20 Years Later: The New Year’s Eve Horror of ‘End of Days’ – Bloody Disgusting

The holidays- New Years Eve, especially- are a time dedicated to excess. Its only fitting thatEnd of Days, an action-horror hybrid starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and set in the days leading up to New Years, honors the spirit of this time of year with a glut of over the top entertainment and outlandish narrative turns. Released in theaters twenty years ago on November 24, 1999,End of Dayspounced on the looming fears the turn of the millennium would bring. Instead of Y2K and crashing computers, though, it was the resurgence of Satan in New York City and his quest to impregnate his chosen bride. In the sort of convoluted way that only a grand epic blockbuster-style film can, of course.

After a cold open featuring the birth of the Prince of Darknesss bride twenty years before the millennial New Year and an explanation of her destiny, the film cuts to present day where Lucifer explodes from the depths of hell, and the sewers, to find a host body for his conquest. That host belongs to an unwitting banker (Gabriel Byrne). He doesnt know it yet, but his most significant obstacle to finding and claiming his bride, Christine York (Robin Tunney), is former police detective Jericho Cane (Schwarzenegger).

Anyone well versed in Satanic horror will spot Canes character arch from a mile away; the film introduces him as a suicidal alcoholic that lost his faith after the death of his wife and daughter.The Exorcist and its many copycats taught us those reluctant heroes whove lost their way eventually regain their faith and save the day. While the bare bones of the plot might be predictable, screenwriter Andrew W. Marlow (Hollow Man) and director Peter Hyams (The Relic,Timecop), who also handled the cinematography, keep the journey exciting.

Mere moments after contemplating suicide with his gun, his partner Bobby Chicago (Kevin Pollack) shows up with coffee. Jericho takes the piping hot cup of coffee and blends it up with leftover beer, Pepto-Bismol, two cartons of leftover Chinese food, a thin cut of meat, and a stale piece of pizza from the kitchen floor. He drinks his revolting breakfast smoothie straight from the blender. Its this precise brand of outlandishness that makesEnd of Daystranscend its familiar premise.

When Jericho finally crosses paths with Christine, whos oblivious to the Satanic prophecy and her role in it despite nightmarish visions, he becomes her protector. From there, he deals with an endless barrage of devil worshipers, evil guardians with super-strength, betrayals, hallucinogenic temptations, and a slew of Vatican knights who are on a separate mission to stop Satans consummation. If anyone can take a beating over and over again, its Schwarzenegger.

1999 marked an anxious time, when computers were expected to fail time zone by time zone, causing an apocalyptic domino effect on society in its wake. Its fitting thatEnd of Daysshould mirror that feeling with the Vatican and a slew of New Yorkers standing in the way of a biblical apocalypse set to commence when the ball drops in Times Square. Theres a bleak undercurrent, but its balanced by the explosive action and the zaniness of the horror elements. Jericho does kick that old nannys butt along with anyone else that gets in his way, and you can count on him to stop Satan, too. Hes just going to do it with over the top flair.

In its own weird and charming way,End of Days perfectly captures the New Years Eve holiday; that anxious period in which we try to shake off the years stresses and look ahead to the shiny possibilities of a new year heralded in by celebrations and libations. This film is a tonal blend of those warring emotions; the bleak and downtrodden against excess and hope. A campiness thats matched by poignancy.

End of Daysis hardly without flaws; save for a fun CGI climax, poor Satan doesnt have a whole lot to do. But its always fascinating and entertaining. The perfect type of movie to pair with pizza, beverages, and friends, which sounds like an ideal way to spend New Years Eve to me.

More here:
20 Years Later: The New Year's Eve Horror of 'End of Days' - Bloody Disgusting

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero