DOOM - PREVIEW 

Doom (2005)

Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Karl Urban, Rosamund Pike
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Rated: Unrated
U.S. Opening Date: August 5, 2005

Yup, this one just screams quality: a movie based on a computer game starring The Rock directed by the cinematographer-turned-director of Cradle 2 the Grave being filmed in Prague. (Note my dripping sarcasm!)

Anyway, the game is of course that beloved 3-D shooter Doom, which caused quite a splash back in the 1990s and was recently successfully re-launched with a third version of the game.

Now to be honest, having wasted endless hours on the first two games years ago (alas, my computer lacks the muscle required to play the latest version), I think that Doom should make for a great movie . . . if done properly, that is. (Think Aliens meets Total Recall and you’ll see what I mean.)

Unfortunately the movie being filmed right now seems to be irking fans by throwing away all the plot elements that made Doom, well, Doom. For starters, the whole Hell being opened up thing is out the window to make place for an infectious disease (no doubt the writer saw 28 Days Later) and so is the Mars setting. According to reports, the focus would be on horror instead of action. See this open letter from one of the movie’s writers to fans of the game.

Fine, but then just what the heck is wrestler-turned-actor (ahem) The Rock doing in it then?

By the way, since The Rock quit wrestling he’s been a busy guy. This year we’ll get to see him in about five, that’s right, FIVE movies. They include Be Cool, Spy Hunter, Doom and Johnny Bravo (!).
 

Plot Description of Doom (2005):

Big screen adaptation of a popular video game.

— Some sources: Amazon.com

Trivia about Doom:

• Certain characters in the movie, such as Dr. Carmack and the Dr. Willits are named for members of id Software (John Carmack and Tim Willits, respectively), developers of the series of games the movie is loosely based on.

— Some sources: Amazon.com