Shockingly not as bad as you'd think!! (Doom (Extended Edition, DVD))

Name: SarkeBeeley

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Product:	Doom (Extended Edition, DVD)
Date:	01/01/06 (121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Will probably entertain you for a few hours.

Disadvantages: Well, it's a film based on a game!

Ok so I wasn't expecting much when I went to see this film. Anyone who has seen Mortal Combat (awful), Resident Evil (pretty bad), Streetfighter (should have been banned) will know why I was so wary. Historically films based on games aren't much better than games based on films. For those of you who don't know Doom is based on a 'first person shooter' game that's been on a number of formats, the latest edition of which is Doom3. Thankfully I don't know much about the game so I'm not going to get caught up ranting on about the game or comparing the film to the game too much.

So it didn't look good, it's based on a game, The Rock plays one of the main characters (I'm a fan but I know he's an acquired taste) and at one point in the film the camera switches to a first person perspective to emulate the game. Nevertheless sometimes, even if you expect a film to be complete tripe, you just have to see it.

With first person shooters the plot, even when complicated, is never that important. I was told tonight - 'You just need a reason to shoot things'. This is probably why I'm not a big fan of FPS's (first person shooters). The film stays true to its genre with this - the plot isn't that original if you're aware of other films or games in the genre and it's also really not the point of the film. I'll try to give you an idea of it anyway!

The Rock (Sarge) is given a mission which involves his squad of marines(the Rapid Response Tactical Squad ) cancelling their leave - not a popular move. Mac, Reaper, Sarge, Duke, Destroyer, Goat (!), Portman and The Kid head off to the Olduvai Research Station. A distress call was made by a scientist and the station is now in quarantine. Sarge's orders are to find out whats going on, make sure the problem is contained and, if needs be, destroyed. He is also instructed to protect and retrieve the property of the corporation that is carrying out the research.

The fact that the station is on a Red Planet, there is talk of 'a human genome' and the fact that it's a research facility leads us to believe that something not quite natural may be going on. Well that and the fact that we see a few scientists being picked off and a fair bit of blood shed in the first five minutes!

We then begin our fairly predictable path of discovery to find out exactly what has gone on at Olduvai. We never become particularly engrossed in any of the characters the only person we know anything about is Reaper due to the fact that his sister is a scientist on the project. That's probably about as much as I can say about the plot - there are big guns, testosterone, a bit of blood and also some pretty cheesey one liners. All of which you expect to be there and would probably be disappointed if it wasn't.

We delve slightly in to the personality of the Marines, we have the religious one, the slimy and untrustworthy one, the strong one, the comedian, and also a slightly vulnerable one. Reaper is a little enigmatic and obviously had a troubled past (hasn't everyone, get over it!) and The Rock plays exactly who you expect him to. Sarge sticks to the mission, no matter what.

These performances were never going to win an oscar but the three main characters Sarge, Reaper (Karl Urban) and his sister Dr Samantha Grimm (Rosamund Pike) all put in a good effort. It's not a particularly amazing script - again not what this film's about - so they do well with what they have. My favourite line had to be - "Sarge, I think we should call for back up" to which Sarge answered that "We are the back up". Fabulous. Just a quick note - for those of you who have seen the advert, recognise Reaper and it's driving you mad because you don't know where you've seen him - well he played Eomer In Lord of The Rings. If you frankly don't care well ignore that last sentence!

In a film like this where we're not looking at realistic (maybe one day but doubtful) situations effects are particularly important. I have to say that they just about pull it off but there's nothing amazing. The make-up and combat scenes are pretty good but I thought it fell on its face slightly with the 'scary things'. I'm not going to explain this as I don't want to go into what the 'scary things' are in case I spoil it for people. To be fair though, it would have been difficult to make them look great even with the budget of the new King Kong and the use of their CGI team. One part in particular looked pretty naff - someone getting stuck in the nanowall (an invisible wall thingy that solidifies at the touch of a button - cool eh?) looked ok but then the scene showing the aftermath of that looked rubbish. I think that's pretty much my only complaint about effects.

The music is pretty standard stuff, you can tell when something bad is going to happen etc. etc. Again nothing really stands out for me other than the song during the end credits. Actually I should give the end credits a quick mention as they actually simulate the game and it makes you pay attention to the names on screen - a pretty nifty trick I'd say. The song playing whilst watching this was by the Nine Inch Nails and shouted - "Don't you f**ck**g know what you are" at us. This song stuck in my head for, oo, at least three minutes.

I'm a big fan of action films and I have no real complaints about the action sequences either. Most of these involved shooting at things (the point of the film) but there was some hand to hand combat towards the end. Not surprisingly this involved The Rock and I was sat thinking of his opponent - you may be good with a gun but, c'mon, it's The Rock he'll do a Piledriver or some such move on your backside. Other than that all was well.

So the film wasn't about plot, or character performances, or script, or really about effects or music - it was really about shooting scary (well kinda) things. It did a pretty good job of it too. It was suitably dark which from what I have seen of the game is important and quite well directed by Andrjez Bartkowlak (Speed, Devil's Advocate). Even the bit where it changes into first person shooter mode for a while wasn't as ridiculous as I though it would be. In fact, it did actually make me slightly tense and a bit worried about what was round the corner which I'm sure was the desired affect.

All in all I actually quite enjoyed it. I didn't expect much so was pleasantly surprised. Huge fans of the game probably won't approve as I'm pretty sure it doesn't stay true to the story and those who only like intelligent films with some elegance or, well, plot may not be too impressed either. If, like me, you sometimes don't mind watching slightly naff sci-fi films with good one-liners that don't take themselves too seriously you just might enjoy it. It's not too scary, or clever, or funny or that impressive but it entertained me so it may not be your film of the year but couldn't we all do with a bit of brainless entertainment once in a while?!

Summary: It might just surprise you....