(Review originally written at 24 December 2006)
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
I watched this movie expecting to see an even worse movie than "The Omega Code", of which this movie is a sequel. "The Omega Code" was really one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I don't even remember what it was about, or what happened in it. It was that forgettable and bad. Not bad in a funny- or cheesy campy kind of way, it was just plain bad. I was surprised- and have to admit that "Megiddo: The Omega Code 2" is a far better movie, that at least entertains, although it obviously also is far from a brilliant- or must-see movie.
The movie didn't really began well. The movie seemed like an huge "The Omen" rip-off and just literally used that movie its main premise. A child who turns out to be the devil himself, the child who kills his own father by throwing him of the balcony, the devil going to military school and wants to take over the world through his political power, Armageddon and even the town of Megiddo plays a prominent role. They only changed a couple of minor things to avoid being called a total "The Omen" rip-off but the resemblances are still too obvious all to consider this movie an original one. The movie in the beginning also dragged on for too long and the story flow was poor. Really were all those sequences of the devil at military school and his childhood really necessary for the story? But when things and the story are finally starting to take shape and Michael York and Michael Biehn become the real main characters, the movie turns into a pretty descent thriller about the world's Apocalypse.
Sure, it's far from credible all and the movie features a bit too many implausibilities and other silly moments. such as all the references to the German-Nazi regime were too overdone all. It's getting a bit tiresome and cheap, all those movies falling back on that time period. but by thriller standards this movie really isn't a bad one. The Christianity themes only get a bit annoying and too overdone toward the end of the movie. I remember that the first movie was much worse and annoying when it came down to the religious undertone of the whole movie.
The Apocalypse is of course movie-wise a pretty interesting concept to use. The movie handles the concept well. It takes its time to build up and shape things. It builds up to the movie its spectacular climax, in which some of the worlds biggest superpowers (Americans, Chinese, the World Union, which is the army of Satan/Stone Alexander on Earth) clash. It results in an huge and surprisingly good looking climatic battle.
Michael York obviously seemed to be enjoying himself playing in this movie as the bad guy for a change. Michael Biehn is also good for most part, although he is far from believable when he acts as and becomes the president of the United States. The movie also further more features R. Lee Ermey, Guy Siner and Udo Kier in some good and smaller roles.
The movie is a mixed bag when it comes down to its visual looking. Obviously this is no big-budget movie and that shows in its sets, action sequences and special effects. Yet at the same time the movie also has some impressive and good looking effects as well. It makes the movie look unbalanced. At the one moment laughable at the other impressive. The same goes for its story and the movie in general actually; laughable at times but at others impressive. It doesn't make "Megiddo: The Omega Code 2" the most consistent, or most watchable movie around.
Definitely better than the first, so I can recommend this movie, also since this movie can also be viewed apart as a standalone movie. But the whole subject is still handled better in the Omen movies, for if you're interested in it.
6/10
Watch trailer
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
I watched this movie expecting to see an even worse movie than "The Omega Code", of which this movie is a sequel. "The Omega Code" was really one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I don't even remember what it was about, or what happened in it. It was that forgettable and bad. Not bad in a funny- or cheesy campy kind of way, it was just plain bad. I was surprised- and have to admit that "Megiddo: The Omega Code 2" is a far better movie, that at least entertains, although it obviously also is far from a brilliant- or must-see movie.
The movie didn't really began well. The movie seemed like an huge "The Omen" rip-off and just literally used that movie its main premise. A child who turns out to be the devil himself, the child who kills his own father by throwing him of the balcony, the devil going to military school and wants to take over the world through his political power, Armageddon and even the town of Megiddo plays a prominent role. They only changed a couple of minor things to avoid being called a total "The Omen" rip-off but the resemblances are still too obvious all to consider this movie an original one. The movie in the beginning also dragged on for too long and the story flow was poor. Really were all those sequences of the devil at military school and his childhood really necessary for the story? But when things and the story are finally starting to take shape and Michael York and Michael Biehn become the real main characters, the movie turns into a pretty descent thriller about the world's Apocalypse.
Sure, it's far from credible all and the movie features a bit too many implausibilities and other silly moments. such as all the references to the German-Nazi regime were too overdone all. It's getting a bit tiresome and cheap, all those movies falling back on that time period. but by thriller standards this movie really isn't a bad one. The Christianity themes only get a bit annoying and too overdone toward the end of the movie. I remember that the first movie was much worse and annoying when it came down to the religious undertone of the whole movie.
The Apocalypse is of course movie-wise a pretty interesting concept to use. The movie handles the concept well. It takes its time to build up and shape things. It builds up to the movie its spectacular climax, in which some of the worlds biggest superpowers (Americans, Chinese, the World Union, which is the army of Satan/Stone Alexander on Earth) clash. It results in an huge and surprisingly good looking climatic battle.
Michael York obviously seemed to be enjoying himself playing in this movie as the bad guy for a change. Michael Biehn is also good for most part, although he is far from believable when he acts as and becomes the president of the United States. The movie also further more features R. Lee Ermey, Guy Siner and Udo Kier in some good and smaller roles.
The movie is a mixed bag when it comes down to its visual looking. Obviously this is no big-budget movie and that shows in its sets, action sequences and special effects. Yet at the same time the movie also has some impressive and good looking effects as well. It makes the movie look unbalanced. At the one moment laughable at the other impressive. The same goes for its story and the movie in general actually; laughable at times but at others impressive. It doesn't make "Megiddo: The Omega Code 2" the most consistent, or most watchable movie around.
Definitely better than the first, so I can recommend this movie, also since this movie can also be viewed apart as a standalone movie. But the whole subject is still handled better in the Omen movies, for if you're interested in it.
6/10
Watch trailer
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