddled with clichés. Of course, it's hard enough to buy a guy with a body like Arnold being a slob who drinks beer and pizza smoothees for breakfast. Getting someone like Jim Belushi might have seemed more realistic.

Apart from the physicality, Arnold's performance is fine. He cries. He does the emotion scenes well enough - at least well enough to find bearable.

It's the direction that ruins this movie. Peter Hyams is a terrible director and has ruined some very unique films in the past (his most notorious butchering in my opinion was of a 1983 Michael Douglas film called "The Star Chamber" - great premise, awful directing).

"End of Days" is like "Exorcist" meets every supernatural thriller ever made. On top of that, Gabriel Byrne should be more menacing. Robin Tunney should be less butch-looking. The direction shouldn't feel like some low-grade TV commercial - all style, no substance.

Is the movie terrible? No. It's not as bad as everyone made it out to be. But it's pretty much the definition of "mediocre." Do I own it on DVD? Hell yeah. It's an Arnold movie - it's an automatic must-buy. But if you're not a fan of Arnie, I wouldn't recommend it - at all. It pretty much feels like any average made-for-TV scary-flick - with even worse direction.

The only other good aspect of this film was that it brought Axl Rose out of seclusion to record his first original song in seven years with a new incarnation of Guns N' Roses. The song, "Oh My God," didn't do too well with the critics. A bit of a shame, really. I dug it. It also fits the industrial, edgy tone of the film.