END OF DAYS (1999)BACK COVER SYNOPSIS: Twenty years ago, a baby girl with a mark on her body was born in a Manhattan hospital. News of her birth reached The Vatican, for this was a moment that had been feared for centuries. Scripture had foretold her arrival and suddenly the inevitable countdown to doom had begun. New York City, December 28, 1999. As the world stands on the brink of a new millennium, a supernatural force of terror is about to be unleashed. And without the power of one man, mankind will most certainly witness the End of Days. Arnold Schwarzenegger meets his greatest and most indestructible enemy yet, in this chilling, awesome action thriller about our world's darkest, most terrifying hour.
FILM REVIEW: Arnie takes on his toughest foe in the Devil in "End Of Days". In many ways, this is a cut above most of Arnold Schwarzenegger's B-grade action films, and it definitely looks and feels spectacular, but there's also something not quite fresh on the "Devil takes over the world" story. It might have been that The Devil's Advocate was released at around a similar time, or that Devil films have been done so many times, but this film is more or less a well executed, action version of films you've seen before. That's not to say it's great to watch, but if you're expecting anything more you'll probably be disappointed. For Arnie fans this will likely satisfy as he gets to use his trademark weaponry throughout the piece, but unfortunately Arnie works best when he speaks less and he has quite a bit of dialogue in this film. The supporting cast are excellent, particularly Robin Tunney, Kevin Pollack, and Gabriel Byrne's extremely sinister turn as the Devil. Overall, this is a film that tries really hard to be a cut above the rest but doesn't quite make it.
As a star vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, this is actually a darker, more serious film for Arnie and his fans. He's just as wooden as ever but anyone who enjoys an Arnie film will tell you that if you go to see one of his films for the acting than you're missing the point. He does manage to deliver on all the action elements, but also manages to hold his own once again on screen, and actually puts one of his best 'performances' in to this film (although Terminator is still obviously the best). He's ably assisted by comic Kevin Pollack who does much to elevate the material between their characters to a more colourful level with his satiricial wit and presence. Newcomer Robin Tunney also does well in giving a youthful innocence to the piece which contrasts quite nicely with Arnie's rugged appearance.
Gabriel Byrne is perhaps the best part of this film. Rather than create a Devil that operates through shades of grey, Byrne's devil is a nasty piece of work, and there's no mincing around. He wants what he wants and if he doesn't get it you'll die, and you'll die gruesomely. He has a magnetic quality that makes him intriguing to watch. Unfortunately, the script lifts dialogues from early films, particularly "The Devil's Advocate" where Byrne gives a speech about what God is really like which is very, very similar to Al Pacino's speech in the other film. The only difference is that Byrne delivers it was a sense of bubbling rage and anger, whereas Pacino was having fun with it. Nevertheless, Byrne gives quite a scary performance in this film and does much to contribute to the thrills and horror present in the piece.
This film looks really good. You could watch this film just to appreciate the shots. They're rich, colourful, dramatic and atmospheric. Director Peter Hyams was reportedly going for a Renaissance type look to the pictures and he certainly succeeded in this regard. At times the look of the film recalls films like "The Exorcist" which really tap in to our basic fears. The soundtrack, featuring a creepy musical score does much to add to this atmosphere as well. From a technical standpoint, this film is extremely impressive. Unfortunately, the script does let the craft down by not providing a terribly unique approach to the material. It's only the execution and the charisma of the cast that makes this story better than what it is. I will say however that the tie-in with the end of the millennium is quite nice, especially with one in the film: "Three nights New York. Three nights until every computer fails." It was great to recall the hysteria around the end of the millennium through moments like this.
"End Of Days" is an entertaining, extremely well shot action film that tries hard to be more than the sum of its parts but ultimately doesn't get there, resulting in a film that's generic in nature.
TECHNICAL REVIEW: The video transfer is stunning. Given the film has lots of black in the picture, (lots of dark shadows etc), the picture is remarkably clear and clean, very crisp with colour faithfully represented throughout. The soundtrack is equally spectacular, particularly establishing the atmospheric nature of the film throughout all the speakers in the surround sound system. A spectacular transfer.
EXTRAS REVIEW: The extras on this disc are okay if nothing special. There is a 25-minute making of documentary which appears to have been at the time of release so in addition to some informative moments about the production, it also has a promotional flair to it which makes the doco less authentic in parts. Two extras that are more informative including the dry audio commentary from director Peter Hyams who chooses to focus mostly on technical descriptions, and the thirty-plus minute visual effects featurette which goes through the making of the complicated effects shots in the film. Both of these extras are quite informative about the production, but they are a little dry, and not particularly exciting. There are also two music videos and a theatrical trailer. It's a nice collection but not all that exciting.
BOTTOM LINE: Worth having in the collection.
FILM RATING: 7.5/10 -- EXTRAS RATING: 7/10 -- OVERALL DVD RATING: 7.5/10
Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net
