Don Lindich’s Sound Advice Blog

Doomsday

Blu-ray Disc review By Don Lindich

For screenshots of Universal’s Blu-ray splashscreen, menus and features, see my post Universal Blu-ray Discs are here- a first look.

As one of Universal Studios’ first Blu-ray Disc releases, Doomsday has been a highly anticipated title. In technical merit it does not disappoint… in fact, it delights with its artful blending of interactivity and film with outstanding video and sound quality, showing that Universal is sure to be one of the most highly-regarded studios publishing on Blu-ray Disc. Besides the obvious benefits of securing the studio and its library for the format, both the Blu-ray Disc Alliance (BDA), Blu-ray fans and high-def movie fans should be excited by what the future holds if future Universal titles look, sound and work as good as this one.

The Film

Doomsday combines elements of action, sci-fi and horror, along with dark visual humor. The film opens by recounting the story of how the Reaper virus wipes out the entire country of Scotland, which is quarantined with a huge wall armed with robotic turrets that blow away anything approaching the English side.

After the virus resurfaces in England thirty years later, a commando team led by Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) ventures back to the quarantined zone to find a cure believed to have been discovered by Dr. Kane (Malcolm McDowell) who was left behind when the quarantine was put in effect and the wall built.

Eden and her team encounter many survivors living in violent, warlike tribes that engage in ritualistic group cannibalism and other generally wild behavior. A chase ensues across the countryside, leading to the discovery of Kane and the secret of why there are still survivors in Scotland, which was believed to have been completely wiped out. A final showdown with the gangs leads to a final confrontation with the government, as Eden finds her place in the world.

Always great to see Malcolm McDowell, no matter the film.

Doomsday is dark, violent, and over-the-top in its graphic violence and grossness. It obviously doesn’t take itself very seriously, and I don’t think anyone watching it is likely to approach it as a “serious” film. Nevertheless, I found it an entertaining, intense diversion and I think that anyone who does their homework on this movie is likely to know whether it is for them or not. If it’s your kind of flick, Blu-ray is definitely the way to watch it.

This Bentley started right up after 30 years in a shipping container. They must be building them right…

Picture and Sound

Universal is definitely putting its best foot forward, with a beautiful film transfer that looks both hyper-sharp and realistic. Night scenes are clean and contrasty, and the Scottish countryside is rendered in natural, realistic color. It seems that the look always matches the mood, action, and landscape, and the tremendous image quality really adds to the impact of the film.

Sound is similarly clean and pure, with clear dialogue, well-rendered sound effects and a convincing, enveloping soundfield. I did not make a direct comparison, but going on memory technically the Doomsday Blu-ray is easily the equal of Universal’s best HD DVD efforts. I hope they keep this technical quality consistent going forward and give Disney a run for their money as the best studio publishing in high-def.

Interactivity

Universal has long championed interactivity in its HD DVD releases and is carrying on the tradition on Blu-ray. In fact, not only have they carried on the tradition, they’ve carried on the look and feel of their menus and interactive U-Control. It’s a good thing for former HD DVD fans and a good thing for people who owned Blu-ray exclusively and never got to sample the look and feel of a Universal high-def disc.

U-Control Menu

When you activate the U-Control through the menus or Blu-ray player remote, a small U icon (that looks just like the U in the Universal logo) appears in the lower-right of the screen, like a channel identification bug. When chapters with interactive features begin, the U expands to show the segment’s available interactive features. You use your remote to select the interactive feature and push the enter button to launch it as the movie plays. In Doomsday, you have a choice between The Reaper Files, which discuss characters and background elements of the movie, an i icon that calls up technical details for gadgets and vehicles used in the movie, and a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) option to show behind-the-scenes looks at how the film was made, as well as commentary from the filmmakers.

Given the fast action and over-the-top nature of this flick, calling up The Reaper Files adds just a little bit of gravitas and fleshes out (pun unintended) the background story, the government, the gangs,and their motivations. Watching the PiP is great fun as you watch the special effects crew watch their magic, and the technical data provides useful background on gadgets and vehicles, complete with moving graphics. All in all, the U-Control really enhance one’s appreciation of the movie and what went into making it.

You can also use the colored buttons on the Blu-ray player remote to bookmark scenes with in-and-out points.

Doomsday is a perfect example of how adding interactive features can greatly enhance the high-def experience beyond improved image and sound quality. When going through Doomsday I came to the realization that when you add the interactive features that run concurrently with the movie and Blu-ray’s greatly improved menu-system, DVD is starting to feel remarkably antiquated these days with its simple menus and thin-looking picture and sound.

Recommendation

Given that Universal was a die-hard HD DVD supporter to what seemed to be the very end, it is kind of hard to believe that they produced a disc with so much technical depth and excellence on their first try, and with just a few months’ practice. Whether they whipped it up fresh or have quietly been working on Blu-ray secretly behind the scenes, they deserve the highest praise for this, one of their first efforts.

Doomsday succeeds at providing “The Perfect High-Def Experience” by combining stunning picture and sound quality with relevant and perfectly executed interactive features. It’s kind of a shame that Universal did not bring out this Blu-ray Disc tour de force with a movie having a bit broader appeal. If you are willing to put up with some absurdities and plot holes throughout and like a sci-fi storyline, lots of action, and over-the-top, graphic violence where not even bunny rabbits or innocent bovines are spared grisly deaths, Doomsday is bound to be a hugely entertaining and valued member of your Blu-ray Disc collection. If your tastes run a bit more refined, you may want to rent it first and close your eyes when it gets ugly.