Director: Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent)
Writer: Neil Marshall
Producers: Steven Paul, Benedict Carver
Starring: Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Malcolm McDowell, Adrian Lester, David O’Hara, MyAnna Buring, Martin Compston
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 105 min
We’re trying something new in the review department today. Instead of one writer’s take on a given movie, you’re lucky enough to be reading four of us simultaneously giving our opinion on Doomsday, encompassing a single post; concluded with a consensus and an average score. We think this might be a great way of presenting differing (or similar as the case may be) opinions and an even better outlet for fostering discussion – which is exactly what the goal of Row Three has always been. So check this out and by all means, leave your thoughts on Doomsday (and this particular brand of review style) in the comments section.
Synopsis: A lethal virus has spread throughout the British isles, infecting millions and killing hundreds of thousands. To contain the threat, acting authorities brutally quarantine all of Scotland with a 30 foot tall, steel wall and motion sensing machine gun emplacements. Meanwhile, inside the wall, social life succumbs to fear, chaos and eventually even cannibalism. The quarantine is successful. Three decades later, the virus violently resurfaces in London and an elite group of specialists, led by former survivor and all around nihilistic badass Eden Sinclair, is urgently dispatched into the still-quarantined country to retrieve a cure by any means necessary. Shut off from the rest of the world, the unit must battle through a landscape that has become a waking nightmare.
read all of our reviews below…
Andrew: If you ask Roger Ebert, he’ll tell you that when critiquing a film, you must take into account what the film is trying to accomplish. If it wants to be a brainless action flick and it completes that endeavor with flying colors, then a higher score the movie must receive. So is the case with Doomsday. Here we’ve got all the pomp and circumstance of a high octane actioner and then some! From the get go, Neil Marshall has put the pedal to the proverbial floor and never lets up until the closing credits.
In my full review, I compared this movie to Escape from New York and a bit of Mad Max. Thinking more about it now, I think Tarantino/Rodriguez’ Grindhouse is an accurate comparison as well. Doomsday is completely over the top with edge of your seat sequences and a plethora of great characters. Not least of which are the terrific villains. I’ve said before that too many villains can destroy a movie, but here we’ve got basically three villains; each with their own brand of ruthlessness and terrifying our heroes.
Because the story takes place in an entire country, the various locales and set designs are as diverse as they are haunting. When the action calls for close-quarters combat, we’ve got all the right places for a claustrophobic mayhem. At other times, an open range car chase spectacular is just what the doctor ordered and because of the constraints (or lack thereof) of the story, we’re able to get that.
I had a total ball with this movie and ache to see it again with a big group of people. Not only is it got the most action of the year so far, but it takes it over the top and delivers it on a platter of a sterling silver budget and homage-a-plenty to my 80′s childhood. Oh yeah, and I can pretty much guarantee that this will win the award for 2008′s best car chase sequence.
John: In some ways I can understand the love that this movie is getting from the other contributors here at Row Three but I also feel that to give this movie a good rating is being hypocritical. In my mind many of the problems that plague a movie like Transformers also plague Doomsday. The love for Doomsday comes because of the great nostalgia feeling to this movie. Even the on screen text feels like it is out of Escape from New York. This is a mash up which pays homage to most of the apocalypse themed movies and I really did want to like this. Unfortunately the problems in the movie were just too much for me and left a very sour taste in my mouth.
I can understand wanting to have a certain actor play a role but if you are going to pick a hot babe to play your lead and have one of the major fight sequences revolve around her and another woman please make sure that both actresses have been trained enough for the combat scene to come off well. The only reason I can figure for the terrible fight in the prison is that Marshall felt he had to do rapid cuts and extreme close ups to cover up the fact that neither actor was capable of pulling off a realistic fight scene. The same can be said of the fight scene between Eden and Kane’s head goon. This is an action movie and if you can’t film the action well then it fails in my mind.
The movie is plagued with lucky or unlucky coincidences that are just inexcusable. I would love someone to justify to me why that underground bunker had not only a brand spanking fancy car but also a set of brand new still in their wrappers cell phones that work automatically when turned on even though its 20 some years since when they were made. Once the good guys are able to escape from the second set of bad guys the first set suddenly reappear so that we are able to get the big finale. During which I sat shaking my head at just how explosive cars are. Perhaps I was already in a bad mood at all the plot contrivances by this point so the fact that all the bad guys cars seemed to explode upon the slightest impact or the fact that in what appeared to be an open area there was suddenly a cliff for the cars to fall off of just made me grown even more.
I’ll wrap this up with a couple of things that I did enjoy instead of going into the other problems I have with Doomsday. I loved the cabaret scene and the chosen music. This scene really brought a smile to my face. I got a big kick out Sol’s girlfriend being in the car with him during the big chase scene, and finally I love the final scene with John Hatcher. All said though the forced plot contrivances and the poorly shot one on one combat scenes really made me dislike Doomsday enough that I just can not recommend it and if it had been Marshall’s first film I really would not have looked forward to his next movies. Here is hoping that Sacrilege is a better movie.
Kurt: Doomsday is not so much of a remake as it is a re-hash. And i mean that in the most endearing way. Equal parts Escape From New York, The Road Warrior, Army of Darkness and 28 Weeks Later, the joy of this movie is not in the broad strokes like plot or coherence with reality (neither of which typically apply to this genre), but rather in the details. This is a film that has no bones in stopping for a musical number with the Fine Young Cannibals, while the not so nice tribal ghetto-punks have a cook-out. With marine on the menu.
Obviously, the success (both domestically and abroad) of Dog Soldiers and The Descent has given Neil Marshall carte blanche for a bit of self-indulgence, in this case the result justifies the naval gazing. With Doomsday, he is taking a page out of the hommage playbook from Quentin Tarantino and layering together some of the nastiest action-set pieces since Verhoeven was in the game of making American Blockbusters. If you don’t like graphic on-screen head-shots, naked girls touting shotguns or general ultra-violence and gory mayhem, then a pass is highly recommended. If that is your thing, well then: bliss. As a way of penance, hop across the hall in your multiplex and catch Funny Games.
To all the Paul W.S. Andersons, Michael Bays, Uwe Bolls, Stephen Sommers and Renny Harlins of the world trying to balance a kick-ass big-dumb-popcorn film with a half-decent budget and wide release in the multiplex, start taking notes here. Remember the Zombie Crows sequence in Resident Evil 3, and how the rest of the movie failed to live up to such a nutbar ideal set by that set-piece? Doomsday lightly skips along from one idea to the next, all of that crazy caliber. It is a case of batshit-insane-badassery done right waiting for nouveau cult-status alongside Planet Terror and Death Proof – there is no multipex-dilution on display here. Marshall is not pandering to the early 80′s Post-apocalypse aficionados but rather pushing the envelope. In the visuals department, Doomsday packs a wallop.
Marina: It’s as though Neil Marshall sat down and couldn’t decide what sort of film he wanted to make. Part sci-fi, part fantasy and all kick ass, Marshall’s take on society gone wrong is one of the best in recent memory, even if it borrows heavily from some classics of the last 20 years. The list of comparisons is long but Marshall incorporates recognizable bits and pieces and creates his own vision, one that is both genuinely funny and in your face action packed while walking the line of homage rather than ripoff.
Add into the mix Rhona Mitra as the gorgeous heroine that saves the day, it’s great to see that Marshall is joining Joss Whedon as excellent writer of strong women, Bob Hoskins as the all knowing father figure, and a wonderful cast of supporting characters and you get the beginnings of something beautiful. Pepper in great visuals, excellent sense of timing (both comedic and otherwise) and tie up the package nicely with a great score from Tyler Bates (which mixes both orchestral and classic 80′s tunes) and you have an instant classic.
Consensus: Doomsday borrows heavily from plenty of other films – particularly from the 80s. We all agree that it’s full of action and fun kick-assery. Though an argument can be made the storyline itself is fairly derivative and does have more than a few plot holes. If you can overlook some plot problems and are unaffected by major amounts of pumping and splattering blood, it seems that we generally agree that Doomsday is a pretty fun film. It would be an absolute classic had it possessed the story and emotion of something like Aliens, Mad Max or Apocalypse Now (i.e. the films it tends to emulate.)
Average score:
(to be technical, 3.625 stars out of 5)
Watch the hi-quality trailer:
or if you prefer the YouTuber version…
Relevant Links:
IMDb profile
Official Site
Flixster Profile for Doomsday
*The MOVIE CLUB PODCAST does ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK – Click to Listen.
Forgot to mention: I really like the ending. It’s not a cop-out or cheesy ending at all. Thought it was great.
Plus, the tattooed villain chick in the image in the post above, here’s what she really looks like:
You can tell she’s gorgeous to begin with but wow…never would have guessed that much beauty was underneath that makeup.
And I like the ending too – fits into the pre-conceived notion of a sequel in the works though I highly doubt Marshall will ever go there again. All of the bits just worked.
I want to know where the Brits have been hiding this guy.
Marina, They’ve hardly been hiding Marshall (although his films tend to have a delay between UK openings and US opening (The Descent was over a year difference).
Both Dog Soldiers and The Descent were significant successes abroad.
He has indicated that a potential future film would be a WWII thriller along the lines of WHERE EAGLES DARE (which would be very cool, especially due to it being set in Scotland). I’m willing to bet that Marshall’s genre-bent WWII flick will be released before Quentin Tarantino’s often mentioned WWII/Dirty-Dozen INGLORIOUS BASTARDS.
Wow, this rocks to see all of your reviews + consensus! Kudo’s to R3!
I wish I liked the film as much as (most) of you did. I thought that it did pay hommage but didn’t bring that much more.
I don’t mean to knock you guys but we’ve complained many times to each other about the problems in Transformers and just how can one other site defend it when its obvious those problems exist. Two of the problems I have with Doomsday are the same ones that are in Transformers. The poor plot choices and poorly filmed action sequences. I’ll give you the car chase was a bit of fun but I hated the exploding cars and like I mentioned where the hell did the cliff come from.
Giving Doomsday a score 4 or above really feels like your just ignoring the problems because you had fun and in my mind you are being a bit hypocritical in doing so.
I don’t think there were plot problems in Transformers. The problem with Transformers is just that the story itself was stupid and uninteresting and didn’t make a whole lot of sense. With Doomsday, the plot is very simple: get in and get the cure and get out – in the meantime: fight like hell to stay alive.
The only point I had a problem was the same one you mentioned (the generator working and the new car). But in this kind of movie, I just shrugged and decided “whatever.” We need a cool car for this next scene; I can live with it. If the whole movie had been filled with that kind of stuff, then I’d see your point. But just one instance is enough for me to overlook.
Exploding cars? What your beef there? Every action movie ever made has exploding cars. And while maybe implausible, if you want to get technical and nit-picky about it, these cars are jury-rigged Mad Max style and therefore probably have exposed gas tanks and other flammable bits and pieces.
**SPOILER**
And how can you not like the gimp chained to the front of the car? Awesomeness – especially when he goes flying. Or the head that flies through the air and literally splatters on the camera lens. Or the midievel battle arena with Malcolm McDowell. Loved all the innovative kills and just the look of everything. The sets, the art direction and all the costuming and locales. I mean this movie is kick ass and cool looking the whole time.
**END SPOILER**
My biggest beef with Transformers was the final battle that you had no idea what the hell was going on. In Doomsday, I knew exactly what was going on and loved pretty much eery second of it. People who complain that it’s more or less a rip-off of about 5 other films have a valid complaint, but for me, this wasn’t a weakness but a strength.
Gotta get back to work now.
Transformers was a pandering disaster to the multiplex crowd. Doomsday is as much of a statement as anything else that nasty, cigar-chomping violent action pictures are not dead. Also there are so many crazy asides (Cannibal Concert, Knight-Fight, Ship-Assault) that there feels like some sort of originality despite the constant riffing on what came before.
What does Transformers have? Hackers-subplot that go nowhere, isn’t funny or entertaining and means nothing in the end, A robot peeing on John Tuturro, and a lot of just-before-sunset photography. Sure the compositing looks good and the bus-cut-in-half was good, but everything else just seems like filler and compromise.
Doomsday is everything-and-the-kitchen-sink filmmaking at its finest.
I absolutely see your point John, I see how a lot of things could drive anyone (fan or no) down the path of nitpicking the plot/dialogue, etc (which has comparisons to TF)….
But. Bunny shootings? corpses in passenger seat? Doctor Bashir (Alex Siddig) as Prime Minister of Britain? These things matter.
The film is aimed to be funny/goofy as well as serious. (Bunny Shooting) I think it hit the balance in the same way as Sam Raimi’s Darkman did. Also a movie I quite like.
I’m trying not to get into spoiler territory too much…
Perhaps it was its over the top nature with certain things that bugged me. I was pretty much neutral to the Gimp on the car but I did really enjoy the corpse in the car. I also really enjoyed Bashir.
I hated (perhaps thats too strong) Bob Hoskin’s character. Here is someone who is working at the highest level of government and he comes across as totally naive about the way things work.
The bbq bit really bugged me since in just the way it was done with huge flames.
I do have a beef with exploding cars actually in most movies. Its a pet peeve that was just another annoyance after I was already annoyed.
You know what the more I think on it the more I wanted this movie to be “realistic” and I think that is why I didn’t like it. Yes, I know using realistic to describe an apocalypse movie is weird but things like shooting the arrow through that tiny window really bugged me. The cars blowing up and the cliff come to mind as all things that bugged me.
One thing I will definitely stand by though is that I thought all the one on one fight scenes were filmed very poorly. Each swing was a separate shot and there were even some shots of someone swinging at the ground.
“The film is aimed to be funny/goofy as well as serious. (Bunny Shooting) I think it hit the balance in the same way as Sam Raimi’s Darkman did. Also a movie I quite like.”
You know what perhaps that is why I disliked it. It felt like it was trying to be serious but just had too many little things that bugged me. If it was just goofy I would have probably ignored the problems.
I will also say that I had pretty high expectations. I don’t think it ripped off other movies but did pay homage, it was fun at times and the acting didn’t bother me so it got 2 points for those but I didn’t enjoy the cinematography (mostly due to the fight scenes) and my over all experience was not good because of all the parts that bugged me.
Now what is funny is that if you go back and think about why I love Smokin Aces and Andrew’s dislike I think we’ll find that we have completely switched roles and in many ways both of these movies are of a similar ilk.
“One thing I will definitely stand by though is that I thought all the one on one fight scenes were filmed very poorly. Each swing was a separate shot and there were even some shots of someone swinging at the ground.”
You’ve got me there John. The editing of some of the action sequences in Doomsday, particularly the one-on-one combat, could have been toned to so we could see more of what was going on. Ditto on the car chase, which isn’t as sublimely filmed as George Miller’s chase in Road Warrior (which has 100% perfect editing rhythm). Perhaps the lead actress was not convincing as a fighter and they had to hide it with the editing. It’s a problem, and why I settled with 4/5 rather than higher.
I also think Smokin’ Aces is a piece of shit. Trying waaaay to hard…..I didn’t get the trying to hard vibe from Doomsday, just a director calmly assured of what he wanted up on screen.
Its about time that you and I have run into some movies we disagree on. I was worried that I was going to come off as a wannabe Kurt. We like a lot of the same movies.
Smokin Aces: waaay too many characters; none of which are given enough explanation or exploration. That was my biggest problem with “Smokin’ Aces.” They were all so forgettable. Hence, I’m forgotten most of that movie.
I won’t be forgetting “Doomsday” any time soon. But I have to admit that some of those one-on-one fights were poorly filmed. You are correct on that. But the atmosphere, characters and circumstances were fun enough for me to overlook it.
One of my many problems with Smokin’ Aces (which is a more apt film to bring up than Transformers in my opinion, considering the target audience and execution of these films) was with just how lame and forced Jeremy Piven’s performance was as the lynch-pin Buddy Aces. I like Piven a lot (especially in Gross Point Blank), and I just felt sorry for him here, totally crushed the film right then and there.
Likewise, the kung-fu kid was of the trying way to hard variety and totally failing. In a better film, that’d be kooky non-sequitor brilliance. In Smokin’ Aces. Just flat.
For a film where there was a lot going on all the time, I felt Smokin’ Aces was a pretty boring affair.
My favorite parts were (of all things) the Alicia Keys thread and the nice-graphics credits sequence. The latter being stupidly thrown on to the end of the film, when it should have been the kick-off.
“Its about time that you and I have run into some movies we disagree on. I was worried that I was going to come off as a wannabe Kurt. We like a lot of the same movies.”
-Well, I’m a wannabe Jay Cheel.
Was listening to the Doomsday review (and Jay’s intense defense) over at filmjunk podcast: FilmJunk Podcast Episode 60 and well, it’s pretty scary how much head-nodding was going on. Going to have to bring some A-Game to the table tonite with Andrew so as to not seem like I’m just repeating his talking points….
And Jay is a wannabe Reed Farrington!
Everyone is a wannabe Reed Farrington though… even Greg.
I was just thinking about discussing movies and if anyone has ever had their opinion changed because of something that someone has said. I can see all the good points that Kurt and Andrew have mentioned and they actually did make me smile during the the movie itself but I don’t think they will be able to convince me that this is a good movie. I can’t really think of a time that someone has said oh think about the movie like this and had my opinion changed. Is it just something about it being a entertainment and just how subjective it is or can your opinion be changed by discussing a movie. Now I’m not talking about going from a mild like to a bigger amount of liking but from an actual distaste to liking or vice versa.
My wife convinced me just how awful “Cast Away” was on the car ride home. I liked the movie coming out of the theatre (for the audaciousness of the one-man-show style acting), but over the course of the 15 minute conversation, I was convinced just how lame the movie was pulled off, especially the opening and closing framing devices and the supporting actors and such.
I have yet to be able to convince her how much Forrest Gump is ass though. Otherwise I tend to like Zemekis’s films, from Roger Rabbit to Contact to Romancing the Stone.
Make this idea a full post (because I think it’s a good one) and I’ll comment.
FYI: The answer is yes.
I’ve spend untold Cinecast hours (outside and inside recording) to get Andrew to like what I like! I’m trying to make him a better person– but he insists on still liking Cars and being foolishly indifferent to Paprika. And he still thinks Alien4 is better than Alien3.
Go Figure.
Also just watched “Princess Mononoke” yesterday since my car got towed:
boooring and cheesy. God I hate that type of animation. No articulation in the mouths, eyes never blink, all the movements are choppy like they’re missing every other frame. Might as well be watching a thursday afternoon episode of Pokemon.
And yeah, the details within “Cars” is mind blowing. Still picking up on new stuff and I’ve seen it like 10 times. Oh yeah, and it’s funny. Love that forklift guy.
I’ll do a post coming up today sometime (as long as the meeting doesn’t run too long).
*Smacks Andrew*
You’ve got to be kidding me. Princess Mononoke is one of my favorite films (not just animated, favourite films!) We shall have words, my friend. Words. WORDS!
Oh…..this is going to make for a mighty fine Cinecast…
“And yeah, the details within “Cars” is mind blowing. Still picking up on new stuff and I’ve seen it like 10 times. Oh yeah, and it’s funny. Love that forklift guy.”
And its a totally original story that has never been done before.
Personally I think Paprika is a much better looking film than Cars. Its been too long since I’ve seen Mononoke so I’m not going to comment on that one.
I can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say about Doomsday. There was a lot for me to pick at with this one, and although i did second guess myself at one point, thinking I was too easily won over by the direct Carpenter references, but I really did have fun with Doomsday.
As for being convinced to change my mind about a film, I can’t think of any situations off the top of my head but I’m sure it’s happened.
Thinking a bit further, I guess Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith could be an example. I came out of the theatre with a mostly positive attitude, but after discussing the film on the podcast and with others, I started to have a change of heart. However, ultimately it was revisiting it on DVD that had the most impact on my initial reaction.
Yea, I hated SW: Revenge of Sith pretty much right out of the gate. I have a pretty major hate-on for the prequels which has more or less soured me on StarWars as a whole.
Lucas Poisoned the well for me starting in spring 1999.
Anyone else remember the classic episode of Siskel vs. Ebert where Siskel changed his mind on air? (omg! we’ve got a thumb flip! THE THUMB FLIPPED!)
Anyone remember the film?
I like Star Wars Episode III. I actually think the prequels are better than the originals. Not only is there actual content in them (albeit dealt with pretty randomly and shallow), but the eye-candy factor (which is what they – at their core – are all about) is way better. General Grievous is just way cooler looking and sounding than the Ewoks or the squid flight control guy.
I can’t even work up the energy to argue Star Wars with you Henrik. I have to say, other than those below 15, you are probably alone with that opinion. And kudos for troll…er…putting out a controversial opinion on that one.
Well, if I had said Lucas had redeemed himself by making the new trilogy, would it have been trolling? Since you said he poisoned the well in spring 1999, I would assume so, but then again, you’re probably sure that most people agree with your statement and will give you a pat on the back and a nudge on the arm, rather than yelling out troll.
Whatever. All I can be is honest. You’re free to think otherwise.
WOW – That’s interesting. I’ve NEVER heard anyone say the prequels are better. While I completely disagree, your points are compelling. If Star Wars (in its entirety) is meant to be nothing more than eye-candy, then you’re right, the prequels are way better.
But I think Lucas was aiming higher than that – at least with the first trilogy.
I like part III quite a bit, II has its moments and I only like part I for the main sequences (podcar race, lightsaber duel – which is the best one in the sextet).
In conclusion, Doomsday kicks ass.
“General Grievous is just way cooler looking and sounding than the Ewoks or the squid flight control guy.”
This is funny…. and true. And the “squid flight control guy” is Admiral Ackbar. LOL
I mean come on… That giant lizard that Obi-Wan rides on is awesome! I love huge animals. They beat metal elephants in my book.
Henrik, I hardly need a pat on the Back on all things starwars. I wasn’t sure if I was stepping out saying that the new ones actually retroactively damaged the original ones significantly enough as to impact my enjoyment of things I loved during childhood.
I think however, that you dropping your particular bomb was looking for a reaction at the very least…
But that’s what this site is all about, so have at it.
Rusty James – that was the review for “Broken Arrow”. Watch the review here.
And just for fun, Siskel and Ebert Uncensored:
Great Marina, now I’ll be on that site the rest of the morning/afternoon.
Sorry.
OK, that Ebert/Siskel clip was awesome in a pure shadenfraude sort of way..
AHHAHA. I had to look up shadenfraude. Sad.