End of Days - Nacht ohne morgen

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.

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.

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

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.

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.