Is Dawn of an Evil Millennium Worth Watching? Honest Movie Review & Audience Verdict (1988)

📖 The Core Premise

Dawn of an Evil Millennium stands as a 1988 entry that attempts to leave its mark on the Action, Horror, Fantasy, Comedy landscape. At its heart, the film explores complex themes wrapped in a compelling storyline. As the plot unfolds, we see characters navigating a world where stakes are high. "An epic, 20-minute, completely fabricated theatrical trailer for a crypto-Vestron Video cheapie (by way of Willow-era Ron Howard)—a supposedly 18-hour movie about a Jeff Daniels lookalike demon sent to destroy the planet (and possibly the universe) with his "Turbo-power!" Olds dragster. There are shades of John Carpenter's They Live, caffeinated Evil Dead speed-freakery, a cameo by Miles O'Keeffe, and uncanny movie preview clichés, such as sentence prepositions that never reach a resolution: "On an alien planet…the beauty and wisdom of a sorceress…." Sometimes the liner note blurbs speak for themselves: "Damon Packard is to Stephen Spielberg what George Kuchar is to Douglas Sirk.""

🎬 Performance & Direction

A movie's success often hinges on its execution. While not a career-best, Ronald Lacey's presence adds a necessary stability to the proceedings. The direction aims to balance pacing with character development, a hallmark of good Action. While there are moments of brilliance, the pacing occasionally dips.

🤔 Why You Should Watch (or Skip)

Is Dawn of an Evil Millennium worth your time? If you appreciate Action, Horror, Fantasy, Comedy films that take risks, this is likely a decent one-time watch. However, if you are looking for a flawless masterpiece, you might find some plot points predictable.

🏆 Final Verdict

Ultimately, Dawn of an Evil Millennium is a mixed bag with some redeeming qualities. With a runtime of 20 minutes, it asks for a significant time investment, but for the right audience, it pays off.

Our recommendation: Watch on OTT.