Holocaust 2000

great film. about the apocalypse and done very well, bringing the apocalypse into reality before your eyes. Kirk Douglas took on a different role for this film and one that works. the apocalypse was firmly & skilfully brought into the twentieth century in this film and it was so realistic it was frightening. saw this film some years ago and wanted it ever since but cannot get hold of it. it was on TV in 1992 or 1993 and i missed it but a friend of mine down the street came knocking on my door in early hours as she was terrified having just watched it that night! i am not a person who cares for 'horror' films and this is far from being one of those. it sure is scary but that's because it is based on things that could be so real.don't knock it! watch it. also, if anyone can tell me how i can get this film on video or DVD i would be very grateful, but it doesn't seem to be available according to HMV stores.

In 1976, "The Omen" was a very popular movie and it spawned sequels as well as a recent remake. So, it's not surprising that someone decided to make a similar film just year later. "The Chosen" (also known as "Holocaust 2000") is a film about the pending end of the world, but instead of a little boy being the spawn of Satan, here he is all grown up and ready for Armageddon.

Robert Craine (Kirk Douglas) is a rich man who runs a company that builds nuclear powerplants. He is hoping to build one in the Middle East though somehow you know that the project is evil and will lead to the end of the world. And, the guy driving this ending is Craine's own son (Simon Ward)...or perhaps his unborn child. Through the course of the film, Robert slowly starts to realize this...and it's up to him to save humanity...or not.

One of the big differences between this one and "The Omen" is the quality of the production. "The Omen" was made by Twentieth Century-Fox and "The Chosen" was made by a smaller company and released by American International Pictures...a company well known for low budget and cheesy films. Oddly, however, "The Omen" is much more over the top and silly...one of the reasons it is actually more enjoyable than "The Chosen". However, despite this, Douglas' performance is really over the top later in the movie...much more than Gregory Peck's in "The Omen".

One of the worst parts of the story is that Craine supposedly meets some priest and the old man tells Craine all about the apocalypse. But EVERYTHING he tells Craine is pure crap...and has nothing to do with the book of Revelation. It's just made up and is laughably so. They didn't even try to make it seem possible.

So it is worth seeing? Well, it depends on whether you like this sort of thing AND if you mind the silliness which occasionally occurs in the movie...and it is pretty silly.

By the way, according to IMDB, there is an American version and an international version...both with different endings. I saw the American one, though the ending was still pretty open-ended.

In THE CHOSEN (aka: HOLOCAUST 2000), the religious / supernatural horror begins right away. While clinching a big nuclear power plant deal, Robert Caine (Kirk Douglas) meets a mysterious photographer (Agostina Belli), who tells him of an ancient prophecy. Soon thereafter, Caine encounters tragedy, and is thrown into a nightmare world of apocalyptic proportions.

Spawned from the success of such films as ROSEMARY'S BABY, THE EXORCIST, and THE OMEN, THE CHOSEN is one among many derivative movies in the ensuing craze. However, it does have one major asset in Mr. Douglas, who never disappoints his audience. His character is believable in the most unbelievable situations. Even when he's running naked in a devil dream!

In addition, the plot is just novel enough to make it stand out from the other films of its ilk. There's also an atmosphere of impending doom that builds nicely as things unfold, in spite of the hokey "Satan's child" stuff. This whole idea was old, even in 1977.

All in all, a watchable entry in its subgenre...

Holocaust 2000 is directed by Alberto De Martino and co-written by Martino and Sergio Donati. It stars Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli, Anthony Quayle and Virginia McKenna. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Erico Menczer.

Nuclear industrialist Robert Caine (Douglas) refuses to heed warnings that the Antichrist is closer to home than he ever could have imagined...

Caine and Angel

Casting aside the fact that it is a cash in on the success of the far superior The Omen, it simply isn't smart or good enough to make its own mark. Knowing what is going on in the first instance is not a great thing for the audience, it would be were the narrative strong enough to keep us on our toes, but it never is. The plot speeds along merrily following the same trajectory as expected; mysterious deaths, pregnancy, loads of ominous warnings, repeat sequence of doom and on to the unsubtle reveal in preparation for a less than satisfying ending.

The makers do try to add some salt to the satanic broth, such as having Douglas roam around naked in a feverish nightmare, and some moments are kinda fun in that tacky Italian/England production way, but the zip, the originality, is sorely lacking. Cast seem to be working off of a different screenplay to each other, though Douglas is at least working hard to make the duff regurgitation come alive. It looks nice on occasions, and it's fun for the wrong reasons, but its low standing reputation is fully justified and therefore near impossible to recommend to anyone but Kirk Douglas completists. 5/10

According to an old interview Kirk Douglas really liked this film, and I understand him. Not many italian horror movies has this international quality and while many call it an italian Omen, I'd say in that case this movie is at least equally as good if not better. Alberto de Martino guaranteed quality in the 70's, with films such as Blazing Magnums, The Antichrist and The Killer is on the Phone - and this one could be his best film. It's eerie, violent and full of great acting as well as a decent story with some politic statements. Well worth seeing!