User reviews

Owen Stokes (Greg Grunberg) owns a video store. Suddenly, the world is bombarded by balls of electromagnetic energy. The boys are prepared for every movie apocalypse contingent. Owen's girlfriend Selena arrives with douche Max. Owen and his employee Steve Palmer go to get Steve's mother. The group tries to find Dr. Walter Brown (Brad Dourif) who is locked up in a mental institution. He just might be the only one who can save the world.

It starts with a functional idea. The special effects are mostly low budget sci-fi TV level. Most of the humor don't work. The jokes are mostly half-hearted movie references. It's Armageddon with no budget and not as funny. It's functional for the first half but it wears out its welcome. It would work better if the movie kept it small but it insists on going full Armageddon.

Checked YouTube for the "official trailer" - It shows true apocalyptic mayhem, such as giant meteorites and tsunamis the height of the World Trade Towers. We rented this movie "based on their official trailer".

The "trailer" has absolutely NOTHING to do with this movie. NOTHING! In fact, the "official Trailer" that is found on YouTube is for a 1986 movie, Deep Impact. (Side note: Deep Impact has great FX of the end of the world...)

Having said that, who doesn't like Greg Grunberg (also in Big Ass Spiders). Even expecting a true disaster movie, this movie is a fun one to watch - more tongue in cheek goof ball disaster comedy than what's shown in the trailer (of a different movie!)

I'd normally give this movie a 7, but because of their deceptive tactics, I've only given it a 4.

Drag.

End of the World (2013)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

SyFy film has a couple video store clerks (and one of their wives) having to put their knowledge of disaster movies to the ultimate test when the end of the world approaches. When some sort of mysterious explosions start dropping from the skies, the three head off to find an expert (Brad Dourif) who is locked up in a mental hospital. I'll give END OF THE WORLD credit for at least trying to do something different but unfortunately it really doesn't add up to much. The biggest problem with this movie is the low-budget, which just doesn't really allow it to be taken that serious. I think with a higher budget and a re-write of the screenplay then we might have had something much better. As is, the film has some interesting moments and a couple good performances but that's it. One good thing is the constant references to other science fiction movies, which was somewhat fun for film buffs. I also enjoyed the performances for the most part. Caroline Cave is good in the role of the wife and we also get nice work from Greg Grunberg and Neil Grayston. I also enjoyed seeing Dourif who goes wildly over-the-top but in a fun way. The special effects are pretty much what you'd expect from a low-budget film like this but they were still much better than what you typical see on SyFy. Back to the problems, the screenplay just isn't strong enough to make us believe the situation these characters are in. Not once did I buy into the "end of the world" and there's really not any drama or suspense anywhere. I know this is mostly a comedy about these two video store clerks but we needed something else.

END OF THE WORLD is your usual bog-standard SyFy Channel disaster movie that perhaps feels even more generic than all the others put together. It's directed by the prolific Steven R. Monroe and written by Jason Bourque, who also directed his fair share of other numerous similar low-budget disaster movies.

The one thing END OF THE WORLD does differently is to self-reference other movies in the genre, sometimes from the same studio and sometimes better-known efforts. Brad Dourif plays the crazy old-timer who might just have the knowledge to tackle what's going on, and there's a rather ingenious clip from ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST utilised at one point, which was rather neatly done.

Otherwise it's business as usual, with a bunch of stock characters, failing actors, and unfunny humour. The CGI effects of the solar flare attacks are as non-impressive as ever, and the various disaster scenes lack the kind of oomph you'd expect. It turns out that the END OF THE WORLD finishes with a fizzle rather than a bang.

Another 'end of the world as we know it' movie with a very predictable outcome. Sure enough, but still these movies are so campy and cheesy that they are actually fun to watch, and thumbs up to SyFy Channel for keep spewing them out.

The story in "End of the World" is about, well, the end of the world. A strange outer space phenomena takes place and showers the Earth with blasts of forces of energy that are lethal to both electrical devices and living beings alike. A group of young people who have devoted their lives to the disaster movie genre, who works, owns and hangs around a local video store devoted to these types of movies, figure out a solution to save the Earth and race against time to save our beloved planet.

And that is the storyline for you right there. Doesn't get more simple than that. In fact, it doesn't get any more generic and stereotypical for these SyFy Channel disaster movies either. Have you seen one of their movies, then you have essentially seen all. But still, we come back for more because they are so campy and cheesy.

"End of the World" wasn't particularly enjoyable or extraordinary in any way, because there was nothing new to the genre at all here. This was essentially just a re-molding of previously made movies about the very same topic. The only worth mentionable thing was the references to other SyFy movies, Sci-Fi movies and disaster movies in general that was thrown carelessly about all throughout the movie.

Were there plot holes? Indeed there were. And they are so obvious and painstakingly just grabbing the movie by the ankles and weighing it down. But hey, aren't these plot holes an expected thing from this particular type of movies from SyFy Channel?

As for the acting in the movie. Well, people were doing fair enough jobs, but truth be told, then they hadn't much of a script to work with, so it wasn't particularly impressive. Nor was it overly convincing, as you never for one second bought into that the entire world was in any overwhelming danger from outer space.

So, is "End of the World" worth watching? Well, if you are a hardcore fan of SyFy Channel productions and the disaster movie genre in general, then yes. Otherwise, no, hardly so.

A Syfy Channel original TV movie starring Greg Grunberg who apparently was in the once-popular TV series Heroes. He's kinda funny, trying to make a joke for everything in this disaster of a disaster movie. He and his buddy reference tons of real movies, particularly disaster flicks which they know backwards and forwards. Everything they know about surviving disasters they've gotten from those movies which has even turned them into end of the world preppers ready for any end of the world scenario. And of course that saves the world here. Oh no, is that a spoiler? Who cares, it's a crap movie that really does nothing but suck.

3.6 / 10 stars

--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

Pretty darn entertaining disaster-flick which jokes around a lot with the genre and never really takes itself too seriously, which in this case is a good thing

Most SyFy-movies have that problem that even tho the plot is ludicrous they take themselves seriously a lot of times, occasionally that makes the movies 'so bad they're good' but more than often they end up being just plain bad

So this one was a delight too watch, cause it gets everything right, Greg Grundberg is great in the lead and sets the tone and carries this movie on his shoulders

Not so good effects as expected but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the film

Actually the script although predictable isn't all that bad, not any worse than Armageddon or whatever...

Yeah a nice surprise

The acting was rubbish, the storyline was terrible, the special effects were appalling. Everything about this was awful, I have no idea what the budget was but it couldn't be more than a $100 and that's including the actors salaries. I know you're supposed to take these movies with a pinch of salt but my God it's hard with this one. Out of curiosity I watched the end credits to see how many people were involved in making this film, it was approaching 200 and not one of them had the decency to tell whoever was financing it to bury it.

I can recommend it to those that enjoy self harming but best to avoid.

I have to admit though it was the first film I've seen that slow moving lava was able to climb 12 fights of stairs in 30 seconds. Avoid.

Accidentally watched this instead of worlds end, took a while to realize but carried on cos it was kinda fun. It's a bit generic and predictable, but that didn't stop it being entertaining.

I just got done spending a weekend away from going to the bar and caught this gem on the syfy channel.I have to say it flows great from scene to scene and the casts acting was top notch.The movie delicately balances suspense, action ,and comedy to create the right amount of formula to make it shine.It easily knocks out big budget theatrical release films which came as a real surprise and it did so by staying fresh.The cgi used in this film was great and was present when needed and not over done.A fairly reasonably educated person will like the story and be able to find throw backs with it without the film actually stealing any ideas but refreshing old ones yet still remaining witty and fun.Not to often can I say that a TV movie was worthy of a second watch but this one easily takes the cake.Now if only all syfy movies could manage to end up as End of the world has fun, intelligent, and a joy to watch.

It has got to be one of the worst films I ever had the displeasure to see. If I could I would sue the producer and actors alike for wasting my time. I switched it off after half way through. The story was ok but the wooden acting, the dialogue and especially the special effects were utter rubbish. Please avoid like the plague.

Pretty average for a sci-fi channel movie, though the humor level is a little higher, and the presence of Brad Dourif, Neil Grayston (Fargo from "Eureka") and Greg Grunberg (from "Heroes", who rises far above the material) makes it much more watchable.

The earth is being bombarded by plasma balls, which fry people and stuff, but that's only the beginning. A far greater threat will destroy the earth unless our intrepid geeky movie line-quoting video store clerks can save the day (oddly, the most unbelievable part of the movie is that there's still an open video store in existence). The special effects are not bad, and the acting, apart from a few really noticeable Canadian accents, isn't bad either.

So bad that I wish a solar flare would destroy the planet now.

I have seen this movie recently but I didn't like it. Altogh it senses as blaockbuster it I seems as an indie movie with very low budget. In a way it reminds me the style of TROLL where a crazy professor has foreseen this happening by calculating the time a strong electromagnet ray will pass the earth an start destroying everything an found a solution to it . Not trying to dvisclose the remain story . I wa not so much persuaed by this story nr the blue rayed elecrtomag bombs and the rather funny dissolution of humans after been hit y these 'bombs' .another funny was the idea that some humans not killed were as like electrostatic bomb batteries that can kill humans or destroy electronic equipments!!

As in result this person must first ground himself before continuing his 'job' The second funny wth that is that tese bombs killed most villains instead of the goods!!

A dramatic story gets quite humorous this way..

Fat Greg and his nerdy supporting cast save the world all by themselves from somewhere in Canada ! WOW ... at least it wasn't the usual rescue squad in downtown LA .

I just wonder why would someone sit down to write such garbage in the first place, convince a few moneybags to invest in making it and then use cheap CGI and jerky camera shots ... and call it a movie !!

Avoid if you have better things to do ...

While I understand the low ratings of this movie, I think if you watch it in the spirit in which it appears to have been made, it's really a fun movie. End of the World is a tongue-in-cheek homage to pop culture, sci-fi and (of course) disaster movies. The pop culture references alone were fantastic, and the actors are clearly in on the joke, not taking themselves or the cheesy script too seriously. Greg Grunberg is adorable as always. I expected this movie to suck wind, and was pleasantly surprised. If you're a fan of disaster movies and looking for lighthearted escapist fluff, watch this movie & enjoy a few chuckles.

I'm sorry others don't seem to like this movie, but I did! There isn't a part of it I don't like. It's funny and cute. I think ALL the cast was good . . . Greg Grunberg was awesome, funny, switching to serious when he had to. Neil Grayson was fabulous, and reminded me a bit of Art Carney; he seemed to end up in the middle of everything. Caroline was terrific , using her eyes and beautiful smile to the fullest. Mark was great - a true villain that one wants to shake. Brad Dourif played very well the frustrated, anxious expert, unable to get through to his captors. Even Serge Houde played his part superbly. I think his "I like it" is classic. To me, all the cast did marvelously . . . their acting drew me right in. Maybe others see technical problems, but I watch this any time I get a chance. The more I see it, the more I like it.

First you have to set what to expect, this is a SyFy channel made for TV movie with some great actors (Eureka, Heros) and a decent script. I was expecting a bad B movie, but watched it in HD with surround and was very impressed. The actors are not bad, the writing and story is fairly decent providing some comedy, action, and OK effects. As a Sci-Fi fan and even the SyFy made for TV movies I found this better than average. If you want a good ride, some silly comedy and a basic script you will get a B movie with better effects and acting. I wish the director had made it flow a little more and give some more dramatization to it, but it's what it is, straightforward end of the world movie. It's worth a watch if you're not wanting a big budget film and enjoy a Sci-Fi / Comedy.

Let's just state at the outset: If you see so many 8 to 10 star reviews by people who have only reviewed one film, you know it is going to be terrible since the makers or marketing people were desperate enough to have to shill it up here.

This film is just terrible. And I don't mean because of its cheap production values. I have no problem with a decent idea and script done on a low budget.

but sometimes a budget is low because only a tiny demographic of total fools will like it, and that is the case here.

The film tries first to be a satire of the apocalypse genre and then a part of it. This fails completely. I mean these guys are "totally prepared for anything" yet don't have water or a firearm, the two rational necessities to be ok for even the most plausible loss of rule of law/loss of supply two week duration emergencies, say some kind series of Katrina level storms or a bad earthquake? Only the bad guys have guns? Sure.