End of Days (Film Tie in) [Paperback]

End Of Days is directed by Peter Hyams and written by Andrew W. Marlowe. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Robin Tunney, Kevin Pollak, Rod Steiger, Udo Kier & CCH Pounder.

It's the end of the Millennium and as 1999 draws to a close Satan (in human form played by Gabriel Byrne) is in town and looking for his bride. That bride is Christine York (Tunney), who 20 years earlier on her birthday had been chosen by Satanists to be the one for the spawning of the anti-Christ. Enter retired cop Jericho Cane (Schwarzenegger), a suicidal security expert whose family were murdered, who after being hired to protect an every day business man finds himself in a battle with evil itself. It's not just the fate of poor Christine that's now in his hands, but that of mankind too.

Arnold versus The Devil, you couldn't make it up could you? Well actually "they" did, but hey, what's wrong with pitting modern cinemas action super star against man's ultimate enemy? The answer is nothing wrong with it at all; as long as the expectation level is set at brain left at the door for some mindless popcorn fun. Which when one sees the premise on offer is all one can surely expect to see. Surely? Budgeted at $100 million by Universal Studios, of which $25 million went on the Austrian Oak's salary, End Of Days, contrary to beliefs, made over double that when all sales were factored in. However, it was still a poor return for such a big block-buster and Universal were most disappointed in the returns. As was Schwarzenegger himself, who was hoping to launch a big movie come back after a run of sub standard movies had seen his stock fall. Throw in the Razzie nominations for Schwarzenegger, Byrne (who was also up for Stigmata) and Hyams, and it doesn't make particularly inspiring reading.

It's all very ridiculous, the film not the statistics, but End Of Days is a whole bunch of explosive, bonkers, action based fun. Its flaws are many, not least that the plot is actually an adventurous reworking of T2: Judgement Day (Arnie playing it on safe territory one feels). While giving the big man some character depth was never going to be a good move considering his-ahem-range. Yet the film finds him on particularly good muscular form, machine gunning, shooting rockets and facing off against Byrne's (having a great time and playing it as it should be played) snarly, sarcastic Old Nick adversary. Tunney (wolf whistle that body) bats the eyes and screams as befitting the role, Pollak deserves better but runs with it in his usual dry dulcet way, while the wonderful Miriam Margolyes gets to kick Arnie's butt! Yes it's that kind of movie folks.

With dashes of grue and explosions aplenty it was never about trying to win awards. If ever a film does exactly what it says on the tin then this is it. Arnie Vs Satan, it is what it is, relax and enjoy. 7/10

Even the most jaded viewer of action films, tired of every new entry in the genre attempting to top the last, must have given a wry smile when they heard about this one. The producers and writer could surely have needed only a three line pitch for the studios - "Arnie versus Satan" - and waited for the money to fall at their feet. In the scale of things, this kicks the legendary bout between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris (in the Colosseum, too!) in Game of Death into submission. This is it. The big one.

Yet curiously, for the most part, "End of Days" is barely an action film at all. Rather than the spectre of classic Arnie films that have blighted many of his recent lacklustre efforts, the film consciously brings to mind the classic satanic horror films of the 1970s, and most of all Alex de Inglasias's more recent superlative horror comedy, "Day of the Beast". This critically-lauded yet sadly relatively obscure gem featured a priest who deciphered exactly when Satan would return to Earth, yet crucially, failed to find out where, forcing him to embark on a diabolical rampage in the hope of attracting him.

In this film, Arnie is a bodyguard who has to protect a young unknowingly pre-destined to bear the devil's child. A gimmicky, rushed Millennium setting aside, the premise gives the film-makers a lot to work with. The opening, in which a priest tells the Pope of his discovery, reminds one of "The Exorcist", delivered with a fragile mood and subtlety, rather than bludgeoning the audience with a heavy-handed score or adding wam-bam action scenes. Before cutting to the present day, it leads to a highly uncomfortable scene in which Satan's future target is chosen. It involves a baby and a knife. And a snake. And blood. And its ominous as hell.

But this is just the first of a series of well-judged well-placed shocks throughout a mostly coherent narrative as Arnie is brought inextricably towards his destiny - from a scarily-faced vagrant messenger who first warns the girl of Satan's plan, to a ceiling crucifixion, and most bizarrely and terrifyingly of all, the opportunity to see Arnie get beaten up by, of all people, Miriam Margolyes.

The film largely works because it asks Arnie to leave his trademark quips and gung-ho spirit at check-in. Any that remains is either ridiculed or put down to the last refuge of the misguided alcoholic that he plays. As contrived as the alcoholic sub-plot might be, its a neat device to put the pathos and the fallibility into a character that muddies the waters in an already convulted story. Pairing him off with the more relaxed, naturally comic actor Kevin Pollack was an inspired idea. Putting them both against Gabriel Byrne's devil incarnate, oozing charm and menace in equal doses, was even better. (Although employing over-symbolised names for the leads - Arnie is Jericho, Satan's target is, i kid you not, Christine W York - was a bit much.)

In "Day of the Beast", a highly promising set up is marred only by a faintly silly last few minutes and alas, in the tradition of modern Hollywood blockbusters, the same is true here. For once, here is an Arnie film with more than a grain of an idea, a gripping and at times disturbing satanic thriller. The divided interests among church groups and Satan sympathisers that the mother of the devil's child would almost certainly engender creates a clever scenario, yet sadly this is squandered for the obligatory chase scenes. It is as if the studio, or ,maybe the writers, lacked the faith to see the set-up through, or perhaps feared they had overerestimated Arnie's audience. Finally falling between the two stools of clever thriller and above-average action film, the impact of a well set-up, surprisingly good thriller is diluted. If you get used to the idea early enough that its not going to know what to do with itself later on, however, there is much imagination at work here, and much to enjoy.

The story was quite original, filled with alot of great action sequences, the effects were good also. Gabriel Byrne obviously had a HELL of a good time acting as the man who played host to the Devil.

I thought Arnie was very good in his role as well - he showed his human acting side - he wasn't indestructible like he is in some films. I think for what Arnie does in his films his acting suits, so that may mean he's one of the best actors of our generation - who knows?

A very good film with 2 great lead performances and an emotional ending - worth a watch.