WARNING: May contain slight mild spoilers.
Rating: *½ out of * * * *
Rated: R for intense violence/gore, some strong sexuality and language.
Starring: Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Robin Tunney, Rod Stieger, Gabriel Byrne.
Running Time: 132 minutes
We go into a movie theater, boom! the lights go down, our hearts race, we go through ten minutes of preview and finally the movie we've been waiting to see for a long time comes on. We sit there, watch in disbelief that this movie is as bad as it is. Why shouldn't I have know what I was getting myself into. Again like this past summers hit "Stigmata", "End of Days" may be worse. It's not like this is any kind of original idea, it just throws in some "Rosemary's Baby", along with "The Devil's Advocate" a little "Exorcist" and some "Stigmata" here and there. Whala you have "End of Days" a movie that is extremely disappointing and by the previews made it look terrific. Sadly but truly again like most recent films, all the good parts are in the trailers.
The plot which is very confusing at times is also very ludicrous and the movie is destined to be a hit in the first weekend, and flop in the next. Jericho Cane (Arnold Schwarzneggar in hit typical macho role) is a cop who finds out that he is chosen to track down Satan (Living in Gabriel Byrnes body) and stop him from impregnating Christine York (Robin Tunney) because if he does, and she gives birth all existence as we know it will cease to exist. He has to do this before it turns into the year 2000, and strangely he's trying to fight him 5 minutes before 2000 comes. He seeks help from the Catholic church and help from Rod Stieger (in a terrific role) and tries to save this girl leading to an ending that's satisfying, but turns into a typical action movie. That's pretty much it on plot. It does have the razzle and dazzle of a great action movie, and with the 100m dollar budget parts seem to show it, parts you have to wonder where all the money went.
As for Arnie? Good role, OK performance. I think since he is getting a little older he is held back a lot of his stunts. The thing that disappointed me was the fact that there was nothing to the film. In the trailers it looks like a good scary, action film and ends up being a boring, long and preposterous drama that leads into something else that leaves us with questions. Gabriel Byrnes (who ironically played a priest in "Stigmata") here plays Satan and gives a good performance but again seems held back and not into his character. Two years back Al Pacino gave a terrific performance in the fun "The Devil's Advocate" and here it seems like the idea of him is in the character also. Robin Tunney (great performance as always) plays Satan's main person whom he wants to impregnate to carry his child. Of course Rod Stieger gives another great performance which really isn't nothing new.
The direction by Peter Hyams is at times a bit overblown, though not nearly as the visual style was in "Stigmata". Here we are given great camera work, and some great scenes that are terrifically directed but sadly just don't work in this movie. The script written by Andrew Marlowe has a few witty lines, but again the movie is all style and no substance and by the ending finale climax I was ready to go home. Only a few things work here and those are a few of the performances, the writing and visual style, but the storyline and the finished product don't work as well.
The sad thing is that "End of Days" had so many things going for it. The plot could have been more organized, the action scenes could have been more brainy and less mind-numbing. At times it seems like "Armageddon" and started to get old and tiresome. Hollywood is running out of ideas bad, and like I've always said before needs new ones. Even with its 100m budget "End of Days" is less than pleasing. In fact the 100m dollar budget is at least 30m over, and easily could have had a 70m budget.
Maybe I sound crazy, but I am really looking forward to the new Exorcist film, and hope that they make it as good as the original. We need to get new ideas and stop recycling old ones just to make money at the box-office. We need to get more films like "The Blair Witch Project" that could scare people to death, while people thinking well what exactly is scaring them and how do I know that it is in fact The Blair Witch. Overblown effects, stupid and thin plot-line, good performances, disappointing....umm yup those pretty much describe "End of Days".
Reviewed by Brandon Herring November 23, 1999.
Brandon Herring Http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/movie/3160/moviereviewheaven.html
"He Came Home"- Halloween "I don't know if anyone can stop him!"- H4 "Im so scared!"- Blair Witch " "- Silent Bob
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