Even if you didn't already know "Doom" is based on a popular first-person-shooter video game, it won't take long before you begin drawing comparisons to "Resident Evil" (not to mention films like "Aliens" & "Predator"). In fact, there's a point late in the movie that plays EXACTLY like the game on which it's based. Not that the story itself is all that compelling to begin with, but this overly-long first person POV segment sucks you right out of the movie. Until then, "Doom" is a by-the-numbers, generic science-gone-bad film in which you can telegraph virtually every plot twist long before it happens. And fans of The Rock, who has, in the past, demonstrated he has the chops to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, will likely be disappointed to learn he's little more than an f-word spewing action figure here. Even so, "Doom" is far from the worst video game-based movie ever made, and is sometimes kind of fun.

The plot is nearly identical to "Resident Evil." In the near future, a genetics experiment on Mars goes totally awry, forcing a quarantine. An elite squad of Marines, led by The Rock, is called in to infiltrate the complex, rescue surviving scientists, and retrieve the discs containing data of their experiments. Using a recently-discovered transportation device called Ark, they instantly arrive on Mars to mop up. Of course, what they discover is that these scientists have been conducting genetic experiments, using a 24th chromosome discovered in an archeological dig, which turns some of its subjects into murderous monsters. By some, the movie suggests part of human DNA is what we call the soul, and only those who are inherently evil mutate into monsters, while "good" folks become superhuman. So what they are up against isn't some alien creature, but mutated versions of the scientists they were sent to rescue. There are some sub-plots, such as the estranged relationship between siblings John Grimm (Karl Urban, who's actually the film's hero, not The Rock) & Dr. Samantha (Rosamund Pike), but for the most part, the cliched characters takes a back seat to the ensuing violent carnage, of which there is plenty. Though this version is unrated, the graphic violence would definitely earn it a hard R rating. Yet, as derivative as the movie is, and as bland as these characters are, "Doom" manages to offer some gruesome, mindless fun...at least right up until the moment it decides to remind us of its video game origins through an unnecessarily long & pointless sequence in which we watch our hero blast away zombies & monsters from the POV of his gun barrel. What could have been a semi-amusing homage goes on and on for what seems like five minutes, serving only to remind the viewer "Doom" is not so much a movie as it is a product. It's like watching someone else play a video game, waiting for your turn, but your turn never comes.

The movie is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, and for a film that mostly takes place in the dark, the overall picture is quite good, with accurate black tones & sharp lines. Not surprisingly, the soundtrack is loud enough to clear out all your sinus cavities, but the overall balance is decent and there's no noticeable distortion.

It probably won't shock anyone that most of the extras focus on the visual effects, weapons and the video game on which it's based. There's a segment on the aforementioned first-person-shooter sequence, which might thrill any game geeks bowled over by it, as well as a featurette showing the cast receiving weapons training, and an FX piece showing how The Rock's character undergoes his CGI mutation. Also included is a tutorial for the video game, along with an XBOX demo for "Doom 3" (on which most of this film is based).

"Doom" is more-or-less what you'd expect from a movie based on a video game...violent, loud and utterly free of any surprises or originality. The first-person-shooter sequence threatens to undermine the whole thing, and The Rock is wasted in a throwaway role (too many more movies like this and the only place he'll rule the action genre is Wal-Mart's budget bin). Still, if you loved "Resident Evil," you'll likely enjoy this, since it moves along pretty quickly and features a few impressive death scenes. Similar Movies: "Resident Evil"; "Aliens"; "Predator"; "The Thing" (1982)