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Out and out theft
by Gladys (movies profile)
Mar 14, 2008
6
of
7 people found this review helpful
It is said that amateurs borrow. Professionals steal. If this is true, then Neil Marshall, the director of "Doomsday" is a consummate professional. Marshall, the director of "Dog Soldiers" and "The Descent", has liberally lifted sections of better films than "Doomsday." Villians from "Road Warrior", music and zombies from "28 Days Later", even the fonts on the credits are lifted from John Carpenter's "The Thing." He stole from the best, no question, but that doesn't necessarily add up to a good film.
The premise, that a zombie causing virus has caused Britain to cordon off whole sections of the country, are borrowed from "28 Days Later." The wall and the plan to re-enter the quarantined area come directly from "Escape from New York." The main character is a Ripley wannabe. She has very little backstory and she's not a character that you develop any fondness for. The walled off section has caused two tribes to arise over the 30 year period since the plague. One tribe clearly imitates the gang from "Road Warrior", down to their use of motorcycles and souped up cars. The other, has decided to return to the Middle Ages, complete with armor and sword fights. The plot can be summed up in elite team goes into the war zone and fights to get out.
The visuals are standard Marshall. Fight scenes are sped up and choppily edited to add energy. This worked well in "Descent" and "Dog Soldiers", but it's tired here. The action sequences are so roughly edited that you frequently can't tell what's happening. And unfortunately, sometimes you cease to care. The car chases, are lower rent versions of Tarantino's "Death Proof."
The cast is fine for what they're asked to do, but many of them, borrowed from "Dog Soldiers" aren't asked to do much. Adrian Lester does surprisingly well as a battle hardened soldier.
I will say that this film features one of the most horrific deaths that I've seen in a film in a long time. Without spoiling it, let's just say no one should ever have that kind of death. It is the most tension inducing section of the film. I don't cringe much in horror films but I did here. For that I give Marshall much respect.
Homage in film is a great thing. A nod to another film can cause you audience to smile, knowing that the director is giving a shout out to another film. Naming your characters after George Miller and John Carpenter is a nice tip of the hat to those filmmakers. Having a chase scene involving mohawk wearing punk motorcyclists is just a lazy rip off of Mad Max.
I love Neil Marshall. I just kind of like this film. Rent the better versions of this film. Wait for this one on DVD. |
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