Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Doomsday

also known as “Doomsday—El día del juicio del final,” “Doomsday—Il giorno del giudizio,” “Doomsday—Juízo Final,” “Doomsday—Tag der Rache,” “Juízo Final,” “Juicio final,” “Sudnji dan”
MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for strong bloody violence, language and some sexual content/nudity.

Reviewed by: David Simpson
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Extremely Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teens Adults
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Thriller, Drama
Length: 1 hr. 45 min.
Year of Release: 2008
USA Release: March 14, 2008 (wide)
Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Universal Pictures
Disease

Plagues in the Bible

The Origin of bad—How did bad things come about? Answer

Where did cancer come from? Answer

Pain and suffering

Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? Answer

What about the issue of suffering? Doesn't this prove that there is no God and that we are on our own? Answer

Does God feel our pain? Answer

What kind of world would you create? Answer

Fear

Fear, Anxiety and Worry… What does the Bible say? Answer

Violence

VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer

This movie extreme violence, including: cannibalism, hand cut off, spit in the face, push down stairs, car set on fire, gun in mouth, blood on camera lens, animal killing, branding, exploding bus, disfigurement, axe murder, shot in the hand, driving off cliff, slit throat, fall down stairs, piercing ripped out, angry mob, riot, arrow in back, decapitation, thrown through window, shot in the head, kicked in the face, crushed hand, gash in the face, shot in the arm, shot in the chest, shot in the face, knocked out with gun butt, suicide, person on fire, head blown off, corpses, burnt body, axe in the head, arrow in chest, stabbed in the head, exploding car, shot in the leg, burned alive, hostage killed, sword fight, crushed to death, throat slitting, shot in the back, explosion, car crash, shot in the eye, dismemberment, shot in the throat, punched in the face, nude woman murdered, shot through the mouth, shot to death, fall from height, axe in the chest, severed head, crushed by door, car crashes through window, torture, dragged by car, blood spatter, exploding rabbit, neck breaking, etc.

Featuring Rhona Mitra (Maj. Eden Sinclair), Bob Hoskins (Bill Nelson), Malcolm McDowell (Dr. Marcus Kane), Caryn Peterson (Vagrant Girl), Adeola Ariyo (Nurse), Emma Cleasby (Katherine Sinclair), Christine Tomlinson (Young Eden Sinclair), Vernon Willemse (David / Gimp), Paul Hyett (Hot Dog Victim), Daniel Read (Sergeant #1), Karl Thaning (Pilot), Stephen Hughes (Soldier #1 / Johnson), See all »
Director Neil Marshall
The Descent,” “Dog Soldiers”
Producer Benedict Carver, Marc D. Evans, Trevor Macy, Peter McAleese, Steven Paul, Andrew Rona
Distributor Distributor: Universal Pictures. Trademark logo.Universal Pictures

“Mankind has an expiration date.”

A post apocalyptic, stylized thriller is the best way I could think of to describe “Doomsday.” It details the fictional account of Scotland being quarantined by the British government out of fear of a virus spread that has ravaged the island.

The dreaded “Reaper” virus is contained behind a big wall, and all entry into the country is prohibited, until the disease resurfaces in London. Desperate to avoid England being subject to the same vicious epidemic, they send in a special ops team to try and locate a cure for the Reaper Virus.

Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) leads this gung-ho team behind the wall to find this cure and also a doctor/scientist that was known to have stayed in the area.

“Doomsday” is not an original movie; its story has been told in slightly different ways in “28 Days Later,” “V For Vendetta,” and “I Am Legend.” Eden Sinclair is typically a very attractive and extremely talented warrior whose kick-butt moves get her out of the seemingly impossible scenarios.

But it is just what you would expect from Hollywood in this genre of film. A beautiful girl, showing herself off, a brutal government that cares not one little bit about their people, and ruthless cannibals, who are haunting Scotland behind the wall.

There is plenty to find offensive about this movie. The language is fairly heavy, it's what you would expect from an R-rated movie with many uses of f***, s**t, variants of those two, as well as other crude terms. The violence is extreme with many decapitations, gruesome deaths involving lots of blood, and other such methods including a man being burnt to death slowly before being eaten.

There are scenes of scantily-clad women, as well as frontal nudity, but no sexual scenes. But the content is all quite graphic and very offensive. One of the main topics of “Doomsday” is cannibalism, and how those who survived the virus in Scotland have become cannibals in order to stay alive. These “creatures” are vicious, evil and will kill with no remorse or concern.

As Christians, we look to put ourselves on a high standard, as representatives of a God who is beyond all that is of this Earth. He is almighty and powerful, and is the epitome of joy and love. Nowhere in this movie is there love, joy, contentment, or even honesty and justice. Morally “Doomsday” fails to give us the redemption we might seek.

We do not gain anything good from watching something like this, and based on the content, I'm not recommending it for any age. To love one's neighbor, and to do good to those who hate you, that's a message that Jesus gave us to live by, and these characters continually kill, steal and destroy lives as it suits them. Unfortunately, it's not just the cannibals that do this, but also government, and people in places of influence.

It's a terrible example.

I felt this movie was better than some others of its genre. I think it was because it didn't over glorify the R-rated content compared to what some similar movies did. However, “Doomsday” is disturbing and graphic, and a very poor end to what could have been promising with a little more direction. One to miss? Yes.

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive

none

Negative
Negative—This film begins with an interesting sci-fi, dystopia-type premise, and the first half-hour is exactly what the previews promised. After that introduction, we follow our heroes through a night club with a torture chamber behind the scenes, a gladatorial fight in a medieval castle surrounded by rolling green hills, and a high-speed car chase with cannibals. Some violence did not contribute to the plot, and the scene changes and ending were too abrupt and lacked continuity. I was left more bewildered than offended.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2
Precious Albirth, age 23
Comments from young people
Negative—I won't go into much detail about this movie because it isn't worth the effort. A very unentertaining film that moves slowly, curses often, has disturbing violence including cannabalism and many other negative points. This film is so horribly made, it wouldn't be worth watching if it were cleaner. It's sick and boring. Don't watch it—if you do you'll regret it. I do, for many reasons.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 1½
Ben Badger, age 17 (USA)
Movie Critics
…‘Doomsday’ manages no scares, just graphic scenes of cannibalism, torture and dismemberment. …
Roger Moore, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
…the film reeks… the action scenes in ‘Doomsday’ look half shot and edited to cover it up…
James Verniere, Boston Herald
…scrappy, graphically violent flick that will further fuel geek devotion to emerging genre director Neil Marshall…
Geoff Berkshire, Chicago Tribune
…Though ‘Doomsday’ isn't exactly an actors' showcase, the cast acquits itself well enough, and stunt coordinator Cordell McQueen's personnel—who outnumber thesps in lengthy end credits—are stellar. …
Dennis Harvey, Variety
…Yet another cheesy, postapocalyptic actioner, only this time with a Scottish brogue…
Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter