Review of End Of Days

Introduction

"End of Days" is one of those films that you just knew was coming. Released late in 1999, it features Arnie trying to prevent the end of the world on New Year`s Eve 1999. But it`s not a computer that threatens to end it all - it`s the devil himself, who has come to begin his reign of terror.

But how do you stop the evil one? With your faith in your god? Or with semi-automatic weapons which produce hails of bullets? Or maybe a combination of both?

It`s "good versus evil" in a battle to save the world, and once more the future rests on Arnie`s ample shoulders.

Video

An excellent 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer which really showcases the visual feast contained within this film. No artefacts, no specks of dirt, no grain, no nothing. This is pretty much a flawless transfer.

There are a lot of dark scenes (this is good versus evil after all), and these all come across well. There are plenty of special effects, and you should watch the extra features to see how some of these were done. And downtown Los Angeles does a very credible job of being downtown New York.

I was reminded of Se7en during some of the early scenes, but End of Days moves off in a completely different direction, so the resemblance soon goes away again!

Audio

An excellent DD5.1 soundtrack to complement the on screen action. The audio has a big part to play in this film and it does its job admirably. From the underground rumblings of the early scenes (lots of deep bass) to the big action sequences later on, you`ll find a lot of work for your speakers with this film. And it all works very well.

The score, whilst not being a masterpiece, also adds to the film in the right places with a few haunting pieces at the right time.

Features

A reasonable selection of extras, but once again region 2 viewers are being short-changed, as we don`t get the director`s commentary featured on the region 1 and region 4 discs, as well as missing out on some "smaller" extras too.

Luckily we still get the "Devil`s Playground" feature, which comprises of 9 clips of varying length which concentrate on certain sequences in the film. These give you lots of background into how the scenes came together, which bits are live action, which bits are model shots and which bits are computer generated. Very definitely worth watching.

You`ll also find some music videos (the songs were not my cup of tea, but you may like them) and the theatrical trailer.

Conclusion

This is one of those films that plops nicely into the "popcorn" category. Lots of on-screen action, lots of noise for your ears and a simple plot. Nothing to tax the brain, but plenty of entertainment.

Arnie gives a typical Arnie performance, undergoing physical and mental torture, but still the action hero we`ve come to know and love. Gabriel Byrne plays his devil for amusement rather than malice but still does a credible job. And Blackadder fans should watch out for Miriam Margoyles in a rather different role.

The DVD itself is good, with excellent picture and sound. I`m not sure why you would want to own this DVD as it`s not a film that you would want to come back to. But if you want to own it then you should really consider the region 1 or region 4 versions, since they contain more extras and are likely to be cheaper!

A very entertaining rental for region 2 viewers though.