After the relative quiet patch of the mid '90s, Arnie is finally back on form in this apocalyptic thriller. Aside from all the comedies he made (which I'm frankly not interested in and have no wish to see), the three recent films he has made have been rather disappointing: TRUE LIES and ERASER had fine action and special effects, but both films were shallow and not serious enough. And the less said about BATMAN AND ROBIN the better. Still, END OF DAYS is a wonderfully fun film in which the horror and action genres are skilfully combined by veteran Peter Hyams (OUTLAND).
Sure, the critics might have hated it, but they hate all of Arnie's films anyway and never give him any scope for success. I expected a lot from this film and I got it: fine acting, good special effects, exciting action sequences, and there was even more besides, as the film raises some interesting questions on the likes of God and the Devil. Thankfully these ideas never get in the way of the frenetic action, and the second half of this film becomes a cat and mouse thriller, one of my very favourite types of film.
Having been away for over two years due to his heart operation, Arnie is finally back on our screens and shows us once again how he has matured as an actor. From simply being an expressionless muscle-bound hulk in stuff like THE TERMINATOR, he gradually developed a likable persona, who delivered some trademark quips and one-liners, and now finally he accepts his most challenging role to date: a complex, downtrodden character, on the verge of suicide and grieving the death of his wife and child. Yes folks, Arnie cries. Aside from his well-drawn character, Arnie also shows us that he is still more than capable of carrying the action scenes, too old? No way.
The actor is well supported by comic sidekick Kevin Pollack, who is not bad in a relief role, and also Gabriel Byrne as Satan himself. Byrne injects just the right amount of charisma, impish charm and evil into his character, so Satan is a memorable guy in this film. Robin Tunney (THE CRAFT) is thankfully given little screen time as the film's heroine, so she comes off well, as a girl who both knows what's going on and yet refuses to accept it. There is a totally gratuitous nude scene of her character though, so be warned. Further down in the cast is exploitation favourite Udo Kier, one again playing a bad guy and meeting a sticky end, Rod Steiger who makes a believable and amusing priest, and Miriam Margoyles, who surprisingly beats up Arnie's character in one scene before being thrown through a coffee table.
Aside from the many horror elements (a stigmata victim, a man who is nailed to a ceiling, Latin writings which foretell of death and destruction) there is a plentiful helping of gore, as many Satanist thugs are dispatched by Arnie's character, Satan burns, rips out the heart of, and kills people who stand in his way. The special effects are mainly of the pyrotechnic variety, although we do get a few sequences of Satan regenerating himself after being harmed. Stan Winston's CGI winged demon at the end of the film is impressive too, especially as it is only shown briefly which makes more impact on the viewer.
The action sequences are well staged and very exciting, from a huge fight in a house where Tunney is besieged by homicidal Vatican priests, to the climatic fight on a train which culminates in a huge explosion. The best moment comes when Arnie fends off a huge gang of street thugs, breaking and hitting them until he finally succumbs. Yes, Arnie does take a huge beating in this film, he even needs stitches and comes across much more vulnerable than the typical action persona he plays, immune to bullets and other weapons. END OF DAYS is a great (if generic) slice of entertainment, and should be shown to Arnie fans, horror movie buffs and action aficionados alike.
Sure, the critics might have hated it, but they hate all of Arnie's films anyway and never give him any scope for success. I expected a lot from this film and I got it: fine acting, good special effects, exciting action sequences, and there was even more besides, as the film raises some interesting questions on the likes of God and the Devil. Thankfully these ideas never get in the way of the frenetic action, and the second half of this film becomes a cat and mouse thriller, one of my very favourite types of film.
Having been away for over two years due to his heart operation, Arnie is finally back on our screens and shows us once again how he has matured as an actor. From simply being an expressionless muscle-bound hulk in stuff like THE TERMINATOR, he gradually developed a likable persona, who delivered some trademark quips and one-liners, and now finally he accepts his most challenging role to date: a complex, downtrodden character, on the verge of suicide and grieving the death of his wife and child. Yes folks, Arnie cries. Aside from his well-drawn character, Arnie also shows us that he is still more than capable of carrying the action scenes, too old? No way.
The actor is well supported by comic sidekick Kevin Pollack, who is not bad in a relief role, and also Gabriel Byrne as Satan himself. Byrne injects just the right amount of charisma, impish charm and evil into his character, so Satan is a memorable guy in this film. Robin Tunney (THE CRAFT) is thankfully given little screen time as the film's heroine, so she comes off well, as a girl who both knows what's going on and yet refuses to accept it. There is a totally gratuitous nude scene of her character though, so be warned. Further down in the cast is exploitation favourite Udo Kier, one again playing a bad guy and meeting a sticky end, Rod Steiger who makes a believable and amusing priest, and Miriam Margoyles, who surprisingly beats up Arnie's character in one scene before being thrown through a coffee table.
Aside from the many horror elements (a stigmata victim, a man who is nailed to a ceiling, Latin writings which foretell of death and destruction) there is a plentiful helping of gore, as many Satanist thugs are dispatched by Arnie's character, Satan burns, rips out the heart of, and kills people who stand in his way. The special effects are mainly of the pyrotechnic variety, although we do get a few sequences of Satan regenerating himself after being harmed. Stan Winston's CGI winged demon at the end of the film is impressive too, especially as it is only shown briefly which makes more impact on the viewer.
The action sequences are well staged and very exciting, from a huge fight in a house where Tunney is besieged by homicidal Vatican priests, to the climatic fight on a train which culminates in a huge explosion. The best moment comes when Arnie fends off a huge gang of street thugs, breaking and hitting them until he finally succumbs. Yes, Arnie does take a huge beating in this film, he even needs stitches and comes across much more vulnerable than the typical action persona he plays, immune to bullets and other weapons. END OF DAYS is a great (if generic) slice of entertainment, and should be shown to Arnie fans, horror movie buffs and action aficionados alike.