DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Doom (1 Viewer)

[John Sparks]

I think a review should be about the movie, not if you liked it or not. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Maybe it would have been better to get a real copy and then give a review?

I liked it, it's part of my sci-fi collection now.

 

[Greg_S_H]

HTF reviews have traditionally focused on the PQ and AQ. The actual movie portion of the review is just window dressing, and there are plenty of review and discussion threads available in the Movies forum. Perhaps this movie should not have been reviewed at all given the condition of the screener disc, but it does serve as an illustration of the type of screener the studios sometimes provide and how useless they are for a site like this.

 

[Keith Paynter]

Corollary:

One man's trash is another man's trash.

 

[Mark Lucas]

Is there going to be a real review or what? You know, with analysis of video and audio. All we have here is a placeholder that should read "insert content here later".

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I complained to Universal about this. I have no idea if they'll change their practices or not, but I told them it harms THEM to send out crappy screneers like the DVD-R for Doom. I got a final retail copy for review but only because I complained...

 

[Chad Ferguson]

So you you even know the DVD your reviewing has no interest to us, quality is cut away from it and its not the product we will buy. I thought this site like DVdfile had a rule against reviewing watermarked DVD's no? And too be honest a movie that is crap in your eyes could be someone else guilty pleasure. A while I agree the movie was no good in my opinion, you cant go out and say that after skipping through parts. Just my 2 cents.

 

[CraigF]

I don't think so. I made some comment the last time Steve got one of these, I think.

For an enthusiast site, in a tech-style content review, like right here, it's absolutely pointless IMO to send a compromised disc. We want to hear about what we buy. People can find out movie content more in the movie review forum(s).

As for Steve, let me see: lousy movie, compromised PQ/SQ...skipping a few bits...I'd have used the BIG fast-forward button myself, commonly called EJECT. I guess he felt obligated to at least not ignore the title...

 

[David Podjasek]

This review really does seem like a waste of time and space... I can't comprehend why the reviewer would have thought that this movie would not have violence, to the point where he would actually skip through it.

This suggests he did not give the movie a chance at all... the mood of a movie like this is often about all there is and that would be completely destroyed by hitting chapter skip.

I have not seen Doom (nor am I too interested) but I feel fully qualified to pronounce this review worthless.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Folks,

I think that HTF is probably going to take
a stand against having our staff review any
further product that is not finalized.

We understand that the studios are getting
very "antsy" about their screeners being
pirated. However, to send out product that
is not a proper representation of the final
release, ultimately cheats our readers.

Personally, I hope Universal comes up with
a better game plan of providing our reviewer
with final product. We want nothing more than
to promote their releases in our forum, but
will most likely refuse to do so if we are
submitted product that falls short of what
our readers will be purchasing.

As far as some of you having problems with
our reviewer not watching the entire film....

Steve has written dozens of reviews for this
forum over the past year. This is the very first
time he has admitted to not watching a film in
its entirety. I give him credit for admitting
it. He was certainly up front with all of you.

From reading his review, it seems he watched
most of the feature, only skipping through parts
he deemed overly violent. It also seems to me
that he watched enough of the film, start to end,
to get a general idea of how much he was not
enjoying the feature.

Take it from someone who has "been there" and
"done that"...

Sometimes being forced to watch a review screener
can be a painful experience if you are just not
enjoying the film. I have done brief forward
scans in my time to get through difficult parts,
though nothing that caused me to miss huge chunks
of a film. For a film like DOOM, I am certain
Steve didn't miss any important plot points with
his scans either.

Based on Steve's reputation of providing quality
reviews to this forum, I think that this incident
can clearly be understood and forgiven. In other
words, cut the guy a little slack.

Thanks!

 

[rick bie]

I saw the DVD at home twice, once with my sons and once with my girlfriend. Both are more critical with movies then myself and they both found it a worthwhile and entertaining movie. I found it for what it was, not oscar-bound but still worth a watch. Like a lot of Doom fans I was disappointed in the loss of the "gate to Hell" story line and the injection of the Alien DNA plot. In my opinion the review as stated by others was a waste and seemed rather opinionated. The only technical aspect I found below par was the rather dark picture but I believe that was the atmosphere the director wanted.

 

[rick bie]

For a film like DOOM, I am certain
Steve didn't miss any important plot points with
his scans either. --- nothing like being open minded.

:frowning:

 

[Michael Reuben]

Let's not shoot the messenger.

Even if Steve loved the film and watched every frame of it ten times in a row, he still wouldn't be able to tell us anything meaningful about the A/V quality of the disc actually offered for sale, because the studio failed to send it. The studio is the culprit here, not the reviewer.

M.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

A review, opinionated??? How is that even possible???

It's not Steve's fault that they sent him a lousy screener.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

With DOOM, my review of the non-final screener for digitallyObsessed.com took the approach that, if this is what Universal insists that I review, then I will review it, as it is. That includes the watermarking, the bit rate of well under 1 MBPS, resulting in compression artifacts and the fact that since it's a DVD-R it doesn't, in fact, allow you to play the game in an XBOX (well in my XBOX, anyway, I understand there are some out there that will play DVD-Rs). If Universal insists on shitty press for their product, I can give it to them.

OTOH, I did actually enjoy the movie for its high body count splendor. :b

 

[Steve Tannehill]

At the risk of dredging up this doomed commentary, I want to thank you for not hunting me down with a BFG9000. I know this generated quite a bit of discussion here and behind-the-scenes. I am tempted to downgrade the subject of this message to not include "HTF REVIEW" but what's done is done. Let's move on.

I have to give a tip of the hat and tasty salute to Johnny Jr., who quotes Yoda and has a great chili recipe, just in time for another miserable weekend of weather down here in Texas. Zap me a PM with your address, Johnny, and I will send you that Doom poster and T-shirt.

And stay tuned! Universal really outdid themselves with their next prize... a DVD autographed by one of the Ghostbusters himself, Harold Ramis! Stay tuned to see how you can win an autographed copy of The Ice Harvest, courtesy Universal Studios Home Video and Home Theater Forum!

- Steve

 

[Chris Tedesco]

Putting the actual movie plot aside, it is rather disheartening that studios have gone the way of the screener.

I'm sure other members have seen a drop in feature film reviews over the past months and it's becoming quite frustrating. No fault to HTF, the DVD reviews have just not been like they used to. That's sad because that's why I come here, to read the remarks by the reviewers.

It also might be the fact that studios are becoming masters of transfering the big screen to the disc, so there might not be too much to fault on A/V quality. But I'm so used to reading DVD reviews, that the drop of them has left a void. Seems kinda funny actually writing this, but that's how I feel.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Chris, your opinions mean a lot, and thanks for sharing them.

I'll leave someone like Ron to draw the bigger picture conclusions, but as a full-time software engineer at a major telecommunications systems provider, I struggle to find time to live any semblance of a balanced life. That is why I have fallen behind in several reviews, especially some great TV-on-DVD product. But if you think that's bad, you should see the condition of my house. Koyaanisqatsi.

I can not put my finger on what drives the DVD-R screeners from Universal, but I think it relates to high-profile titles and piracy concerns. For two weeks straight, I have gotten two lower-profile titles (Pride & Prejudice and Prime) well before street date, in final product form. For that I am grateful. But I get the strange feeling that King Kong will only be a DVD-R screener.

The sad thing is, these DVD-R screeners generally arrive at the same time final product is available in distribution channels. The product is there, we reviewers are just not trusted with it. Although that ticked me off when I was writing my Doom rant, I'll just say that it disappoints me more than anything else. I learned in marketing class that you always wanted to present your best quality product.

But this commentary just cost me more time towards writing another review. Sorry.

- Steve

 

[Michael Young]

I appreciate the DVD reviews. I really buy DVD's based on the A/V quality. The quality of the film is the reviewers opinion. I really see no reason this should have any aspect of a scoring on a film. I have seen a few DVD's highly suggested from A/V quality along with quality of the film, which I didn't like.

Maybe to rush out DVD reviews, would there be a Quick DVD review which only shows A/V quality of the DVD tranfers? Im shure most of the review process is in viewing the tons of extra's and a writup on the film. Maybe HTF could have a quick DVD review, which just boasts the quality of the transfer, and leave the opinion on the film/extra's to the purchaser.

 

[Will_C]

A few things bothered me about watching this, foremost among them being the removal of a Hell Portal to jinking around with DNA that produced cannibal mutants. However, something that I don't believe has been brought up yet, was that the script had Rock calling his men soldier several times. These were Marines, not soldiers. Soldiers are in the Army. Specifically the point where Sarge told The Kid to shoulder his weapon, and then called him soldier when he should have said Marine. Sorry if this seems rather inconsequential to others, but I wanted to mention it. Just another plot hole. Thanks for listening to me rant.

One thing I did like was in the exras sections where they interviewed several G4TV hosts. I love Morgan Webb but I think she's probably too young to have been playing Doom in college as she mentioned. Maybe she meant Quake. Quake might make a better SF action movie if it involves the Strogg.

 

[Yumbo]

Finally watched this. Not that bad.

The gaming bit was a bit strange to see.

The sound was good. Some overdone bass, but lots of ambient effects.

Picture was ok....lots of dark scenes.

Didn't notice any EE.

Rental.