Theatrical Poster
Doomsday (Theatrical – 2008)
Rogue Pictures
Director: Neil Marshall
Writer: Neil Marshall
Cast: Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Craig Conway, Lee-Anne Liebenberg & Malcom McDowell
Review By: Adam Tracey
Britain, Current Times. A deadly virus known as the Reaper Virus has broken out infecting millions killing hundreds of thousands. In a final act of desperation, hoping to guarantee the infected a massive wall, guarded by machines guns that destroy anything that moves, is erected. Thirty years later an apparent outbreak of the virus has threatened to get out of control and ravish the city again. But there is hope, satellite pictures have come back showing signs of life on the other side of the wall. Survivors? Hoping to stop another outbreak a team is sent out into the infected area to track down a rumored cure. Once out the team is stuck between a violent gang that rules the land and feeds on anybody who dares enter their domain, a small group of people who have holed themselves up in an old castle and the government that has its own agenda. The race for mankind’s survival is on.
Worth every bit of the 20 dollars I spent on greasy vittles! Doomsday is a balls to the wall, action packed popcorn movie if I have ever seen them. This movie touches all bases here. You have a little Mad Max, a little Tupac California Lovin and even some Pulp Fiction and Braveheart. Yes, buried deep in here is some social commentary, but who gives a rat’s ass. This is fun and fast. It is great to see Bob Hoskins back in a big movie, cursing and shouting horrible British slang no less. The outcrop of people living in the old abandoned castle was a little hard to buy, but once the bloodshed starts it really doesn’t matter any longer. Much more gore type scenes than you would have expected from a movie that was probably looking for a wider audience.
Some might claim a lack of back story, but the movie does not take itself serious enough to need anything more than a quick follow up. The only knock is some of the action sequences have such rapid-fire camera work jumping back and forth it is not always clear what happened.
Neil Marshall is officially on the list. This is his third straight quality outing. It might not live up to the heights that The Descent hit, but it takes its shots. Rhona Mitra, even if she looks like Kate Beckinsale, is full on hot in tight leather. Sol’s girl is freak nasty delicious and Sol himself is the perfect combination of over the top crazy and violent righteousness that you want out of the leader of a band of dyed, tattooed, and starving lunatics who follow him out of hopes for something better. This movie has moments of heroics, depravity, brutality, self sacrifice and fuel injected chase scenes.
