‘End of Days’ Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is Streaming on Prime Video

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Arnold Schwarzenegger is famous for his action roles in movies like The Terminator and Predator, but he once tried something completely different. He starred in a strange religious horror film that wasn’t successful, though you have to admire him for taking a risk. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the worst-reviewed movies of his career, and the person who suggested it probably should have thought twice.

The 1999 action horror film, End of Days, is now available to stream on Prime Video. It’s worth watching for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s surprisingly nuanced performance as an alcoholic fighting Satan – yes, it’s a strange movie! While Gabriel Byrne, a talented and often overlooked actor, plays the Devil, critics weren’t impressed, calling the film everything from an over-the-top thriller to one of the worst movies of 1999.

Also starring the likes of Robin Tunney, Kevin Pollak, Rod Steiger, and CCH Pounder, End of Days was directed by Peter Hyams, who’d previously helmed other such movies as The Relic, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and two Jean-Claude Van Damme flicks, Timecop and Sudden Death. The problem with End of Days wasn’t in its direction, however, but rather in its script, which was a mishmash of derivative religious horror, action, and philosophy. The synopsis reads:

With the year 2000 nearing, the Devil (played by Byrne) comes to Earth with a plan to have the Antichrist. He intends to possess a specific woman (Tunney) to do so. Meanwhile, a former police officer (Schwarzenegger) burdened by a tragic past learns he’s the only one who can prevent the end of the world. He must fight against both his inner struggles and a powerful, otherworldly evil before it’s too late.

‘End of Days’ Couldn’t Figure Out What It Wanted to Be


MCA/Universal Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection

Several issues contributed to the poor reception of End of Days, and they weren’t due to the director or Arnold Schwarzenegger’s performance. While Schwarzenegger didn’t deliver one of his strongest performances, the script he was working with was problematic. Andrew W. Marlowe’s screenplay was packed with clashing ideas, ultimately leaving the film without a clear identity.

The movie jumped between spooky, quiet scenes and intense action, and then unexpectedly tried to explore deep philosophical ideas that didn’t quite fit with the rest of the film. It was a lot for viewers to take in, and both audiences and critics were disappointed. The film’s poor reception is clear from its scores: it has an 11% rating from critics and a 33% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Should you completely avoid End of Days? Definitely not. It’s worth watching at least once to see Arnold Schwarzenegger play a different kind of role, and Gabriel Byrne is fantastic as Satan. While it’s not Schwarzenegger’s best film, it’s much better than something like Batman & Robin.

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2025-11-15 17:05