[3]
Arnold Schwarzenegger takes a mis-step in his career with this dull and dreary supernatural thriller from director Peter Hyams (The Relic, Outland). Arnold plays a suicidal ex-cop whose gone atheist after the murder of his wife and child. He has to regain his faith to save a young woman (Robin Tunney) from getting knocked up by Satan, who has possessed the body of Gabriel Byrne. There are cops, there are preachers, and there’s a big computer-generated demon at the end. But this is a stillborn movie from the get-go.
Arnold has never been more miscast than he is here. His reputation and his imposing physical build are all wrong for a character who is supposed to be neurotic and vulnerable. Kudos to Arnold for trying to branch out, but sometimes it’s better to stay in your lane. Robin Tunney’s character is a blank slate who’s never introduced well enough to make us care about her. (Personally, as soon as I saw how many shoes were in her closet, I hated her.) Gabriel Byrne is one of the film’s few highlights. His quiet, commanding performance as the Devil is creepy and convincing.
Screenwriter Andrew W. Marlowe (Air Force One, The Hollow Man) weaves a somewhat tangled plot that never coalesces into anything captivating or compelling. His main problem is trying to put any limitations on what Byrne’s devil character can or can’t do. The film claims the Devil can’t ‘see into’ churches, but he can still waltz right into them? And while you can’t kill him, you can shoot him or throw him out a window just fine. The rules and parameters in this supernatural story aren’t clearly defined, weakening the dramatic stakes as well as our investment in the story. There are a few interesting things that happen in the climax that must have looked good on paper, but come off a bit awkward in execution. The great supporting cast includes Kevin Pollak, Rod Steiger, CCH Pounder, Miriam Margolyes, and Udo Kier, but no one’s part is remarkable enough to elevate the film. Hyams relies too much on composer John Debney to make things spooky and exciting, but the film is otherwise so hamstrung, that the score comes off cheezy instead.
In short, End of Days is a slog to get through. Even die-hard Arnold fans are likely to be at least somewhat disappointed.