To me, the qualities that make it an optimal vessel for controversy, ideas, and countercultural beliefs are quite obvious. When read without reserve, Revelation can be warped and distorted to incredible lengths. Emperor Augustine discouraged speculation about the End of Days and stuck to a strict interpretation of the book, but others haven’t been so conservative. Its non-specificity can induce a terrifyingly rabid mindset among those who seek power or those who may be mentally unstable.
Personally, I suppose my empirical mindset doesn’t allow me for much manipulation of the text. Revelation’s influence on depictions of the Apocalypse are undeniable, but I prefer contemporary myths far more. For me, Revelation is too broad – too scattered and exceedingly self-indulgent. Its power is derived from its simplicity and its lack of specificity. Ultimately, I like my End of Days with five-star production design and fleshed out characters. I’ve had fever dreams before, and they’re unpleasant. Ann Coulter may like her apocalyptic myths doused in ambiguity, but for now, I’ll stick with The Road Warrior.
Film still from Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981), directed by George Miller
