Doomsday (Blu-ray Review)

27 Jul, 2008 By: John Gaudiosi

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Street 7/29/08
Universal
Action
Box Office $11 million
$39.98 Blu-ray, $29.98 DVD
Unrated.
Stars Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Alexander Siddig, Adrian Lester, Sean Pertwee, Darren Morfitt, Emma Cleasby, Chris Robson, MyAnna Buring, Nora-Jane Noone, Leslie Simpson, Craig Conway, Malcolm McDowell.

It's obvious from the get-go that writer-director Neil Marshall (The Descent) has been given free reign with this unrated cut of Doomsday, as blood and chunks of brain flow freely throughout the movie.

The story borrows elements from such films as The Road Warrior, 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, Escape From New York and Lord of the Rings, and in some ways works better than some of the films that inspired it.

The government of the United Kingdom walls off Scotland to trap a killer virus, which returns 30 years later. The only chance for a cure is to return to Scotland to seek survivors.

Doomsday looks and sounds fantastic and is definitely a movie to catch in high-definition. Rather than relying on special effects, Marshall has created lavish set pieces filled with details that come through in 1080p. The sound mix also is top notch. This isn't a dialogue-driven movie, but what is said is very clear on this transfer.

Universal once again centers its exclusive BD features around its U-Control experience. “The Reaper Files” explores the mythology behind the film. “Tech Specs” pops up to delve further into the technology behind the film's very cool hardware, weapons and gadgets. A picture-in-picture mode appears at certain points to allow viewers to watch the DVD's featurettes simultaneously with the on-screen action.

There also is commentary with Marshall and a few of the supporting cast members, who spend a lot of time complimenting one another.

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