Review of Doom (2005) by Sean G — 30 Jun 2009

Hell Breaks Loose.

A video game adaptation that succeeds in what it sets out to do.

In the near future, a teleportation device called the Ark has been discovered on Earth and enables anyone to travel to the red planet known as Mars. The Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) operates a facility on Mars where scientists have discovered remnants of a long dead civilization. Bodies uncovered there have revealed them to be humanoid and containing a 24th chromosome, one more than humans do. By injecting this chromosome into a modern human, it causes a certain few to mutate into blood thirsty monsters. It is not long before the facility is on lock down with level 5 quarantine. A group of marines, the Rapid Response Tactical Squad (RRTS), are sent to Mars to investigate the matter, recover UAC data, and if necessary, terminate anything hostile with extreme prejudice. It is not long before the RRTS are confronted by demon-like monsters that cut down the squad's numbers one by one. The sergeant of the squad, Asher Mahonin, decides that they must terminate anything breathing in the facility. He will not hesitate to destroy the Ark teleportation device, the only way back to Earth, even if it means his squad is doomed to stay on the red planet.

Andrzej Bartkowiak directs this video game adaption and there is no involvement by Uwe Boll or Paul W.S. Anderson to screw shit up. Bartkowiak's direction on Doom clearly isn't to weave an intricate, deep, Oscar worthy story but he succeeds in making this film a simple shoot'em up that will either thrill fans or drive them mad.

The lead character is Sergeant John "Reaper" Grimm (a.k.a. Doomguy) played by Karl Urban. John Grimm is the son of UAC scientists who were killed in the early excavations of the Mars site the film takes place in. Ever since they died, John went his own way and decided to join the marines, hoorah! On the day of his parent's death, his sister Dr. Samantha Grimm (Rosamund Pike) was present as well and she decided to follow in their footsteps. John and Samantha have been very distant from each other and when they meet on Mars for the first time in years, there is tension between the two. A tension they must quickly overcome if they are to survive. Karl Urban is best known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, The Bourne Supremacy, and the Star Trek reboot. He is a talented actor and he is in this film only to play the Doomguy, so his performance isn't mind blowing and he gets the job done. Rosamund Pike is known well for being Bond Girl Miranda Frost in Die Another Day. She is hot to look at and lets the viewer know that women don't wear bras on Mars. She too plays her role fine and does what her character is set out to do.

The squad of marines is led by Staff Sergeant Asher "Sarge" Mahonin and played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. In the first half of the film, The Rock comes off as being a bit stiff and cheesy. Once he gets the BFG (Bio Force Gun or Big Fucking Gun), his character gets more aggressive and more fun to watch. He carries a couple hundred pounds of weapons by the final part of the film and is toasting everything in his sight with the BFG. Once everything is burned to a crisp, The Rock has one question for you; Do you smell what The Rock is cookin'? The rest of the squad consists of firstly, Private Gregory "Duke" Schoefield (Raz Adoti), a man obsessed with video games and girls. As soon as he sees Samantha Grimm, he is on her like flies on shit. Secondly, there is Private Gannon "Destroyer" Roark (Deobia Oparei), a big black man carrying a minigun, 'nuff said. Thirdly, there is Private First Class Katsuhiko Kumanosuke "Mac" Takahashi (Yao Chin), the techie. Fourthly, there is Private Mark "The Kid" Dantalian (Al Weaver), the youngest member of the squad who needs drugs to calm him down. Fifthly, there is Corporal Dean Portman (Richard Brake), a mouthy, horny pervert who turns out to be a wimp and requests backup behind the Sergeant's back. Finally, there is Corporal Eric "Goat" Fantom (Ben Daniels), a senior member of the squad who is also deeply religious. This squad is a homage to marines assigned to take down a threat in Aliens or Predator. This squad does not measure up to those classic teams. I found Mac to be a bit of a mute and The Kid to be too much of a kid. Portman may be mouthy, but says a few funny lines. Having Goat as a religious nut wasn't necessary and I would have liked him more to be just a normal veteran. They all have cool black uniforms and carry nice weaponry, wish there was more guns.

The movie had a $30 million dollar budget so the effects aren't to the highest of standards. The opening scene is with one Dr. Todd Carmack (Robert Russell), the base's chief scientist, running for his life from a huge brute. The scene itself isn't bad, but having the old video game music playing in the background makes it stupid. The scene then moves to the opening title sequence and all it is, is the Doom title which is done very well with flames and metal. The monsters are from the video game and consist of mutated humans, Imps, a Pinky Demon, and Hell Knights. The only two done right are the Pinky Demon and Hell Knights. The other monsters were poorly done and are not menacing at all. The visual effects consist of CGI and prosthetics. The budget certainly hurt the detail of them and made them look shitty. The action scenes are not bad but probably won't satisfy the average movie watcher as they'll complain that they are too dark and the camera isn't focused. Well this film is based on the Doom series and if you've played Doom 3, this film is simply using the formula there and putting it on screen. If you don't like what is on screen, then try surviving the game. The most diverse part of this film is the First Person Shooter (FPS) sequence. It is near the end of the film where John Grimm is storming the corridors and the camera is set behind the barrel of his gun, exactly similar to a video game. If you have played/seen Halo or Call of Duty, then it is just like that. It captures the near exact feel of playing Doom. You are storming the rooms and shooting demons with the signature Doom music in the background. It'll make Doom fanboys and gamers happy but may not please everyone else. The music of Doom is done by Clint Mansell and his soundtrack here is suited for the Doom style but doesn't work in a few opening scenes.

The story doesn't follow the story from the video game exactly, as in the game the facility from Mars is under attack from demons from hell. In the film, scientists have discovered a 24th chromosome, which only makes evil people into monsters. I would have rather have had the invasion from hell story over the 24th chromosome story, but it is still serviceable enough for this flick. The ending of the film has two characters in a wrestling match and it would have been better to have seen something else. The ending isn't great either and leaves you wondering what the UAC head honchos really though of the situation.

This film has its own charm that makes it a bit of a guilty pleasure to watch. The film only sets out to be a video game adaptation with monsters around the corner to shoot at, nothing more and nothing less. Check it out if you are a fan of the game or watch it on a rainy day.

"10% of the human genome is still unmapped. Some say it's the genetic blueprint for the soul." - Dr. Samantha Grimm.