Megiddo: The Omega Code 2

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith
Produced by Matthew Crouch
Lawrence Mortorff
Richard J. Cook
Written by Stephan Blinn
Hollis Barton
John Fasano
Starring
Music by Peter Bernstein
Cinematography Bert Dunk
Edited by John Lafferty
Production
company
Distributed by Gener8Xion Entertainment
TBN Films
Release date
  • September 7, 2001 (2001-09-07)
Running time
 104 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $20 million[1]
Box office $6 million[2]

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 is a 2001 religious science fiction-adventure film, directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith and starring Michael York, Michael Biehn, Diane Venora, R. Lee Ermey, Udo Kier and Franco Nero. It is a follow-up to the 1999 film The Omega Code, serving as part prequel and part sequel. However, the events portrayed are inconsistent with the plot of its predecessor, making the film less of a sequel and more of an alternate retelling. It has a significantly larger budget ($20 million) than its predecessor ($7.6 million), but was less well-received. Lead actor York detailed the making of the film in a journal which he then published in book form, titled Dispatches from Armageddon.

Plot

Stone Alexander is a quiet boy of about 6 years of age, whose mother has died giving birth to his younger brother, David. During a party at his influential father's home, Stone is left alone with David, who is in his crib. As Stone stares into the fireplace, a fiery force shoots out and engulfs the boy, possessing him. Stone attempts to burn his baby brother, but David is saved by their nanny. Their father, Daniel (David Hedison), sends Stone away to a military academy in Italy for his education, under the guidance of General Francini (Franco Nero).

Not long after arriving at the academy, he is drawn to a church where he meets his demonic Guardian (Udo Kier), and participates in a black mass-type ceremony. Years pass, and although Stone is periodically abused by some of his classmates, he eventually earns their respect, becoming the top student in his class. After graduating from the military academy, Stone meets his younger brother David. At first, the teenage David (Chad Michael Murray) expresses his admiration towards his older brother and wish to emulate him; however, his father admonishes him to be true to himself. Soon after graduation, Stone marries his Italian girlfriend, Gabriella, the daughter of General Francini. The General was initially against their marriage, but Stone summons two smoke-like demons to intimidate the General into giving in.

Eventually, Stone becomes President of the European Union[note 1] He uses his seat of power to dissolve the United Nations and create a one world government called the World Union. To consolidate his power, Stone pressures the President of the United States Richard Benson (R. Lee Ermey) to join his global community.[note 2] Stone summons Benson to meet with him in Rome. Prior to departing for Italy, President Benson orders the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet to take up position off of the coast of Italy in the event of an emergency.

Accompanying the president on his flight to Italy is David Alexander (Michael Biehn), who is now the Vice President of the United States, and the president's military aide, U.S. Marine Colonel Rick Howard (Gil Colon). During an informal meeting on Air Force One, David and Col. Howard warn the president to keep his distance from Stone, due to a CIA report, which indicates that over 200 people who had opposed Stone in the past had died under questionable circumstances after close contact. Unfortunately, Benson fails to grasp just how ruthless Stone really is; Stone kills him with a supernaturally induced heart attack. David is sworn in as the new President at the hour of President Benson's death.

Much to Stone's disappointment, his brother also refuses to join his New World Order. Secretary of State Breckenridge (Jim Metzler) however, wants the United States to join the global community aligned with Stone. After failing to convince David to fall in line with the World Union, he publicizes a doctored video of David murdering his father. In reality, it was Stone who killed him.

Breckenridge orders the FBI to arrest the president. After a heated exchange of gunfire, the president escapes by helicopter to Norfolk Naval Base, where the U.S. Navy brass provides him with transport to the Sixth Fleet on an amphibious assault ship. After arriving, David orders a raid on Stone's castle headquarters in Rome; however, he discovers that Stone is already in Israel. David finds Gabriella (Diane Venora) in the dungeon, confined there by the Guardian after she witnessed some of Stone's demonic powers. She dies in David's arms after professing her love. Following the raid, Colonel Howard receives word that Breckenridge is sending U.S. troops to Israel to join Stone's military coalition, which are on the plains of Megiddo planning a strike on Jerusalem.

Following the special operations raid in Rome, David and Colonel Howard move quietly to join with U.S. forces already in Israel. Unknown to Stone, the Mexicans, Chinese, and Americans are really there to destroy Stone and his army. David attempts to kill Stone himself but is soon captured.

Later, Stone's triumph is shattered as Chinese tanks open fire upon his European troops from one side while U.S. and Mexican forces attack from the other. Shortly afterwards, Stone's troops are hit by air strikes as well. Taken completely by surprise, and with his forces being quickly overrun, Stone instructs all his soldiers to fight to the death. After overrunning Stone's armored and artillery positions, the Mexican tanks charge headlong, targeting the enemy headquarters.

Stone and his officers are swallowed in a huge fireball as tank shells rain in. David barely manages to break free and jump away before the headquarters explodes behind him. David is stunned as Stone walks out of the ashes, and morphs into a massive demon with ram's horns and huge leathery wings. After seriously wounding David, he summons up his dark brethren as reinforcements, and revives his dead army. In a full display of his supernatural powers, he even darkens the sun, plunging the whole battlefield into darkness.

The reinforcements soon outnumber and overrun the Mexican, Chinese, and American forces. In triumph, Satan, celebrates as he cries out loudly that he is lord. At this boast, a bright white light lances down into the ruins of the headquarters, and begins dropping meteors of light upon the battlefield. All of Satan’s soldiers are killed, while all of the allied survivors remained untouched, and are freed from their bonds. Stone's former Guardian is dismayed at Satan's defeat, and tries to run from the battlefield. A globe of light chases him and quickly impales him with swords of pure light, causing him to be vaporized. Satan himself is driven to his knees, and forced to admit that Jesus Christ is the one true Lord. The light then pulverizes the ground beneath him, dropping Satan into a deep pit of molten lava, the Lake of Fire. There he finds he is chained, and screams in anguish, defeated. As David lies on the ground looking up into the sky, the light becomes brighter, and then fades away, revealing a scene of Earthly paradise. A scripture is revealed on screen that God has established his home with man, and that He shall reign forever, and ever.

Cast

Production and distribution

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 has been aired frequently by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), both over the internet and on television, since its initial release in 2002.

The film was produced by Code Productions in conjunction with TBN's Gener8Xion Entertainment, Infinity Omnimedia, and TBN Films.

It was directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. This was the biggest budget he had ever enjoyed for a film:[3] He says he got the job because of his work on Britannic and Happy Face Murders.[4]

When I came on board for [the film]... I thought, I’m going to have a bit of a sly smile at some of this stuff, not being a Pentecostal Christian myself. But if the Pentecostal Christians want to give me $20 million to make a film, I’m not going to say no. So I thought, what are my genre aspirations in this rather confused screenplay I‘ve been given? Let’s straighten it out along the following lines: let’s say it’s The Omen (1976) meets Air Force One (1997), with a bit of End of Days (1999)... And they fight the Battle of the Bulge, and are awarded with the Second Coming! I mean, those are some nice elements to put into your martini. And so I proceeded along those lines. It was a fun film to make, and primarily, the faithful have seen it. But I can tell you, it did have a slight sense of humor, even sub textually, it’s a fun film to see. It was interesting to see it with a mixed audience of Pentecostals and secular hedonists, and it was interesting to see where either side of the audience laughed, or they both laughed, or the Christians cheered. So it was interesting to see it, ultimately. It’s a fun romp [laughs], not usually what happens with a religious film.[1]

Reception

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 was panned by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 10% based on reviews from 20 critics.[5]

Accolades

Cinematographer Bert Dunk was nominated for Best Cinematography in Theatrical Feature at the Canadian Society of Cinematographers Awards.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ , preceded by Stone accepting a lesser position with the European Union in 1976. This is an anachronism, as the European Union was not established until 17 years later (although its forerunner, the European Communities, did exist at that time).
  2. ↑ In the movie’s dialogue, the United States is sometimes equated with "the North American Zone"; however, a stylized world map appears to show all of North America as a single zone, and Mexico is portrayed in the film as a country distinct from the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 Bryan Van Campen, "Interview with Filmmaker Brian Trenchard-Smith", Ithaca.com, November 14, 2012 accessed February 8, 2013
  2. ↑ Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 at Box Office Mojo
  3. ↑ "Brian Trenchard Smith on Megiddo Omega", Mondo Stump, November 28, 2007 accessed February 8, 2013
  4. ↑ Trenchard-Smith, Brian (11 August 2001). "HOLLYWOOD SURVIVOR". Daily Telegraph.
  5. ↑ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/megiddo_the_omega_code_2/
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