So, we come to the end. Carpathia has just killed Cothran and turned the gun on Stonagal. After a little more taunting, he kills his primary prey. Then he tells his cover story, that Stonagal rushed the guard, grabbed his gun, and killed first Cothran and then himself, knowing that his evil plan to control the world's food supply was about to be exposed. Going over to Buck, Carpathia puts his hand on his shoulder and says he knew that Buck wanted to kill those men himself in revenge for his friends, but he (Carpathia) could not stand to have his new media liasion with blood on his hand. (Clearly he is counting on Buck being under his control here). And he says that the story on Stonagal is about to go on the air. Because of the story, everyone will feel sympathy for Carpathia and follow him, thanks Buck for exposing it.
Yes! This is the right way to show the prophecies coming about --Oedipus Rex style. The characters hear a frightful prophecy. They go out of their way to stop it, taking desperate action. But you can't escape inexorable fate -- the very actions they take to stop it only act to bring it about. Buck has tried to head off Stonagal's evil plans, only to learn that his attempt has facilitated Carpathia doing something even worse. (It's also a useful lesson for any future sequel to remind people of the futility of trying to stop the inevitable). So kudos here for a job well done.
Then we get to see Carpathia's mind control powers in serious action. After giving his account of what happened, he says, "How terribly sad," and makes his mind control gesture at everyone in the room. Everyone starts saying, "How terribly sad," except Buck, who looks around, baffled. "It's time to change history," Carpathia says. Guards standing outside hear a shot (how come they didn't hear the earlier shots?) and everybody scream. They rush in to see general pandemonium and Carpathia, weeping over Stonagal's body. They drag him off and tell the others to leave.
As everyone files out of the room, Buck asks Rosensweig and Hattie what happened. They are both fully under Carpathia's control and saw only what he wants them to see. They both (especially Hattie) have a sort of fake sound, like someone not speaking his or her own words, but canned lines they have been fed by their controller. Nicolae puts a comforting hand on Hattie's shoulder. In the book, it is made clear she is his kept woman. Here, there is nothing to suggest their relationship is anything other than purely professional. Buck walks out as other reporters gush about how wonderful Carpathia is.
The rest of the movie is decidedly anti-climactic. We hear a voice over of Buck saying, "Everything the Bible predicted is happening. If this is true and the Antichrist is coming to power, then this is just the beginning. The next seven years are going to be the worst that mankind has ever seen. Our only hope is to join together and trust God." As he speaks, he leaves the U.N. and returns to Chicago and the New Hope Church. Chloe greets him with a hug that looks more like friendship than a promise of future romance. Rayford and Pastor Barnes are both there, too. We end with soaring music and a soaring view of the church, and go on to the credits.
This is not, of course, a very satisfactory ending. It is a resolution only to the extent that the main characters have all been born again and Buck has safely escaped the Antichrist's clutches. But it strongly suggests horrors (much worse horrors) to come and so ends on the sort of note that is meant to set you up for a sequel. That, of course, will come next.
Here is Slacktivist's take.
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