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Gory, Unpleasant, and Boring

Like the wretched "Stigmata", this Schwarzenegger vehicle is a gorefest of truly stomach churning violence, masquerading as a religious fable. It's something of an improvement over the pretentious "Stigmata"; however, its use of religious imagery as a means for grotesque violence (people being crucified to a ceiling, having their tongues cut out, etc.) is likely to offend atheists as well as Christians.

I found this film annoying enough to hit "scan" for the last 20-25 minutes. I've sat through equally unpleasant films ("Seven" comes to mind) but "End of Days" is predictable and boring.

There are some pluses, however. The soundtrack is the best Dolby Digital 5.1 I've heard in a long time, making excellent use of the split surrounds for some very enjoyable sound effects. Picture quality is superb, and the lighting and makeup are effective without being garish.

Schwarzenegger's performance is fairly close to convincing, given that he's got a cookie-cutter role to deal with. His sidekick, nicely played by Kevin Pollack, provides some much-needed comic relief. And Gabriel Byrne as the Prince of Lies is good as usual; although after this film and "Stigmata" I bet he's telling his agent not to send him any more scripts for pseudo-religious trash.

Apparently Schwarzenegger's fans enjoy this one, although he's not really the straight up action hero of the type he plays in "True Lies" and "Commando." However, I'd only recommend this movie if you're in the mood for more flash than substance --- and if you've got a cast iron stomach.

Ruined by the final third

Great as it is to see Schwarzenegger back on the big screen, this is not the film it could and should have been. Although first and foremost an action/horror movie, it does have 3D characters, one of them unfortunately, played by Schwarzenegger.Schwarzenegger has never been an actor, and his attempt here is embarrassing and seems like an attempt to emulate Sylvester Stallone's 'comeback' movie, "Copland". And one has to feel a little sorry for him; unable to run and not very athletic, and especially in the wake of the action movie makeover brilliance of "The Matrix", it seems like he is more than past it.Nevertheless, the film is engrossing, has a few genuinely bizarre and original moments (that thing with the spiky blonde hair!!Woah!!!) and Gabriel Byrne is absolutely brilliant as the Devil. It even has one nearly great scene, a verbal face off between Arnie and Byrne in Arnold's apartment. Where the film completely loses it is in the final third. Watching the film was fun up until then , even though it was mostly through spotting how many other films had been plagerised throughout. Then we have a rip off of "The Exorcist" and Gabriel Byrne is replaced by an unconvincing CGI effect, and the result is as boring as it is a letdown. It is also, almost unbeatably so, very, very stupid. All in all, watchable, entertaining, stupid and ruined by the final third, this could have been so much more had a stronger director been attached.

Arnie's comeback

I went to see this without expecting much, the critics have panned it and Arnie hasn't been up to scratch recently (Jingle All The Way, Batman & Robin), but it's Arnie - a big budget action flick. I wasn't disappointed, Arnie was at his best, Gabriel Byrne as the Devil is excellent, Kevin Pollack as Arnie's partner was a great choice, and Robin Tunney as 'the chosen one' was great. Stan Winston's effects were, as always, brilliant! It was well worth the money!

Great Flick.

I rented this and MAN I thought it was awesome, The whole time I cracked a few jokes. I am definately buying this flick soon. The people who gave this movie bad reviews obviously take the whole thing too seriously its a movie people, you are supposed to suspend belief and just watch the presentation if you do that and stop trying to make something out of it you would actually enjoy yourself.

A very bad movie

This movie has great special effects, lots of gratuitous sex and violence but the plot is predictable. Good acting and great special effects cannot rescue this script. The most important part of any movie is the story. Hollywood producers seem to have forgotten this.

Disappointment

I felt that the film was rushed, and the acting was full of holes. Arnold was good, but the main girl was stupid, and the guy who played the devil was awful. The story was confusing and idiotic. The film had no point, and was unbelievable. The movie is not the worst movie, but is not too far away from it. Overall I was awfully disappointed, it could have been alot better. My score is a 3 out of 10

End of Genre

If you are expecting something like "Sixth Sense" or "Exorcist", then you will be dissapointed. It fails to bring something new to this supernatural genre. Though the film is by itself quiet entertaining, still you can see the desperation in the director to make it a usual Schwarzenegger "run to the mill" action flick. Gabriel Bryne is the best part of the movie. The movie is worth watching just because of Gabriel Bryne.

This may mark the end of Arnold's career

Remember the comedy classic 'Airplane' that was a spoof on all the airport disaster movies? 'End Of Days' is like a spoof of the 'Exorcist'. So dumb and unbelievable my mind began wandering within 20 minutes. Moreover,Arnie's character is so unlikable that I was starting to root for Satan. When the movie ended, most of the audience (including myself) left disappointed. My pick for the worst movie of 1999.

Another Schwarzenegger Great!

If you love to watch action & scary films then "End of Days" is one for you. I think of it as a combination of "The Omen" and an Action packed Arnald Schwarzenegger movie. You don't go 5 minutes without a suspensful, thrilling, jump out of your seat, great special effects scenes. I definitly recommend this movie (especially if you have a 5.1 surround system). The sound was great, your subwoofer and rear surround speakers never get a break. Hope to see more movies from Arnold like this in the future.

Finally Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his great COMEBACK!

Since Terminator 2 Arnie has not really made an explosive thriller,until END OF DAYS.Arnold proves in END OF DAYS that he is pumped up and ready to do make his action comeback. Next to Terminator 2 this is Arnies best movie ever.In this film Schwarzenegger really excels. For the first time Arnold has to overcome his fears and even loses fights.

Gabriel Byrne plays a modern day devil (handscome,and intelligent) and the special effects are equal if not better than Terminator 2. I and millions of Arnies fans are certainly hopeing to see Schwarzenegger in TERMINATOR 3. Wow I cant wait. Long live Arnold SChwarzenegger The Greatest Action Hero!

Disappointed

I like Arnold, and I love the subject matter, but this was a very disappointing movie. When I first saw the previews, they were dark and ominous, and Arnold's name wasn't even mentioned. But I recognized him, which led me to believe that he was making a movie that had more of a serious, suspenseful mood. That it wasn't just another Schwarzenegger action vehicle (though I admit, most of his are pretty good!). He had, thus far, avoided movies with any real religious theme. And I was excited. I was wrong. This is just another action, explosion, gun fire movie. And it's a pretty bad one.

Arnold plays a human being for once....fine action film. SPOILERS

END OF DAYS was about a private security specialist who stumbles onto a roman catholic plot to kill a man who has been possessed by the devil in December of 1999. The devil wants to "soil his loins" so to speak, so he can produce the....well, er, antichrist. The object of his affections isn't exactly thrilled by the prospect (no it's not Arnold!). The woman who lives in fear of the devil and his "wayward glance" is a young college student. Gradually, arnold gets enlisted to help protect her from the devil, his cult fanatics, and the evil UDO KERR. The end of this film is rather deep and is a commentary on the human condition. In the end, the devil is bodiless and decides to fulfill his evil scheme using arnolds body. Ultimately, the final battle is WITHIN arnold. Let's call this sequence "the last temptation of arnold". Arnold must battle his own inner wants and needs when the devil hijacks his psyche. Everyday people decide whether to do good or evil....sometimes it's as simple as deciding whether to shoplift a item from a story....many other times it's profoundly worse. Arnold comes to a resolution that combines the biblical parables of "he who lives by the sword dies by it" and "greater love hath no man than to lay his life down for a friend". The end is really deep and I was suprised to get such depth from a "awnold movie". Overall, the film is entertaining fluff....one more note, there is a scene in which the devil tempts Arnold that is absolute genius.

The Best DVD I Have Ever Bought

This Is THE Best DVD Of The Year If You Are Looking For A First And Not So Last DVD You Should Defenetly Buy This One Even If It Is Not Your First DVD You Should Buy It Beleve Me It's The Best Action Film Of The Year 2000.

Enjoyable

Arnold fans won't be disappointed. The movie has action, definitely near the end. It's certainly better than his efforts as Mr. Freeze in Batman and Robin (it was just a horrible film altogether, inevitably). I'm a big Arnold fan, ever since I saw his old Commando movie, but the star who really shines in this film is Gabriel Byrne. You can tell that he either took the role with a sense of importance or just really enjoyed it and had fun, because he pulls of the Satan role very effectively. It's amazing that this man can play a character as sinister as that and turn around and play a priest in Stigmata, both to such effectiveness. Aside from these two, the rest of the cast is on par. The female lead is good but doesn't present strong starpower, and I don't expect to see her in many more films as a lead. The rest of the cast is supporting and very insignificant to the story, which is ho-hum.Overall, the film is in the middle. Not cream of the crop, but not a stinking pile of dung. Arnold fans will enjoy it. Those intrigued with the Book of Revelations and biblical mythos will enjoy it. Best advice: watch and decide for yourself. This isn't one of those films that screams WATCH ME! I'M THAT GOOD! but it's still enjoyable for those select out there.

New Arnold

A movie unlike any other Arnold movie we have ever seen, not really but there is some nice new things that we have never seen before. If you look at it from a genre point of view it is a good movie. But I would argue that with a reported budget of 100m, they could have got something more out of it. There is some good action setpieces, but I believe with another director than Peter Hyams it could have been much better movie. But overall a good and entertaining movie.

A bust

This junk should have been released straight to video. They gave it all that hype then nothing happened. It only made $66 million. It should have been a good comeback for Schwarzenegger but instead it was another overblown disaster. Don't expect to watch this and see an intense, action-packed film. All it turns out to be is talky, illogical, and boring. 1/4

End of Days

The story is about the dark angel coming back and a cop that has to stop him. The cop is Jericho Cane. He is the chosen protector of Christine, but he soon finds out that the dark angel is after her. He must figure out how to stop him before the New Year, otherwise it will be the end of days. The book is filled with action so you might enjoy it. I would recommend this book.

Not for the light-hearted.

Typical Arnie fans will probably love this. He lays his same sort of character, but he seems a bit more edgy in this film and he's lost his sense-of-humour, like he usually has in his other films. But this isn't a bad film. It's all about Satan himself coming to New York, seeking a paticular woman who he wants her to be the mothyer anerchist. Arnie plays an ex-cop, he has lost his wife and daughter and is ready to kill himself. But he soon gets stuck when he has to protect the girl. Let's get one thing straight, this isn't a film were you see a big red monster (Satan) walking around the streets of New York. Satan takes a normal guy's (Gabriel Burn) body and uses that body to walk around.
The film can be very sick at points, and I wouldn't let any light-hearted people watch it. You see sick things like a snake getting cut open, a man being set on fire etc etc. The film does have some odd but very good special effects, you see Satan as he usually is at the end, but it may dissapoint you 'cause he isn't in it for long. The film can be a bit suspenseful at times and can keep you guessing. It isn't all scary, but it might give you a couple of jumps maybe.
I don't have anything else to say really, apart from: Arnie fans will love, see it if want any horror film. Oh, and the flashback scene with his wife and daughter is BRILLIANT!

Ok.....let's buy it & offer it to our beloved mother-in-law

What a piece of garbage this was, I'm glad I didn't go to the theater. Not even the action sequences are at least, of the same level of ones in other Arnold's movies. Rent it if you can, cause it doesn't worth the money it costs buying it.

Bombed!!!

I had heard that this movie was terrible but I had to watch it anyway. I was very disappointed in this movie considering the fact that it was supposed to be Arnolds comeback movie. And he came back to a movie like this one? I cannot see Arnold in this kind of a role and when I see him in it acting serious in a movie like this, it makes me want to laugh. The movie plot about the "devil child" is bad as well as the phony props and special effects that are just as lame. Arnold could have come back to a better movie than this one. He should stick with being a villain instead. I give it a 2.