Doomsday (2008)

Director: Neil Marshall

Starring: Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Alexander Siddig

A futuristic action thriller where a team of people work to prevent a disaster threatening the future of the human race.

Uhm, wow, I have to think about this one for a while. As a whole, ‘Doomsday’ is unlike anything I’ve seen before.

‘Doomsday’ is a mix of ‘Resident Evil’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘Escape from New York’, and shamelessly borrows heavily from ‘Mad Max’. Add medieval elements in a film set in the future (!!) and you have ‘Doomsday’. And the lead actress (Emma Cleasby) looks so much like Kate Beckinsale in ‘Underworld’. Wow, this is a most unusual mix, and I’m still deciding whether or not it actually works.

This is a futuristic, post-apocalyptic film with a medieval feel, and loads of action. The action sequences are fast-paced and incredible. There’s a chase scene involving heavy armor vehicles, smashing everything in its path, and a Bentley vs vehicles straight out of a Mad Max movie.

When a deadly virus broke out, Scotland was divided by a wall. One side of the wall is futuristic, while the other side has a medieval look – complete with outfits, gladiator arenas, and they are still fighting using a bows and arrows. There’s a father and son rivalry in the midst of soldiers on a mission to retrieve a cure for the virus, believed to be on the other side of the wall. Some scenes are barbaric, of which the scene of cannibals roasting (and then cutting and eating) a man was the most difficult scene to watch.

The film’s cinematography is excellent, and it has a good score and soundtrack. The performances were also very good. As mentioned, this is a film unlike any other, so it definitely is an acquired taste. For most parts, I was entertained – especially during the action sequences.

‘Doomsday’ was not a box office success, only recuperating $22 million on a $30 million budget. This is such a weird film, though, that I’m not really surprised. The Mad Max elements were also far too obvious.

Would I watch it again? I’m not sure. I’m confused. Maybe.