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In previous films we have seen Arnold Schwarzenegger do battle
with all manner of powerful enemies, such as a high tech cyborg
assassin (Terminator 2), an invisible alien (Predator), a garrison
of highly armed soldiers (Commando), and a class of young children
(Kindergarten Cop). In this latest adventure, we find him up
against a guy with the reputation of being the most mighty and
evil of them all, Satan himself.
The story is set in the last three days of 1999. Unbeknownst
to most of the world that is preparing for New Year celebrations,
Satan has risen from hell and is walking the earth using the
body of New York stockbroker (Gabriel Byrne). Satan's aim is
to find a girl named Christine York (Robin Tunney) and impregnate
her before midnight on 31 December. Why he actually wants to
do this is not entirely clear, but it will cause the 'end of
days' and the destruction of mankind.
The plot is mostly silly. Despite his air of confidence and
omnipotence, Satan is spectacularly inept both at finding and
keeping his intended wife and also at fighting off alcoholic ex-cop Jericho (played by Schwarzenegger).
This is even more suprising seeing as he seems to have half
of New York working for him (including a mysterious mob of street
people, reminiscent of the peasant villagers from Dracula and
Frankenstein movies). If you don't think about these things
then the action and suspense does build nicely, although I found
the ending to be a little anti-climactic.
This movie has all the action, car smashes, explosions, and
fights that you would expect from a Schwarzenegger movie, along
with the usual arsenal of weapons that no lesser man would be
strong enough to even carry. The best lines are saved for Byrne
when discussing the difference between God and Satan, and also
Kevin Pollak as Jericho's cynical sidekick. Robin Tunney has
little to do other than look shocked (which she does well).
All in all, good action, but generally unsatsifying. Be sure
to turn off your brain.
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