Last night, I decided that, having thoroughly enjoyed his first two efforts, that I'd procure Neil Marshalls latest offering, Doomsday.
Now, I avoided it at the Cinema, as it didn't get great reviews. Normally, that wouldn't stop me, but the local Odeon now see's fit to charge £9.50 per ticket to sit in a grotty auditorium, where the speakers crackle and the projector is so rubbish that all action scenes become a blur (it took me watching the DVD to see Lurtz get his arm lopped off in Fellowship...thats how bad it is). Thus, I tend only to see films I am absolutely desperate to see, or don't mind being wrecked by extremely shoddy equipment.
So, I pays my £13.77 in Woolies, and off I trot home. Stick it up the spout and......
Thoroughly love the film. Yes, it's a little odd in places, and the jump from Anarachic Punks to Medieval is a little weird at first, but the film works. The influences Marshall has drawn on are clear, and very well homaged, particularly the bus chase which for a few seconds, is almost shot for shot idential to The Warriors. And yet, despite being proudly influenced by Escape From New York, The Warriors etc, it never seems particularly derivative, as so many 'homages' turn out to be. Indeed, I would say this is on a par with Shaun of the Dead for carving out it's own little niche whilst staying respectful to those who went before.
The Car Chase is blissfully silly, and I found it quite a hoot, especially with the old brake so he hits his mate routine given an amusing twist (well, I found it amusing!)
So, what I would like to know is why did this get lukewarm reviews at best? It's an action movie with some new stuff thrown in. It's not Citizen Kane or Arthouse. Nor was it ever meant to be. And I hope Neil gets to make even more films in the future. In Dog Soldiers, he tackled the Claustraphobic thriller with a unique take. The Descent is scary as hell and frankly amazing, and Doomsday is just outright fun....
What films have you enjoyed that the reviewers may have poo-pood purely out of snobbery? (Oh, and if anyone says Uwe Boll, I will hunt them down. Apart from myself. I can't hunt myself down can I. I know where I am at all times, so not much of a hunt, thus not worth the efforts!)
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