Doom

I am a big fan of the video game so I was excited to see Universal's latest release of Doom starring "The Rock"

Here is a movie that gives you what you expect and a little that maybe you don't. It has blood and gore, suspense, a fairly decent plot, not too bad acting, and a good twist. Of course I won't tell what the twist is, but I liked it.

A slightly misleading tagline boasts "Hell breaks loose" which plays on video gamers knowledge of the original PC game where in a first person action setting, you battle the forces of hell. The story liberty taken by director Andrzej Bartkowiak (who brought you "Cradle 2 the Grave" and "Exit Wounds") brings us demons, but not the kind that come from Hell. By the way, that is NOT the twist.

Something has gone wrong at a remote scientific research station on Mars. All research has ceased. Communication has failed. And the messages that do get through are less than comforting. It's a level 5 quarantine and the only souls allowed in or out are the Rapid Response Tactical Squad - hardened Space Marines armed to the teeth with enough firepower to neutralize the enemy.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson stars a tough as nails futuristic Marine Sargent sent to handle the problem. Karl Urban (who you may recall from the "The Lord of the Rings" series as Eomer of Rohan) does a great job of playing both a good soldier and a main character drama focus. Also setting the story on fire (as a anthropologist and sister to one of the Marines)with some great acting is Rosamund Pike of "Die Another Day" fame.

Another thing I liked was that two scientists in the movie, Dr. Carmack and Dr. Willits are named for members of Id Software team who developed the award winning video game back in the early 1990's (John Carmack and Tim Willits).

Overall a B+, not a bad night out for a little blood and guts around Halloween, by all means see "Doom" instead of the aweful remake of "The Fog" which was so bad I am not even going to review it, just give it a barely earned D.

Of course I am still waiting patiently for the October 28th release of Saw 2. Until then....

• Today's Cure song is The Exploding Boy from the Join The Dots: B-Sides and Rarities Collection - (2004) An B-side from the Head on the Door sessions from 1985.
  

"Tell yourself we'll start again
Tell yourself it's not the end
Tell yourself it couldn't happen
Not this way
Not today"

CJ