Released on November 24, 1999, End of Days arrived at the height of global apprehension regarding the turn of the millennium. Directed by Peter Hyams, the film represents a pivotal moment for lead actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, marking his return to big-budget cinema after heart surgery and a two-year hiatus. The film serves as a hybrid of two distinct genres: the bombastic action thriller and the "Satanic" religious horror film.

: While the practical effects and gore—such as a hospital crucifixion—received praise, the CGI climax involving a monstrous Satan was widely criticized as dated or "stupid".

: Retrospectively, the film has gained a cult following as a "guilty pleasure" that captures a specific late-90s gothic charm.

The plot follows Jericho Cane (Schwarzenegger), an alcoholic, suicidal former detective who has lost his faith after the murder of his family. Cane is thrust into a biblical conflict when he must protect Christine York (Robin Tunney), a woman destined since birth to conceive the Antichrist with Satan (Gabriel Byrne) during the final hour of 1999.