Day 362: End Of Days

End Of Days

Schwarzenegger should never be sad. He should always be punching something.

Arnold Schwarzenegger fights Satan on the eve of the new millennium. That plot sounds like it was written on the back of a high school notebook next to “Metallica Rulez” and doodles of pirates battling ninjas. While it sounds like a wacky idea it also sounds like a fun one. Schwarzenegger is not exactly known for his work in horror and the supernatural so the idea of him battling the forces of evil is at least different. Even in the late 90's, Arnold was still a draw as an action hero and slightly more believable battling the devil than, say, Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal. Add in a well-rounded cast and some fun special effects and you can't go wrong, right?

End Of Days is a 1999 supernatural horror/action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Running Man, Total Recall) as retired cop Jericho Cane and Gabriel Byrne (Stigmata, The Usual Suspects) as Satan. In 1979, newborn Christine York is chosen to bear Satan's child 20 year's later on the eve of the new millennium. The Pope sends out priests all over the glove to find the child and protect her from Satan. Twenty years later, Satan comes to Earth and possesses a Wall Street Banker, leaving death and destruction in his wake. Jericho Cane is assigned to protect the banker, unaware of his true nature, and saves him from an assassin. The would-be killer is revealed to be a priest named Thomas Aquinas (Derrick O'Connor, Dardevil, Deep Rising) who was sent to protect Christine. Jericho and his partner Bobby Chicago (Kevin Pollack, Wayne's World, Canadian Bacon) discover Aquinas's hideout and eventually find a now-adult Christine York (Robin Tunney, The Craft, Empire Records). She is attacked by the Vatican Knights, a group of Catholics that believe the only way to prevent the End of Days is by killing her. Jericho saves her, but Bobby is killed by Satan in an explosion. As Jericho and Christine escape, they first stopped by Christine's adoptive mother and fellow police officer Marge (CCH Pounder, Warehouse 13, Avatar), both who are in league with Satan. Satan visits Jericho in his apartment and tries to tempt him, offering to reunite him with his murdered wife and daughter. He refuses and shoots Satan to no avail. Eventually, Christine is captured by Satan and taken to a secret location in order to fulfill his evil mission. With New Years fast approaching, how will Jericho be able to save Christine and defeat the devil himself?

Don't leave the Prince of Darkness hanging

On the surface, the basic premise of End Of Days doesn't sound that bad. Sure, it's been done before and is fairly cliché, but it's not a terrible idea. Throwing in a mega star like Arnold Schwarzenegger, even at a price tag of $25 million, sounds even better. Unfortunately, that's where the good ideas end. The movie is a poor patchwork of various other Satanic horror movies and the final product is a confused mess that is high on explosions, but low on logic. It's never really clear why Satan chose the body that he did or why he chose to stay in it for so long. If he can control people, why does he have so much trouble finding and keeping Christine? Why is Jericho able to resist his control? Why does he need protection at the beginning of the movie in the first place? And if both the Vatican and Satan's minions have been planning for this event for two decades, why are they both completely inept? If the movie went at a quick pace, maybe some of these gaping plot hole. Instead we get a movie over two hours long full of extended fight scenes. I like fights and explosions as much as the next person, but it really kills any horror and suspense that the movie may have had. Another thing in the movie that I really didn't like was the hyper-sexual nature of the story. The entire plot is based on Satan raping a girl and along the way, he molests a few other women. There is even one scene involving incest. Implying these things would have been bad enough, but they are up front and in your face. It made me quite uncomfortable and took my focus away from the rest of the movie.

When you think of a depressed, suicidal cop from New York, do you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger? Of course not, which makes his casting in the role of Jericho Cane (nice name) a little strange. He does his best to show emotion and range, but really, it's just Arnold Schwarzenegger. He runs, he jumps, he shoots. He gets a lot of help from a pretty good cast that includes Kevin Pollack, CCH Pounder, Rod Steiger, and Udo Kier. Gabriel Byrne is out of place in his role since Satan is strangely portrayed not as evil, but mischievous. There was one funny scene where Satan told a skateboarder that he liked his “Satan Rules” shirt. The movie's soundtrack is also notable as it is a snapshot of what was popular at the time. Songs from bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit, Rob Zombie, Eminem and a new song from Guns N' Roses find their way into the movie at random intervals. The movie uses a lot of special effects, some good while others look dated through modern eyes. Thanks to international numbers and DVD sales, the movie did fairly well, but not as well as studios were expecting. Maybe the world just wasn't ready for a depressed Arnold and a goofy Satan.

Look at that emotion!

End Of Days sounds decent on paper. It has a big-name star, a good supporting cast, lots of violence, special effects, and a hip soundtrack. Unfortunately, the movie's story is all over the place, leaving huge plot holes and focusing more on action than horror. There aren't many scares to be had and certain overly-sexual scenes will make just about everyone reach for the remote. Both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gabriel Byrne look out of place in the movie. No one wants to see a depressed Arnold trying to show emotion and no one wants a boring Satan. End Of Days is good for a nostalgia trip and for an explosion fix. That's about it.

4.5/10

Day 275: Frailty

Frailty

Matthew McConaughey is made out of birds! I knew it!

It's not often that a horror movie can make you question your ideas of right and wrong. Heck, it's not often any movie can do this. Horror movies aren't always known as though-provoking or emotional. The average person thinks of horror as a violence-fueled orgy of corruption that is ruining our youth. We all know that's not true (well, for most movies), but we horror fans can sometimes be hard-pressed to produce examples of movies that have a profound effect on a wide audience. I think I may have found one.

Frailty is a 2001 psychological horror movie directed by and starring Bill Paxton (Apollo 13, U-571) as Mr. Meiks and Matthew McConaughey (A Time To Kill, We Are Marshall) as Fenton Meiks. On a dark and stormy night, Fenton Meiks enters the Dallas FBI office and tells Agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe, Deadwood, 24) that his brother Adam is the God's Hand serial killer. Fenton explains that he is coming forward now because Adam recently killed himself. Doyle is initially skeptical and Fenton tells him of their childhood. One night, their father (Bill Paxton) told them God had spoken to him and given him the task of rooting out demons and killing them. Mr. Meiks uses an axe that he was led to by a shaft of light and employs his sons Fenton and Adam in finding and killing these “demons”. They bury their first victim, a young woman, in the rose garden next to their house. Adam readily believes his father while Fenton is extremely skeptical. He is scared of his father, but tries to stop him numerous times. Angered at his insolence, Mr. Meiks forces Fenton to dig a large hole in the yard and then places a shed over the hole, using it as a type of prison. Fenton finally goes to the town sheriff who doesn't believe his story. When he arrives at the Meiks' home, Mr Meiks kills the sheriff and puts Fenton underneath the shed. Fenton is kept in the makeshift prison for a week and nears starvation until his father finally releases him when he has a vision of God. Are these the visions of a mad men or could they actually be true and is Fenton Meiks really who he says he is?

The family that slays together stays together

There are a lot of risks taken in Frailty that most other horror movies would have shied away from. This is Bill Paxton's directorial debut and he does a great job. It's always iffy when an actor decides to get behind the camera, but Paxton is able to weave an interesting and complex movie. The horror in Frailty is more psychological and internal than your average horror movie. That's not to say there isn't a few jumps and some violence, but those are just the bloody icing on the terror cake. (I'm trademarking the term “Terror Cake” right now.) It's not scary in the traditional sense with more of the fear coming from anxiety and tension. The movie is fairly low-budget but manages to tell a good story with what it has. It surprises me that I've never heard of this movie, but I can see how it would fly under the radar with it's lack of explosions and monsters.

The character development is slow and steady, complimented by very good performances from Paxton, McConaughey, and Boothe. The two young actors who played young Fenton and young Adam, Matt O'Leary (Brick, Live Free Or Die Hard) and Jeremy Sumpter (Friday Night Lights, Peter Pan) both shine in this movie as they give their characters a sense of realism not felt in a lot of horror. Frailty succeeds because it manages to question one's feelings and beliefs. What is good and what is evil? What is right and what is wrong? You think you know how the movie is going to play out and are then legitimately surprised when things are finally revealed. I thought I had everything figured out in Frailty and was almost proven right until the moral rug was pulled out from under me. The movie does run a bit too long and is slow at times. Frailty probably could have ended about 10 minutes sooner and left more to the audience's imagination.

He died doing what he loved: holding his crotch

Frailty isn't your typical horror movie. There is some action and bloody violence, but it's the implications and suspense that really make the movie frightening. Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey both put in very good performances while the two child actors make the movie. The movie manages to make the audience both think and feel, not an easy accomplishment for a genre known for it's gore and special effects. If you prefer your horror with lots of gore and over-the-top creatures, Frailty isn't for you. If you like slow, creeping anxiety and good twists, it's worth digging to find this hidden horror.

8/10

Day 274: The Reaping

The Reaping

Read 'em and reap

Religion and horror. I've said it before and I'll say it again. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. Most religious-based horror revolves around possession and exorcism, but there are a few that try to go a different route. Or, more accurately, they try to portray themselves going a different route in hopes that the audience thinks they're being original. Throw in some special effects and an Academy award-winning actress, and you have yourself The Reaping.

The Reaping is a 2007 horror movie starring Hillary Swank (Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) as Katherine Winter. Katherine is a current professor at Louisiana State University specializing in debunking supposed religious miracles. She is also a former ordained minister who lost her faith after her husband and daughter were killed during a missionary trip to Sudan. Katherine receives a call from her former missionary partner, Father Michael Costigan (Stephen Rea, The Crying Game, V For Vendetta) saying he has received a warning from God that she is in trouble. Doug Blackwell (David Morrissey, The Other Boleyn Girl, Basic Instinct 2), a science teacher from the small town of Haven, comes to Katherine asking for her help. The river by the town has turned red and the locals believe it is a plague brought on by a young girl named Loren McConnell (AnnaSophia Robb, Race To Witch Mountain, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). They think that Loren killed her older brother in the river and that God is punishing the town. Along with her colleague Ben (Idris Elba, American Gangster, Thor), Katherine travels to the town and tests the red water. There, Katherine meets Loren and has a vision of Loren turning the water into blood. At the same time, Ben witnesses frogs falling from the trees. Soon, lice infect the town and the livestock dies. It appears that the 10 plagues of Egypt are now befalling the town. Katherine gives scientific explanations as to why things are happening, but people do not believe her. As the investigation continues, Katherine has more visions of Loren seemingly killing her brother. She meets Loren's mother, who has a strange symbol carved into the door of her home. Loren attacks her mother and Katherine flees. She calls Father Costigan, who explains that the symbol is from a satanic cult that sacrifices the second born in an attempt to create a child with “the eyes of the Devil” to bring them to power. He also tells her of an angel being sent to destroy them. The plague of boils strikes the town and a mob forms to kill the girl. A plague of locust, controlled by Loren, swarm the mob. Will Katherine be able to stop Loren before the town kills her or is there more to the story than she knows?

Who set the heat lamp to "Kentucky Fried"?

Initially, I thought The Reaping might have been a different sort of religion-based horror movies. I'm not really sure why, but it probably has something to do with the use of the ten plagues. I like the use of the plagues as a plot device since most people know what's coming, but isn't sure when or how it will be done. Beyond that, though, The Reaping plays out like every other religious horror movie cliche. We have the crisis of faith from a formerly religious character, the town of religious zealots, and the outcast “satanic” family. Just in case that wasn't painfully obvious, we're given a character named Katherine Winter. They might as well have named her Jesus Neverbelieve. The spirituality in the movie is particularly shallow and not believable. I appreciate that the movie tries to give a scientific explanation for the plagues, but about halfway through, Katherine just kind of accepts things. When the movie focuses on cults and rituals, it became obvious that The Reaping was no different from other movies and I essentially stopped caring.

My biggest issue with the movie comes within the last 15 minutes. The Reaping goes from “boring, but passable” to “screaming headlong into the fiery pits of lunacy”. They give their little twist, which isn't very surprising and comes off as cheap and meaningless. Then they slap the audience with a ridiculous and implausible ending, complete with horrendous special effects. They should have just cut out the ending and left some things to the imagination. Instead, we get everything laid out in a surprising display of bad film making. The cast tries to rise above the cliched story and poor film making. Hillary Swank and Idris Elba actually have a very organic chemistry together which helped the characters feel more natural. They tried to portray AnnaSophia Robb as creepy or scary, but she's just too cute for the evil villain role. The movie does have some action and a bit of violence, but not enough for your average horror fan. 

"It's not  blood, it's chocolate milk! No wait...it's blood."

The Reaping comes from a long line of tired religious horror movies that all seem to fall into the same traps. You pretty much know what is going to happen about halfway through the movie. The religious issues are delivered in a ham-fisted way and the final act is just horrendous. The big reveal is neither exciting nor interesting and the special effects are laughable. The use of the plagues are fun to see, but that's about all that is interesting in the movie. The acting is fine, but it's not enough to overcome a weak story and bad film making. The Reaping had a chance to be unique, but settled for something we've seen many times before.

3.5/10

Day 168: The Rite

The Rite

Give me a 'T'!

Quick, think of a movie where the Devil possesses someone and it's up to 2 priests, one suffering from a crisis of faith, to exorcise it. You're probably thinking The Exorcist, right? That's the problem with just about every possession/exorcism horror movie; they all sound like The Exorcist. It's almost unfair to compare anything that came after The Exorcist because they're just not going to come close. People were convinced that Satan was actually imprinted onto the film and people legitimately fled theaters in horror. You can't beat press like that. It's up to newer movies to set themselves apart and be special, not just rehash the same old thing. It helps to have Anthony Hopkins.

The Rite is a 2011 horror movie starring Colin O'Donoghue (The Tudors, Proof) as Michael Kovak and Anthony Hopkins (Silence Of The Lambs, Thor) as Father Lucas Trevant. Michael is disillusioned as a mortician, following in his father's (Rutger Hauer, Blade Runner, Hobo With A Shotgun) footsteps and decides to go to seminary school. He does not feel a true connection with God and even questions his existence. After being ordained, Michael writes a letter of resignation that is rejected by his superior. He is warned that his scholarship would be revoked and he would owe $100,000 in loans. After giving last rites to a woman dying after an accident, Michael is sent to Rome to study exorcisms in exchange for loan payments. In class, he meets a reporter named Angelina (Alice Braga, City of God, Predators) who is writing about exorcisms. Still an unbeliever, Michael is sent to see Father Lucas, a Welsh priest experienced in exorcisms. They meet with a young pregnant girl named Rosaria who appears to be possessed. Despite witnessing strange events, like Rosaria coughing up nails, Michael remains skeptical. A possessed Rosaria beings to address Michael and ask him very specific questions about his father and his faith. Her condition worsens and she is committed to a hospital where she eventually dies. Father Lucas is distraught and begins to act strangely. Michael learns that his father has had a stroke. He speaks to his father on the phone, but it interrupted by a doctor saying his father died earlier in the day. Michael begins to hear various voices torturing and testing him. Along with Angelina, Michael goes to Father Lucas only to find that he himself has become possessed. Will Michael be able to save Father Lucas and himself?

"Made in China"? What the Hell?!

The Rite is based on “actual events” from the book The Making of a Modern Exorcist. I'm not really sure what their definition of actual events are, but it gives an interesting perspective to the movie. Like I said, it's hard to not compare The Rite to The Exorcist. Both movies are very similar with the main difference being which character has a crisis of faith. This is your standard exorcism movie with very little in the way of actual horror. The spiritual journey of the characters is fine, if not a tad bit predictable. Sure, there's a few jolts here and there, but nothing particularly scary. If you're the religious type, you may find yourself frightened and affected with all the demon talk, but your average horror fan won't find much terror. The cinematography is very eerie and the shots of Rome give the movie an air of authenticity not seen in some other religious-heavy horror movies.

Anthony Hopkins really carries the movie. He can't act in a McDonald's commercial and make it compelling. He essentially plays two roles in the movie, one as Father Lucas and one as a demonic possession. He does both well, but some of the lines he is given as the demon are unintentionally hilarious. I almost feel bad that Sir Anthony had to say some of these ridiculous things. It's not the content that's bad, it just sounds like a 15 year old wrote them. Colin O'Donoghue gives a tepid performance, almost unsure of what he should be doing or feeling. Rutger Hauer is only briefly in the movie, which is a shame, but he does well enough. Despite some very good acting, the movie is way too long at almost 2 hours and the pace is far too slow. There's some action, but it's not enough for such a long movie. The effects and makeup are good, but I could have used more.

Does this collar make me look fat?

Based on the story, The Rite is very similar to The Exorcist. The Rite tries to become it's own movie with a more polished Hollywoodification of the whole exorcism genre. It's stylish and looks pretty, but lacks any real action or horror. Anthony Hopkins is great, but can only carry a movie so far. It's too long and the pacing is off, muting any real sense of dread. The Rite is by no means a bad movie, it's just OK and could have been much better. If you want to see a good acting performance, The Rite worth your time. Otherwise, no need to rush out and see it.

5.5/10

Day 127: Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight

Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight

Have a good knight! EEEHEHEHEHEHEHE

As I've addressed in my review of “Ritual,” Tales From The Crypt used to scale the hell out of me, mostly because of the Crypt Keeper. There's just something terrifying about a corpse puppet making terrible puns in a high-pitched voice that just strikes fear into the hearts of children. Now that I'm older, much like Freddy Krueger, the Crypt Keeper is just over-the-top funny. Of course, the version of Ritual that I watched didn't have the Crypt Keeper or anything related to Tales From The Crypt other than the name in the title. Thankfully, Demon Knight was not only a far superior movie, but also included the Crypt Keeper at the beginning and end.

Demon Knight is a 1995 horror movie starring William Sadler (The Mist, Freaked) as Frank Brayker , Billy Zane (Titanic, The Phantom) as The Collector, and Jada Pinkett (The Nutty Professor, The Matrix Reloaded) as ex-criminal Jeryline. Frank and the Collector are in a cat-and-mouse chase that leads Frank to a tiny hotel converted from a church in the California desert. He observes the residents, owner Irene (CCH Pounder, Avatar, Warehouse 13), Jeryline, Uncle Willy (Dick Miller, Eerie Indiana, Gremlins), prostitute Cordelia, cook Roach (Thomas Hayden Church, Spider-man 3, Sideways), and postal worker Wally. Collector meets with the Sheriff and his inept deputy Bob and convince them that Frank is a thief, in possession of a relic that belongs to him. They arrest Frank, but learn that the Collector had also stolen a car, so they try to take him in, but Collector literally punches through the sheriff's face. He is driven out of the building by Frank's mystical artifact, a cross-shaped key with blood inside it. The Collector cuts himself, bleeding neon green blood onto the ground, which gives rise to hideous humanoid demons. The demons attack, but Brayker pours blood out of the key onto each doorway, creating a seal that the demons cannot pass. Unable to get in, Collector uses psychic powers to seduce the inhabitants into letting him in. Brayker explains that after God created the Heavens and the Earth, demons spawned in the darkness, forging 7 keys that, when combined, would grant them the power of the universe. God created light and scattered the demons and the keys across the cosmos. Since them, the demons have collected 6 keys and have returned to Earth to get the 7^th. To prevent it from falling into the demon's hands, God had a thief fill it with the blood of Jesus from the crucifixion. Throughout the years, various people have been the guardian of the key, but they are not immortal. Seriously hurt, Frank grants Jeryline his power and refills the key with his blood. Will Jeryline be able to defeat the Collector and save the world?

At least the company looks nice

First off, I have to say that this movie is flat-out fun to watch. It does so many things right that I almost feel bad for pointing out any flaws. The acting is what really carries the movie, with Billy Zane putting in an amazing performance. Seriously, he should have won an award for his over-the-top, charmingly evil Collector. He appears to be having a blast throughout the entire movie without sacrificing his ability to be an evil demon. Jada Pinkett and William Sadler are great as well along with a really good supporting cast. Ernest Dickerson is very good in the director's chair, which is not a surprise since he has also directed episodes of The Walking Dead and The Wire. The story itself is fairly different and original, though it does get a little clunky with the whole God/Jesus blood bit. It's not enough of a distraction to take away from the movie, it just feels kind of weird.

The portion of the movie that works so well is the action mixed with horror. The demons look creepy, sort of like a mixture of alien and humans caked in mud. The humans that become possessed look extra terrifying and the makeup people deserve a lot of credit as their creations are the stuff of nightmares. There is plenty of blood and creative kills that will make you wince and laugh. You know you're in for a fun ride when Billy Zane punches through the sheriff’s head and can get his hand free, futilely trying to shake it off like he just stuck his hand into an old pumpkin.

Oh, the sights we'll see and the people we'll kill

Demon Knight is a fun mixture of horror, action, and humor. The writing and acting are great with a solid director at the helm. There is a good amount of bloody violence and smart humor that keeps the audience excited and entertained. The movie also contains a really good hard rock/heavy metal soundtrack including Pantera, Filter, and Rollins Band. Thankfully, the Crypt Keeper is in the prologue and epilogue of the movie and there are references to Tales From The Crypt, as it should be when their name is in the title of the freaking movie. TFTC had a history of false starts and general confusion when it came to their movies as Demon Knight was supposed to be the second in a trilogy, but actually came out first. After the credits, we're told to look forward to the next TFTC movie called Dead Easy which never actually came out. Someone really must have screwed up, but it doesn't matter because we got a great movie. Definitely check this one out as soon as you can.

9/10