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.

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.

Caught this flick while channel surfing. The plot of this movie is that a video shop owner and his co-worker, who are Syfy fan boys of apocalyptic movies, try to save the earth from certain apocalyptic doom. I found this premise to both funny and original. I actually found myself rooting for these guys. Dialogue was't as bad as most and the action was steady through out the film. The special effects were OK. Most importantly, the film kept my attention. Normally movies on Syfy are so low budget and bad I can barely watch a few seconds before changing the channel. Really wish Syfy would up their game with more quality films. There would be more Syfy fans tuning in and there are quite a lot of us!

What can I say about this outstanding piece of cinema history? For the longest time, I have been one of science fictions greatest fans. I have liked to say to my friends that I have seen every great science fiction movie of the last 50 years.In the course of my movie enjoyment, I have seen many 'End-of-the-World' films of varying strengths, but I would have to say (and be happy to go on record as saying) that this film is the most perfect science fiction movie of all time! The performances by the cast are outstanding. With Greg in the lead in an incredibly convincing role as a disaster freak, Owen, with a gorgeous GF, Selena (aka Caroline), who doesn't believe his hooey about the end of the world, and Neil as his outstanding co-lead (?) as Steve, this film is the absolute expression of everything I have ever wanted...a disaster movie made by disaster movie freaks ABOUT disaster movie freaks surviving in a real life disaster!!! I cannot rate this movie highly enough beyond saying "I am going to Armageddon in Melbourne this October and if ANY of the cast wanted to come, I would happily pay the $500AU to have the highest access possible just so I could meet them and share my joy of this movie." 10/10 (Easily) (PS: The inclusion of Brad as Walter Brown and nearly ALL of his references to other films was a special treat! One in particular made me face palm when I realized!)