When a virus breaks out in Europe, the entire country of Scotland is quarantined behind a wall. Though fear and chaos is everywhere, the wall allows the survivors to return to their daily lives, forgetting about the past and looking ahead to the future. But after three decades, the horrific Reaper virus resurfaces in a major European city. In desperate need of a cure, Captain Eden Sinclair leads a group of elite specialists over the wall and into the still quarantined area. With evidence of some survivors, Sinclair and her group have forty-eight hours to find a cure and return to the wall or else mankind will be over. Shut off from the rest of the world, the group is forced to battle the nightmare that has grown to call the abandoned land home.
Though it contains some intense action scenes and a stellar story, Doomsday is ultimately handicapped by its leading actress, Rhona Mitra, as it has trouble creating a link to the audience and will probably only be appreciated by previous fans of the 'futuristic virus thriller' genre.
First I have to praise writer Neil Marshall for his brilliant story. Not only was it a high-octane thrill ride, but the film proved to have some heart, emotion and the much needed deception, all of which helped save the film from being a complete disaster. It was quick, interesting and intense, three signs that should lead to success; however even a brilliant story and script couldn't save the overall film from its destined mediocre stature.
Rhona Mitra, known more for her work on television than in films, does a disastrous job at bringing Captain Eden Sinclair to life. Sporting a skin tight pair of black pants and top, Mitra struggled through her scenes, making everything appear forced and out of place. Watching her I couldn't help but allow my mind to wonder back to Victoria Beckham, almost a spitting image of Mitra throughout the film, and at times I almost laughed at the ridiculous similarities. Mitra seemed more concerned with her appearance than her acting as she skipped from place to place, almost as if wearing a pair of high heels.
But if there was one thing that Mitra couldn't ruin, it was the film's spectacular visuals. Conveying a long since abandoned town, Doomsday created a believable set filled with overgrown landscape and long since forgotten terrain. The trees, weeds and rivers have all begun to run their own course and just seeing the effects that abandonment can have on nature is truly amazing. Throw in some intense battle scenes between the survivors and the intruders and some disgusting up-close visuals of those suffering from the virus and fans of the genre will be on the edge of their seats begging for more.
The film was pretty good, not anywhere close to 28 Days Later, but it was fun, entertaining and with a good leading cast member, it would have been a diamond in the rough. However, it wasn't and the two and a half star rating is a kind gesture from a big fan of the genre.
