In the future, a research facility on Mars is under attack from unidentified creatures and an elite group of Marines are sent in to contain the threat and bring back data and survivors.  Based on the popular video game, Doom stars Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings), The Rock (Be Cool) and Rosamund Pike(Die Another Day) and is directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Gossip).

 

While I was not familiar with the video game prior to seeing this film, you can still watch this film as a stand-alone horror film and still follow the action.  I did feel as if I had had some prior knowledge of the game I might have gotten some of the little "in" jokes that were in the film.  Some of the gamers in the crowd really enjoyed some things that I didn't quite get.

 

If you are a fan of the horror genre you will most likely really enjoy this film.  There is an excess of blood and gore, so it is not for the weak of stomach.  The director does a really nice job with use of light and dark in the film and the use of music to build suspense. There are a couple of jump out of your seat moments as well.  Don't expect too much scintillating dialogue because you won't find it here.  Heavy on action, not so much on the words.  There is a neat sequence near the end of the film that lasts about 10 minutes where you are actually inside the action as if you were playing the game which is really interesting. 

 

It was nice to see Karl Urban carry a film, it was worth watching to see "the pretty" for 2 hours.  It was a cartoony and overacted film by most of the actors, but for this kind of film that is really what you would expect. It is really a mediocre film at best. If you really like Karl Urban or the Rock or are a fan of horror films or the video game, you might want to head out to see this film.  Otherwise, there are a lot of other really great films out this month that you might want to check out first.

 

2 out of 5 on this one......