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Created Mar 27, 2008 11:32AM PST • Edited Mar 27, 2008 11:32AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Neil Marshall returns a couple of years after releasing the spectacular “The Descent” with Doomsday, a flawed but ultimately entertaining non-stop action action movie that wears its references on its sleeve proudly. This is a love letter to old school action films as well as the more hyperactive action movies of today.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   The main star of this movie is one Rhona Mitra. While obviously an attractive woman, she also exudes an action star sensibility about her. Bob Hoskins appears briefly as Bill Nelson, Craig Conway is great as Sol, Malcolm McDowall chews the scenery as Kane, and the rest of the cast manages to do the part necessary for the film to succeed for what it is: a post-apocalyptic action/thriller.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

   The male stars would probably be Malcolm McDowall playing Kane, and Craig Conway playing Sol. These two are at the center of problems circulating once Sinclair gets inside of the walls. McDowall is always great, bringing his same level of charisma and lunacy to this role as in every one he does. I much prefer this to Halloween when comparing performances. Conway steals every scene as the “beyond crazy” Sol. He is a leader, but definitely not one with his head on straight and it shows. They both did very well.

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

   Rhona Mitra is the female star worth noting. Her Eden Sinclair is strong yet lovely, and Mitra pulls it off well. At this rate, she could very well become one of the next female action stars (along with Milla Jovovich at this point). I believed her in every scene, no matter how crazy, action packed, or over the top it may be.

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

   This film does have a number of female costars worth mentioning. Emma Cleasby Did very well as Katherine Sinclair, Christine Tomlinson is good as the young Eden Sinclair, Nora Jane Noone returns from The Descent as Read, as does MyAnna Buring in the role of Cally. There are many roles of note in the form of supporting female characters, too many to mention. But the themes of strong female types is evident.

8. Male Costars Really Great 4.5

   The one male costar I will mention is Bob Hoskins. His career is very odd, going from movies like this and Unleashed to movies like who framed roger rabbit and super mario bros. He is definitely a gifted performer and in only a few short scenes he elevated the films to a higher ground. I simply wish his role was expanded.

10. Film

    Great 4.0

    Doomsday is definitely a slick movie, and the cast and crew have done amazing things with what was very likely a small budget. the direction is tremendous, the acting is above average for films like this, the dialogue is crisp but bogs on occasion, the music is good for the scenes, and the visual asthetic is amazing. This film will never win any awards, but it is a fast paced thrill ride for anyone who wants to sit back and awe.

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

    Neil Marshall is fast becoming one of my favorite directors. Dog Soldiers was great fun, The Descent is simply one of the best horror movies of recent years, and this film shows that when given some more money he can create some true spectacle. The action is intense and rarely lets up, but never confusing. It is a refreshing treat to see someone not edit action so much that it becomes unwatchable. Marshall truly knows how to make movies, whether horror or action, and that is why he is becoming a larger name with a larger budget with each film. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

12. Play Very Good 3.5

    This is an action movie, so the dialogue is rarely ever up to the par of the action set pieces. That being said, it is scripted by Neil Marshall, who does have an ear for dialogue. I would say that the dialogue is definitely above average, but nothing worth writing home about to brag about how crisp and clever it is. One notable quote that both ozzes with cheese but also brings shivers from its cool would be from Sol, “this is our city!”…yes, its that kind of film, and everyone involved is proud of that fact.

13. Music Very Good 3.5

    Music works best when it is there as an accent to the scene with which it is involved. The music of Doomsday is not perfect, but it effectively does its job in setting the next scene up. In a movie that is purely action spectacle, having music that fits is difficult, but this does it very well. Like stated above, it isn’t perfect but it is well constructed.

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0

    The visuals for this movie are breathtaking. There are nonstop barrages of action, car chases, gore, exploding rabbits, etc. I read that the budget was around 27 million, and every ounce of it is on the screen. This is a movie that looks like it cost every bit of 50 or 60 million dollars to make. The crew should give themselves a pat on the back for this, and I can’t wait to show this film to people simply because of the direction and visual panache.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Horrid 4.4

    This movie is not for the weak of heart. For those who thought Marshall’s last two films were gory, they are in for a treat. Doomsday is very over the top, with decapitations and blood everywhere. Definitely not one for children to watch. Doomsday has very much earned its “R” rating, i’m surprised they didn’t have to trim it more. There is also a bit of sexual content/nudity, and some language…which should be expected considering the genre.

17. Sex Lewd 3.6

    There really isn’t too much actual sex in the movie, but there is some nudity and some implications that abound. The principal idea is in the ideas on screen. there is a certain eroticism to what is being seen on screen, accentuating the violence. Receiving a lewd rating is based mostly on the implications and nudity.

18. Violence Monstrous 5.0

    This is a violent film! If you are a person who likes to watch a movie break barriers of violence and lunacy without ever gasping for air, then this is a movie for you. Like stated above, there are decapitations, blood, entrails, guts, mayhem, etc. This is a movie that never lets up once it hits about the half an hour mark. If you are a violent action fan, you will be grinning from ear to ear.

19. Rudeness Vile 4.6

    This isn’t an apologetic film; Doomsday is rude right from the start. Ther are language issues to be had and extreme acts of over the top violence and gore, as mentioned above. The car chase scenes are fast and filled with lunacy, there are exploding bunnies (no lie!), and the people within it are constantly doing things that people with moral decency would never be doing. That being said, it’s a joyride to behold.

21. Reality

    Fantasy 4.8

    This is ranked high on the fantasy list for a couple of reasons. One, I understand that a quarantine could actually happen, but in thirty years the entire government on the other side crumbled and turns into anarchy? Not to mention that they all look like they came from an amalgamation of Mad Max and Escape from New York (two obvious influences for this film to begin with). It’s beyond the bounds of realism to think so much would change just because of the quarantine wall. Also, its a science fiction movie that takes place in a near future with lots of changes, so there’s always a reality lapse. Still a fun fantasy well worth the escape.

22. Circumstantial Fantasy 4.8

23. Biological Fantasy 4.8

24. Physical Fantasy 4.8