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Technical Information
Studio:
Universal Studios Home
Video
Year of Theatrical Release: 1999
Disc Format: 1
single-sided, Dual Layer
Image Format: Anamorphic
Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Region Encoding: 1
Sound Format: Dolby
Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 (pro logic)
Running Time: 123
minutes
Director: Peter
Hyams
Stars: Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Robin Tunney, Kevin Pollak
MPAA Rating: R
Disc Supplements:
- Feature length commentary with director Peter
Hyams
- Spotlight On Location featurette
- Special Effects featurette
- Music showcase with videos for Everlast's So Long
and Rob Zombie's Superbeast
- Production notes
- Cast and crew biographies
- Book of Revelations summary
- Theatrical trailer
- DVD-ROM content
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I consider myself to have a pretty open mind
about movies. I’ll give most anything a chance and stretch
my benefit of the doubt well beyond its limits in an attempt
to enjoy a movie. With that in mind, I tried, I mean I really,
really tried to like End of Days – and I failed miserably.
In all fairness, there are a few clever moments
in the film, but they are not enough to overcome its shortcomings.
The plausibility of this film is bad even for a Schwarzenegger
flick. Predator could be a documentary next to End of Days.
The film opens with a Vatican priest witnessing
a comet arcing of the moon. This is an obvious “sign,”
yet the priest must still consult the “ancient scrolls”
to confirm it. Apparently he must make sure it’s not just
any old “comet arcing over the moon.” He then rushes
to see the Pope and informs him of the “bad events to
come.” (This is the sort of movie where, when talking
about it, it’s helpful to put things in quotes.) It’s
good that the Pope has these people around, as he didn’t
seem to be aware of the sign until just that moment.
I’m left wondering why the sign was
any surprise at all. Modern astronomy should have warned them
at least months before that this comet would be visible. Yet,
that’s how this entire movie plays out. There isn’t
an event or explanation in the film that doesn’t spit
directly in the face of logic. Questioning the plausibility
of a film is one thing; questioning plausibility 30 seconds
after the opening credits is, pardon the pun, a bad sign.
The premise of the movie is this: Ol’
Scratch himself comes to Earth to take a mate. If he succeeds
in impregnating a certain woman at a certain time, he will bring
about Armageddon (no, not the Bruce Willis film….though
some might argue that that in itself would be hell). Of course,
the only person capable of stopping the Devil is Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That’s really all you need to know of the plot. If it
had been kept that simple, perhaps this movie would have been
entertaining. Instead, the pseudo-religious explanations and
goofy science drag it down (I was amazed that the line about
how 1999 really means 666 could have been delivered with a straight
face).
Even the effects work is below par by
today’s standards. What weren’t obvious CGI shots
in the film were obvious as model shots – and vise versa.
This is the sort of film that generates
unintentional humor because of how bad it is. And still, this
is not enough to save it. I can't call this the worst film I've
ever seen, but it did pain me to watch it..
:::back to
top |
If there is anytihng to save this
film, it's the DVD presentation. A film this bad really doesn't
deserve to be treated so well, but this picture is truly great.
The picture is razor sharp and despite to overall dark tone, it's
filled with detail. The colors are intentionally somewhat muted.
Digital artifacting and edge problems don't seem to be an issue
on this disc.
:::back to top |
Like the picture, the film gets
a sound mix that far out-classes the film itself. End of Days makes
good use of the surround channels, creating a very enveloping sonic
experience. Dynamic range is very wide and the thunderous bass is
certainly capable of bringing a knock on your door from angry neighbors.
:::back to top |
The first thing you'll notice when
you pop in this disc are some very cool animated menu screens. They
serve to set to tone and mood of the film almost better than the
screenplay does. Also, Universal has offered up a fairly decent
array of extra features.
First up is a screen specific
audio commentary by director Peter Hyams. I have to admit
that I was a little worried when this track started, as Hyams seems
to take a bit to get going, but once he does the track actually
turns out to be rather entertaining and informative. This is defininately
one of the better tracks I've heard in a while.
Next are two featurettes. The first,
Spotloght On Location, runs almost a half hour
and is little more than an Electronic Press Kit -- and advertisement
for the film. Very little in the way of behind-the-scenes information
is offered up, with most of the talk being only about how great
the film is going to be. The second featurette, Special
Effects is, by far, much more worthwhile. It chronicles
the creation of several of the film's key effects sequences, showing
before and after results.
Universal has included a music showcase
to promote the soundtrack for End of Days and it is followed by
the Music Videos for Everlast's So Long and Rob
Zombie's Superbeast.
There are several text features,
including Production Notes, Cast and Crew
Biographies and a quick recap of the contents of the Book
of Revelations.
Rounding things up is the Theatrical
Trailer and DVD-ROM content that includes
a photo gallery, screensaver and web links.
:::back to top |
All in all, I wasn’t impressed with this
film, but I was impressed with the DVD. This disc contains some
really first-rate content and it looks and sounds wonderful. Those
who liked the film will certainly want to pick this one up. For
those who haven’t seen it, I’d suggest renting it first.
:::back to top |
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| The film is R rated for
good reason. With plenty of violence, sexuality, some brief nudity
and language, there is little to recommend it to the family. |
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| -- By Robert Wurth. Copyright
© 2003. |
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