Doom (2005)
Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak
Written by David Callaham & Wesley Strick

What can one say? The characters are not even updated twists on old war-movie clichés ("The Kid," "Sarge," "Duke," etc.). The weapons are more important to the story than the people. Most of the cinematography was lifted from a video game. And we've seen the whole "infected zombie rampage" thing a million times before.

Yet, when Doom decides, about three-quarters of the way through, to literally turn into a first-person shooter, it transcends any possible criticism. "I am what I am," it seems to say. "Take me or leave me."

Doom allows you to become one with the Big Dumb Action Movie, or not. It leaves the choice to you. So in many respects, Doom is a highly evolved movie, for its self-realization is 100% accurate. Like Buddha, Doom is egoless. Cinema, and indeed the world, benefits from the graceful adherence of Doom to its true, unpretentious self. Like the frog who can not help but to eat the fly, or the jock who can not help but to slam a dunk. 🤷

Review by Bob Jovi