REVIEW

“Doomsday”

Rating: 6/10

Starring: Rhona Mitra, Malcolm McDowell, Bob Hoskins

Plot: A deadly epidemic tears through Scotland, prompting the government to build a giant wall to protect the healthy citizens, abandoning everyone else.

Years later, the virus returns in Britain, and a task force lead by Eden Sinclair (Mitra) is sent over the wall into the ravaged ruins of the quarantine zone to find a cure.

The Good: The premise maintains a pretty descent grip before the journey over the wall is made. Mitra does enough to convince viewers she’s a stone-cold soldier. The cinematography is also a catch, giving a pretty convincing post-apocalyptic Scotland.

McDowell gives us the most interesting performance of the day as a monarchial figure who has turned his back on the hope of reintegrating with modern society, choosing to live in a society that replicates the medieval era.

The Bad: Complete and utter “randomness” best describes the nature of this film. The atmosphere changes so frequently and abruptly that it may cause one to question whether they’re watching the same movie they were five minutes ago.

Perhaps there’s a bit too much to deal with in a film that features social politics, militaristic warfare, cannibalism, medieval battles, car chases and a “Gimp.” This is no explanation for why those left behind create a society of cannibalistic ritual sacrifice and sexual deviance.

It’s as though director Neil Marshall simply took all the elements from his favorite movies and mashed them together for his own amusement.

The Lowdown: This is Marshall’s fourth directorial project, and it packs a lot of fun, but in a very ridiculous package. It’s vicious, action-packed and full of the type of farfetched outrageousness that is so illogical that to frown upon it would be an admission of having taken it seriously.

Nevertheless, in comparison to his previous film, “The Descent,” which was excellent work, this is far more than disappointing. It’s just crazy enough to keep the audience’s attention, though — probably because everyone will be in awe of how much the film obviously isn’t paying attention to itself.