End of Days (1999) User Reviews

Darker than your average action film

[ExpendableMan · 7/10 · 19 November 2005]

Hyped to the heavens when it first came out as Schwarzenegger's comeback movie, this 1999 film steers the Governor away from his attempts at comedy and collaborations with Danny Devito and back into the sort of action packed carnage that made his name in the first place. However, where the likes of Commando had him portraying invincible supermen with a neat array of guns and one liners to hand, End of Days is considerably darker.

Set in New York on the eve of Millennium, the film shows a version of the Austrian Oak previously never witnessed. He plays Jericho Cane, an alcoholic ex-Cop in charge of a security squad who finds himself embroiled in a battle to save a young girl (Robin Tunney) from being raped by the devil (a sadly, rather ineffective Gabriel Byrne) and bringing about Armageddon. As you do.

Cane himself is not the best sort of man for saving all creation either. He is mired in deep depression, has abandoned any faith in God he may have once had and when we first see him, is contemplating suicide. However, saving the girl gives him a drive and determination even when faced with some conflicting views from the Catholic Church about how best to go about this. All of this takes place in a very grim and gritty vision of New York where the rain never stops falling, urban decay is rife and pillars of steam rise from manhole covers. It is a fitting location for the end of all creation to begin and cast a dark veil over the flick.

Of course, that isn't to say the film is all doom and gloom as there are a few glimpses of just how seriously the makers weren't taking their project (the argument between Arnold and Kevin Pollack in the former's apartment is hilarious). Plus, while the story and characters are all developed to match the atmosphere of impending dread during the first hour and a half, the last twenty minutes are made up of the kind of explosive action that strangely doesn't jar against the grimmer nature of the rest of the film, though the CGI devil at the climax is pushing it a little.

All in all, an enjoyable romp for fans of the Governator before his attention was diverted by a political career. It compares well to his classic eighties work by trying to do something different and while it may not gel properly in places, for a good 80% of the running time it does a very entertaining job.

Surprisingly effective horror action

[Bogey Man · 7/10 · 14 July 2002]

Peter Hyams' End of Days stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as a fired and alcoholic police officer, who is on the edge of sanity and tries to commit suicide very often. He is now private security guard and traps a mysterious sniper who tried to kill one of his clients. Soon he learns that there are some very bad things going on in the city, and the new millennium is very close..It is the last days of December, 1999.

I really liked the scare department in this demonic little horror thriller from this talented director and director of photography, Peter Hyams. This film is full of effective and very ominous images and scenery and the film is very dark. I appreciate perhaps most the shots above the city and the twisted use of camera up there. That really creates a feeling of evil and that something very powerful and wicked is "above the city" and is about to get power. Hyams once again shows his talent as he has been the director of photography many times earlier in his own films. End of Days reminded me occasionally of Alex de la Iglesia's great horror film El Dia de la Bestia (Day of the Beast), a brilliant mix of black comedy and VERY dark imagery and atmosphere. As incredible as it sounds, this mainstream produced film is that effective, thanks to the talented men behind the camera.

There are some flaws, too, and the most irritating things is perhaps the cliche ending, which I definitely won't spoil here, but is without a doubt there only to satisfy the audience and create the safe and familiar Happy Ending. If this was made 20 years ago, the ending would definitely have been different; it would've been how the director wanted to, not hot the audience wanted to. That tones the otherwise great and exciting finale a little bit down, but fortunately it is not as syrupy as possible. Another negative thing that I can tell is the editing which is very fast, unstylishly and ineffectively fast and restless. Fast edits can be great elements if used right and with skill, but in this film, they are in my opinion gratuitously fast and too plenty. Just watch the action scenes and count how many edits there are in one minute. The editors should have realized that sometimes - and in this case - less is more. These "flaws" are still tolerable especially when I keep in mind how many positive points there are in this film.

End of Days is also very exciting and fast paced. The train segment is great and especially the clock ticking finale when the millennium is about to change, is very skillfully created and hold my full attention. The finale is pretty similar to the finale in Kathryn Bigelow's own millennium related film, a paranoid and effective thriller Strange Days (1995). In End of Days, there are also couple of genuinely frightening, scary, sudden and loud "shocks" that require a movie theatre to fully work. The nightmare sequences are also chillingly original and brought to my mind the great horror classics that even Hollywood sometimes produced. The demon which Christine sees in her dreams is very scary and almost as frightening as the similar character in David Lynch's masterwork Lost Highway.

As a horror film, End of Days works fine and creates an atmosphere that is so rare in mainstream films nowadays. I didn't have any expectations when I placed the VHS in my VCR, and so I was pleasantly surprised of what I saw and experienced. If we stay in the 90's, I could say that End of Days is kind of tamer version of Day of the Beast and without its comic elements. There are comic elements in End of Days, too, but those are not, fortunately, the usual Hollywood one-liners and stupid bits of dialogue. Gabriel Byrne over-acts occasionally little, but many guys who play devils seem to have this problem! He is almost as "cool and modern" devil as Al Pacino in Taylor Hackford's Devil's Advocate, a film which also has great atmosphere but is more restrained and drama oriented.

End of Days gets 7/10 from me. Great work again Peter!

Action, suspense and light horror in one movie.

[filipemanuelneto · 7/10 · 11 July 2016]

As we approach the turn of the millennium, the Devil seeks to fulfill the prophecies about the birth of the Antichrist, looking for a bride in New York. Directed by Peter Hyams, with a script by Andrew W. Marlowe, this film has Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne and Robin Tunney in the main roles.

One of the last films of the past millennium, it precisely addresses the end of it and the apocalyptic prophecies about that. It's a quite grim film, which puts the audience in suspense from the very beginning. The dark picture helps to amplify these feeling, with the most scenes taking place at night or on foggy or rainy days in New York, depicted like a real and decadent "sin city". The darkest character is undoubtedly the Devil, but the police fighting against him (played by Schwarzenegger) also has to face his own demons: alcohol, deep depression, lack of faith and lack of self-confidence, in a double combat, physical and psychological.

The film has great action scenes which strangely cohabit with several heavier scenes, almost terror. In fact, this is the major flaw of the film: it lives in a permanent dilemma between terror and action, thriller and suspense. We cannot say it's a horror movie or a thriller, or action. It's a mixture of all, which ends up easily displeasing the public looking for just one (particularly the terror lovers, as the film never gets to scare us truly). The climax is very interesting, makes good use of special visual and sound effects, manages to surprise and not be predictable, but some of the effects (the monster) are so "cliché" and far-fetched that destroy what was good.

The work of the actors is fairly good. This film marks the end of a comedy decade in Schwarzenegger's career, and he seems convincing in his role and doesn't make mistakes, giving another proof of versatility. He wanted, truly, show that it's not only a lot of muscles, and he succeeded. Robin Tunney looks a bit bland and hysterical in the role of Christine. Byrne made an interesting devil, very calm and cold, able to boot chills through the simple look. The soundtrack doesn't stand out particularly, with the exception of "Agnus Dei", it's main music, combining incidental chords with small arrangements of Gregorian chant.

Arnie vs. Satan

[MovieAddict2016 · 5/10 · 18 December 2005]

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.

thrilling and dark

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 15 August 2016]

I liked this film.it's sort of in a similar vein as the original The Omen(1976)and it has a fair amount of thrilling scenes.there's lots of action.the acting is good all around. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars ,with Robin Tunney and Kevin Pollock.Gabriel Byrne who also starred in Stigmata the same year,is in this film as well.the rest of the supporting cast is also very good.for me,this supernatural thriller is exactly that.it's very thrilling and dark,although there are some amusing bits to to release the tension.if you like this movie,i would recommend the original Omen(1976)and the remake (2006 for me,End of Days is a 7/10

Jumps back and forth from logic-free concepts to formulaic action. **1/2 (out of four)

[Movie-12 · 6/10 · 21 February 2001]

END OF DAYS / (1999) **1/2 (out of four)

By Blake French:

"End of Days" is the first movie to seriously argue that "666" the numerical sign of the devil, is actually a 999 upside-down. Since the film was first released in 1999, the movie could not resist to throw in that little contrivance. What can you expect from a movie when its premise is based on the concept that once every thousand years if Satan impregnates a woman during the hour from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. on the last day of the millennium, she will give birth to the anti-Christ who will bring the world to an end? I am already thinking that the movie is vulnerable to logic (is the time given in Eastern Standard?) and it will make its own limitations at the convenience of plot. "End of Days" is particularly graphic in its use of violence, but never really scares us, even with such a horrifying premise like the end of humanity.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has not made a good movie in a long time. First "Jingle all the Way," then "Batman & Robin," now we have a movie that bounces back and forth between action and concept. There are the standard "action movie scenes," where a person sways from a helicopter in mid air, where a chase scene takes place at incredible heights, where someone grasps to a high window ledge, where a subway train crashes, where a massive fire erupts in Manhattan, and so on. There are also the false shocko moments followed with a sudden burst of loud, startling music: the its just a cat scene, its just another cop scene, its just a dream scene, its just your imagination scene, he's not really dead scene, and its just maggots suddenly growing out of an apple scene. The movie is also bound by philosophy. The action is focused towards Schwarzenegger saving the world, but he cannot do that all by himself, can he? Sure he can, if he can stop Satan (Gabriel Bryne), from impregnating Christine (Robin Tunney), who was born under the religious sign of a passing comet -- and based on her birth twenty years earlier during the sighting of that comet – is the chosen mother of Satan's child.

"End of Days" begins with an intriguing, although plausible, premise. The bizarre events that transpire a few days before the end of the millennium immediately inspire our curiosity. The action sequences are also fine, intensified by thrilling music and a fast paced style. The movie opens on a good note, and the remainder of the action sequences are also quite exciting. The scenes also inspire a few questions. Satan kills many people in this movie, people just like the hero, so why doesn't he just finish Arnold Schwarzenegger off like he does with so many other characters. On the other side, Schwarzenegger shoots the devil, who pulls his shirt up so we can see the bullet holes immediately healing. When using a machine-gun, the ammunition flings the Prince of Darkness backward and puts him down before he attacks again. There are simply no rules to abide by here.

"End of Days" does not have a whole lot of explanation; it plays sort of like your run of the mill action picture with the gimmick of the week. There just is not a lot of true involvement or engagement after the premise. We do care about Arnold Swarzzenegger's character, and Gabrial Bryne is an especially convincing Satan. He is devilish, with fiendish appeal, proving that tranquillity is the most terrifying evil. Al Pachino did an equally diabolical job in "The Devils Advocate," but Bryne is even more terrifying. Robin Tunney has nothing to do but exchange shameless subtext with Schwarzenegger's character. ("You're better than everyone else, just remember that." "I don't want to be better or worse, I just want to be normal.") She is more of a plot device than an actual character.

Excellent convincing set designs appear frequently, especially near the end where the characters wander through dark chambers and dim hallways. Cinematography also adds a nice touch to the suspenseful, mysterious atmosphere, all done by the movie's director, Peter Hyams ("The Relic"). It is too bad such good filmmaking does not have a story fit enough to back it up. One more thing I just have to mention: Why do the cops always show up at the end of the movie, after the action is over. I am getting very tired of that.

I Wonder What The Story Behind The Production Is ?

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 8 December 2003]

Watching END OF DAYS I got the distinct impression this movie had problems in the early production stage . The story as revealed at the start of the film involves two sets of the clergy , one of which is trying to protect a young virgin from the clutches of Satan while the other set is trying to murder her so he won`t mate with her . So far so good , so why include the character of Jerico Cane , a burned out suicidal cop ? After all the story could have worked without his inclusion even though it may have been too similar to THE FINAL CONFLICT in feel and execution , but I still feel Cane didn`t have to be included while the role of the hero could easily have gone to a good guy priest . Worse still Jerico Cane is played by big Arnie which means through box office necessity ( ie box office bucks ) instead of END OF DAYS being a haunting supernatural drama it ends up being a supernatural action/adventure movie that doesn`t work . It should also be pointed out that Arnie doesn`t have the acting range to play a burned out sucidal cop . How about this as a casting premise: Anthony Hopkins plays a disillusioned priest trying to save Christine York from Satan . Doesn`t that sound a whole lot better ?

Not to be too negative the story is interesting in places , and I`m sure the first draft of the script was very moody and atmospheric until the screenplay was re-written to death . Gabriel Byrne plays Satan with the exact right mixture of charm and menace which leads me to believe he`d be the perfect choice as The Master if Hollywood ever make a big budget screen version of DOCTOR WHO . Peter Hyams direction while not perfect is far better than much of his work in recent years and does manage to inject a fair amount of mood into his work . But at the end of the day ( Pun intended ) this movie would have worked a lot better if we had an acting star instead of an action star as the hero

End of days 2021 review

[matrixdukenukem · 8/10 · 5 June 2021]

Listen, it's been more than a decade and we don't get movies like this anymore. The movie is dark, doesn't pull it's punches, full of action, VFX sort of holds up. Violence and gore is just the right amount.

I don't know what else to say, it's Arnold vs Satan and it delivers. Arnie gives his best performance of career and other characters don't really matter. Satan is all powerful but in meat body.

Sadly not many people are watching this and it's not popular on Netflix or prime. I had a blast on a weekend watching this with beer and fried chicken. You can do that too!

Action Packed and Also Very Frightening,

[lesleyharris30 · 7/10 · 29 July 2013]

End of Days is a good movie with a very different storyline and a good cast,with a very strong performance from the always brilliant Arnold Schwarzenegger.I expected this movie to be an action packed movie with an Armageddon type of theme to it,and I wasn't disappointed,but I really didn't expect it to be scary,there are actually some very frightening scenes in this movie,mainly any of Gabriel Byrne's scenes,and its a lot scarier than some of the ridiculous horror movie you would see today that aren't at all frightening.The movie is very unpredictable,and I was surprised it got such bad reviews,I really enjoyed it,it certainly wasn't perfect,but it didn't deserve any Razzie nominations.Arnold Schwarzenegger did a fantastic performance,Gabriel Byrne was very creepy and believable,and Peter Hyams did a great job directing this movie,it looked beautiful,none of them deserved Razzie nominations.Its certainly not Arnold Schwarzenegger's finest film,but fans of the actor will get a great kick out of this movie.

As the world reaches the year 2000,the Devil (Gabriel Byrne) is in search of Christine York (Robin Tunney) to make her his bride,its not up to police officer Jericho Cane (Arnold Schwarzengger) to keep her safe.

One of Schwarzeneggers better movies...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 10 August 2022]

The 1999 movie "End of Days" from writer Andrew W. Marlowe and director Peter Hyams is definitely a noteworthy addition to Arnold Schwarzenegger's impressive movie career, especially since it is a nice change of genre for the action star.

Oddly enough, I think I've only seen "End of Days" three times since 1999, with the most recent being just now here in 2022. But I will say that this movie is very enjoyable and entertaining, and I like that there is much more to the storyline than just having Arnold beat up a bunch of henchmen while getting to the final showdown against whomever wronged him at the end of the movie. So thumbs up to writer Andrew W. Marlowe for the script and storyline in "End of Days". You should keep in mind that this movie is heavy set with a religious theme, just as a heads up.

Visually then "End of Days" is a good movie, lots of great special effects, which were necessary for a fantasy horror movie of this caliber.

I will say that the leading roles of Arnold Schwarzenegger (playing Jericho) and Gabriel Byrne (playing The Man) were interesting casting choices, but they worked out quite well. It was refreshing to see Schwarzenegger in a movie such as "End of Days". And needless to say that the charismatic Gabriel Byrne was just phenomenally well-cast for his role. The movie also have the likes of Udo Kier, Rod Steiger and Luciano Miele on the cast list. Good acting performances from all involved in the movie helped bring the movie to life in a believable manner on the screen.

"End of Days" is a movie that is very much watchable and enjoyable today, 23 years after it was initially released. If you enjoy Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, and haven't already seen "End of Days", then this is definitely a movie I will recommend you track down and watch. It is a way more dark and gritty movie than Schwarzenegger usually starred in.

My rating of "End of Days" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Guilty Pleasure......"I don't do guilt"...Satan

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 13 November 2012]

Gory, lurid, and ludicrous, this is a dark Action/Horror flick that delivers the goodies with bad taste and that's the way it should be. Were dealing with the Devil here not human scum. This has a very downbeat delivery. Is it possible to have Satan's return and the end of the world as we know it in any other way?

Sure it is rough and raunchy. Sure it is dark and dank. But it has a lot of gusto and gives all its got to make it a God-awful combination of Religious rantings and Spiritual significance. There is some dark humor and the cast is holding its own against an onslaught of high-tech special effects and low-brow belief systems.

Gabriel Byrne steals the show with the best lines and sinister behavior. The action is non-stop and it takes itself rather seriously, because this isn't Monty Python, it is Arnold action and millennial madness, through Biblical prophecy and for that it is a guilty pleasure of over-the-top revelatory ridiculousness.

One-Time Watch!

[namashi_1 · 5/10 · 12 April 2011]

Peter Hyams 'End Of Days' is an average Horror flick, that begins superbly, but ends up ordinarily. However, A highly energetic Arnold Schwarzenegger, gives his best shot.

'End Of Days' takes place in 1999. And during the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. And now, It's up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him.

The idea is interesting, and considering it's a Horror, you expect to get chills down your spine. Andrew W. Marlowe's writing in the first hour manages to hold your attention. However, the writing falls in the second hour. It begins to lack the bite, and the culmination, though well-shot, doesn't meet the expectations. Peter Hyams directs this tale nicely. Cinematography & Editing deserve a mention.

Performance-Wise: Schwarzenegger gives his best shot, and tries his best to hold your attention, even when the writing gets weak. Gabriel Byrne as Satan, is passable. Robin Tunney does a sincere job. Kevin Pollak, CCH Pounder & Derrick O'Connor are able.

On the whole, A One-Time Watch.

Solid action/horror with Arnie

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 4 November 2014]

The devil (Gabriel Byrne) comes to New York City to impregnate a chosen female (Robin Tunney) during the last hour of the second millennium to bring about the end of the world. The hope of humanity falls on an atheist ex-cop, Jericho Cane (Arnold Schwarzeneggar), and his partner (Kevin Pollak). Rod Steiger is also on hand as a no-nonsense Catholic priest.

"End of Days" (1999) is a comic book action flick with horror/fantasy elements. It's not meant to be an accurate depiction of biblical eschatology. As such, it's useless to pick it apart on those grounds; just go with it and enjoy the ride. That said, there are some real-life subtexts and accurate biblical aspects. For instance, disillusionment due to the unjust death of a loved one (or any number of other tragedies) happens all the time.

The movie is R-rated not just for the violence and cussing, but because the filmmakers try to convey the devil's filthy lawlessness, like a threesome with a mother & daughter in a brief dream sequence (which may be "reality," but it's hard to tell). Byrne has fun with the role of Satan.

As a holiday action blockbuster with Schwarzenegger "End of Days" delivers the requisite thrills where there's a massive explosion about every 12 minutes. These types of movies only work if the story and the characters pull you into their world and the film accomplishes this just enough.

It's no where near as good as the first two Terminator flicks, but it's close to being on par with the third one. Of course, "End of Days" is its own animal due to the apocalyptic, religious subject matter. On that note, the palette the filmmakers use is fittingly dark. The entire film takes place at night, mostly in the urban labyrinths of Gotham with additional sequences in Gothic churches, shadowy subterranean rooms and eerie woods.

The film runs 2 hours, 1 minute, and was shot in New York City and the Los Angeles area.

GRADE: B/B-

Below Par

[mjw2305 · 4/10 · 20 January 2005]

End of Days, starts off pretty well, Arnie plays a down and out cop (a very similar character to Riggs in Lethal weapon) and the story looks like a kind of serial killer action thriller that will be good entertainment.

Sadly it fails to deliver, Arnie is as good as we we have come to expect, but as for Gabriel Byrne i expect him to chose his roles more carefully than this. cast as the devil; this is probably the weakest portrayal of the lord of darkness ever.

This movie gets a little too daft for me, and the end sequence, aside from being very weak, is visually one of the worst i've seen in recent years, CGI is have been better than this since the early nineties.

Quite simply not good enough. 4/10 (Watch it if you have too, but don't expect too much, cause it won't deliver)

Arnie's back and the Devil's got him.

[chrisbrown6453 · 6/10 · 21 May 2002]

End of Days is the first movie Arnold Schwarzenegger had made since his heart surgery and he seems fine. You may have heard rumors that the big man tries acting this time out, but not to worry; his moments of soul searching and introspection are kept to a minimum. He does get crucified, however, which requires a bit of a stretch. Lots of firepower, violence, special effects and action deliver just what fans of the star want from a movie. As such, it is a relatively painless watch and delivers some goods. A few days before the millennium, earthquakes and subterranean fires hit New York. Relax...it's just the Devil arriving. He has come to town to meet his bride and to conceive a child, the antichrist. Biblical prophesies have warned that if the Devil has his way with a certain virgin between 11pm and midnight on New Year's Eve it will bring about the so-called "End of Days." Satan will be able to take control of the Universe away from God for the next thousand years. Jericho Cane, an alcoholic ex-cop now working in security, seems to be the only person in the tri-state area capable of saving mankind. Where is Mayor Giuliani when you need him? With Arnold on the case, who needs elected officials? Robin Tunney plays the spunky virgin in question who has been destined for this unholy union since birth. Kevin Pollack, as Jericho's mouthy sidekick, gets most of the funny lines. Gabriel Byrne adds a touch of class playing "The Man" who has devilishly taken over the body of a Wall Street banker. Great disguise, Lucifer! My favorite scene was the knock-down, drag-out fight Arnie has with rotund little Miriam Margolyes who plays one of the Devil's minions. Oh yea, and that awesome dinner scene when Lucifer grabs that womans..um…well, you'll see. Director Peter Hyams gets the big action set-pieces right and does his darndest to pass Los Angeles off as New York. That is actually the Times Square celebration of 1998/99 that we see at the moment of climax. No matter how hard they tried, downtown Los Angeles is not NYC.

Good Action movie that doesn't deserve to be trashed

[wadew1 · 8/10 · 4 April 2001]

Arnold does some good work in this movie. I liked his role as a suicidal/alcoholic/wiseass. I think some people were shocked to hear Arnold speak more than one line at a time in an action movie. ..But for the one-liner lovers you get some good ones like -- Arnie(to the devil)"You're a *bleep*ing CHOIRBOY compare TO ME!!" ...and... Arnie(to his best friend) "Stop being such a P*SSY!"

Also, a good performance was put in by the guy who played Satan. The way he blew up the van....very creative.

The only thing i didn't really like about this movie was the ending. I would have liked to see Arnold win in a different way.

Overall and 8/10. Didn't deserve the bad press it got. There are other action movies like this one that are so much better received for some reason. Religion's a very sensitive subject, so maybe that's where the negative stuff came from.

Very loud, very violent, very stupid, very fun!

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 1 December 1999]

"End of Days" logically, is a ridiculous movie. Satan comes to Earth, possesses somebody (Gabriel Bryne) and has to have sex with a certain woman at 12:00 Jan 1 2000 and the world will come to an end (or something like that). Enter Arnold to save the day. I'm giving the plot as short a write-up as the actual writers did. The plot is dumb from the word go, there are laughable leaps of logic (see how Arnie and Tunney escape from a subway train hurtling to them--actually had me yelling out "Oh come on!" out loud), needlessly LOUD (has to have more explosions than I've ever seen in any motion picture), crappy acting (except for Bryne who's obviously enjoying himself) and needlessly cruel (a main character gets crucified...for no reason) but I had a fun time! If you can turn off your brain you'll have a great time. The movie is never dull (SO much action) and the exposition (what there is of it) is SO lame and badly acted that it becomes fun to listen to! So no great movie at all...just dumb, loud and violent. If you're in the mood, you'll have a great time!

When I saw it there were two kids in the audience who couldn't have been more than 13. They howled through the movie and walked out saying, "Boy was that DUMB!" That should tell you something.

At least it tried...

[kidwltm · 4/10 · 7 July 2003]

Throughout watching "End of Days", I got the sense that the film makers were perhaps trying to make this unique to the average Hollywood action film. They failed, of course, but you have to give them credit for trying. Peter Hyams actually tried directing this time, instead of just churning out another flat action film. He attempted to inject atmosphere into the movie by darkening the lights and adding tons of blood. This method can work if used correctly (see "Se7en") but here it just feels like a cheap trick to try and scare us. Hyams is a decent action director, and offers nothing more here than basic shoot outs and fight scenes, except for the lackluster, sub par f/x end "battle". As a photographer, Hyams demonstrates actual ability, displaying some good frame work and movement, but it is nothing above solid work.

Screenwriter Andrew Marlowe is the film's greatest enemy. At parts, the script actually shows the makings of good religious thriller, and at times it even shows some quasi-intellectual thought (the Temptation scene between Arnold and Gabriel Byrne), but these small pluses are choked out by a river of negatives. Generic dialogue/characters, gapping plot holes, and convenient plot points that just happen to point all the characters in the right direction are just a few of the standard Hollywood black holes Marlowe's screenplay falls into. The shadow of the good movie it could have been faded very quickly.

The film surprisingly has a good cast. Arnold, still possessing that larger than life attitude, tries to play a depressed, on the edge cop with no more than average results. Stick to be the invincible hero Arnie, it's what your good at. Gabriel Byrne is the strong point of the ensemble, bringing a nice air of cynicism to the role of Satan. In a villainous role ripe for overacting, Byrne restrains himself and it adds a bit more menace to the character. Kevin Pollak, as normal, is able to bring at least a few chuckles to the movie, but he's done better. Also look for a stellar small role from Rod Steiger.

Hyams looked like he was trying to separate this from the faceless mass of Hollywood action films. He was heading in the right direction, but had neither the script or originality to take it there.

4/10

Flawed, but still interesting horror/action from Arnold

[dworldeater · 7/10 · 6 August 2015]

End Of Days is a comeback for Arnold Scwarzenegger who has returned to the big screen after his absence due to open heart surgery. The last time he appeared in a movie before this it was in Batman And Robin, which is an excellent candidate for worst movie of all time. End Of Days is a flawed production, but in my opinion Arnold's best and most interesting project from the worst period of his career(the late 90's/early 00's). The premise of the film is where Arnold is to save the world from Satan, who in the new millennium wants to create Armageddon and Hell on Earth. Sounds good to me. However, End Of Days is not without its problems. I think because Arnold was cast, there is too much action for this action/horror hybrid to work. I do think much of this action is great. However, it is a bit overdone for a film of this type. While Arnold is killing tons of bad guys on the screen, much of the atmosphere and suspense is killed off as well. Which is not good as such components are key elements in making material like this work. Also, the abundance of horrible late 90's CGI hurt this as well. Even though the visual f/x are garbage and the action is so much that it dilutes the supernatural/horror elements, End Of Days still has quite a bit working in its favor as well. After a serious operation, Arnold still is more than capable on delivering the action. He also gave an excellent, character driven performance. He definitely held his own against great dramatic actors Kevin Pollak(his cop partner/best friend) and Gabriel Byrne(the physical embodiment of Satan). Gabriel Byrne gives an Oscar worthy performance as fallen angel Lucifer. His presence and performance is remarkable and he brings a lot of class to a production that relies heavily on action and special f/x. The support cast is very strong also. Although I feel that this could have been done better, End Of Days is still pretty entertaining and you could do much worst for an evening's entertainment.

subpar script and overdramatic music make it hard to take this movie seriously, but is redeemed by cool effects and a rather unique role for Arnie

[jdring2007 · 7/10 · 31 December 2021]

As much as I love Schwarzenegger and demonic themed movies (as much of a hit and miss as they are), this one rides that whole Y2K paranoia theme that is silly in itself, and ties the satanism ploy so deep that it's a struggle to take it seriously. At all. Even during particularly solemn scenes, then there's Gabriel Byrne as Lucifer who basically smirks and does arguably awesome things the whole movie. At least some of the effects are really cool, Kevin Pollak is funny, and this remains a favorite role by Schwarzenegger simply because it's out of the norm for him. He's run down, both emotionally and psychologically, he's rebellious, and he has stubble! Plus the one-liners are back, and even Byrne gets a few off. It's one of those movies you just have to enjoy it for what it is, sans seriousness.

Good Arnie actioner from the late 90s.

[lincolnsmith-75033 · 6 January 2019]

I felt sad whilst watching End Of Days. It seemed as though the reign of Arnie is on its last legs. End of Days is the latest Armageddon story to steal a few of its themes from the Biblical Book of Revelation. It also represents one of the flurry of millennium-ending movies popping up in theaters all across the world. This time around, Schwarzenegger is attempting to play a character with a little more background and depth than the comic book action heroes he usually portrays. End of Days can be enjoyed on a perverse level if you're willing to suspend all rational thought for a two hour period (which, by the way, is too long - the movie should have clocked in leaner and meaner). Schwarzenegger fans will probably be pleased, action lovers won't be bored, and the Catholic League will be angry. Arnie is his usual self(although he probably gets his ass handed to him here more than in any other film on his resume) but Gabriel Byrne is awesome as Satan.

End of Ideas

[MrGitts · 1/10 · 29 November 1999]

Throw money at a ham-handed director, add a lousy script, mix in ludicrous acting and ho-hum special effects and you get "End of Days." I never thought I'd leave a film missing Tom Arnold, but after enduring a lifeless Kevin Pollak as Arnold's sidekick, I sure did. Gabriel Byrne was even worse, playing Satan with a palooka NY accent. Someone should teach his agent the word "No." And poor Rod Steiger! His decline continues with another bald caricature role. Has it really been 35 years since "The Pawnbroker" was released?

Arnold is, well, Arnold. Without competent direction and a decent story, he's just a pumped-up Austrian peasant lost in the big city. You get what you pay for with Arnold, but you'd better make sure the vehicle can carry his weight, or he'll collapse with everything around him as he did here.

I don't usually draw far-reaching conclusions from films, either good ones or lousy ones, but "End of Days" is clear evidence that something's rotten in Hollywood. Everyone involved in this monstrosity should be ashamed of themselves.

Good Mystery Thriller

[Luigi Di Pilla · 7/10 · 18 May 2020]

After twenty years I watched this supernatural thriller again on dvd. It's one of my best of dvd collection and finally I write this review. Arnie was cool and End of Days delivered suspense and action for all fans of Arnie or who like this genre of movie. But also some bloody violent scenes. The story is simply told and Is based on mysterious religious ingredients. Gabriel Byrne was terrific and made a very good job and Rod Steiger too. I spent a very entertaining evening. There are some flaws but I just didn't take it too seriously. You will see it will work. 7/10.

Lame

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 20 February 2014]

At the end of the century, Satan (Gabriel Byrne) visits New York in search of a bride (Robin Tunney). It is up to an ex-cop (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him.

Sam Raimi and Guillermo del Toro were originally offered to direct "End of Days", but both turned it down as they were busy with other projects. Marcus Nispel was set to helm the movie, but he left due to problems with both the budget and the script, and Peter Hyams immediately replaced him. I think this film would have been better in the hands of any of these other three men than with Hyams.

The plot and themes are really good and often the imagery is quite striking. But there are enough "what the heck" moments to really make the picture fall flat. Naming the characters "Jericho Cane" and "Christine York" was the first big blunder.

Roger Ebert correctly pointed out that "'End of Days' involves a head-on collision between the ludicrous and the absurd", with the only really decent thing about it being the involvement of Udo Kier and Stan Winston.

A Good Fun Stupid Movie!

[damianphelps · 6/10 · 20 February 2021]

I could listen to The Schwartz say 'End of Days' all day long. For years after this movie came out we would randomly pump out the line around the house using our best Arnie accent 'Put the cookie down or it will be your End of Daaayz'.

The Schwarz does his part by injecting good doses of chaotic urgency to the movie with Byrne adding a nice oozing element.

More plot holes than a fishing net but its still a good fun watch.

So you should see it, 'c'mon do it, nooooow' bawahaha :)