Doomsday Prophecy

 (TV) (2011)

Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray delivers great video and audio, but overall it's a mediocre Blu-ray release
It begins with massive earthquakes. The Black Sea disappearing into the earth. Vast chasms spreading into populated areas. And the worst is still to come! Jewel Staite (''Stargate: Atlantis,'' ''Firefly'') and A.J. Buckley (''CSI: NY,'' ''Supernatural'') star in this paranormal thriller about the hunt for a modern-day Nostradamus who has predicted a celestial phenomenon that can annihilate nations and kill millions. Will the alignment of our solar system with the galactic equator lead to a globally cataclysmic disaster, or just a whole lot of creepy visions, shocking chaos and awesome destruction?

For more about Doomsday Prophecy and the Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray release, see the Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray Review

Starring: A.J. Buckley, Jewel Staite, Alan Dale
Director: Jason Bourque

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Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray Review

A lower-end Disaster movie that's not a total disaster.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman, July 14, 2012

All will be revealed.

If this is really it -- if there's a major cataclysm and the world comes to a screeching halt, or worse, on December 21, 2012 -- it's been a fun ride. But stop for a minute and think of everything that will be wiped out: the world's finest artwork, classic music, Chick-fil-A, Blu-ray.com, and all the recent Adam Sandler movies. It would be a shame to see all of it up and disappear when the big meteor hits, Nibiru slams into the Earth, the nukes fly, the ground falls out from underneath, the sky plummets, everyone just up and vanishes, or as Doomsday Prophecy foresees it, a big old vortex comes on by and swallows up everything in its path, including Earth and the number one chicken sandwich combo. That is, of course, unless a publishing house lackey and a cute little college professor can stop it. Doomsday Prophecy will delight Disaster/End-of-the-World movie fans who embrace the cheap special effects, the shoddy plot, the stock characters, and all the usual junk that comes with these things. But Doomsday Prophecy manages to rise above the scrap heap; it's not a great movie, and it's certainly not as much fun or representative of the Disaster movie high point, but the film demonstrates a command of the medium, plays with a fair pace, and tells a halfway interesting story, certainly more than can be said for Disaster genre garbage like Megafault.

She has that "deer in gun barrel" look.

Natural disasters of the sort and strength man has never before witnessed are occurring all over the globe. The Black Sea has suddenly ceased to exist, the Earth opening up and swallowing every last drop of water. Giant fissures in the Earth are devouring cities at an alarming rate. Even entire countries are going under. It's end-of-the-world stuff, but two people are about to learn just how close man really is to the end times. A world-renowned psychic named Rupert Crane (Matthew Walker) has predicted with startling accuracy past events, such as 9/11. As a result, he's a wanted man. But despite the government's best efforts to track him down, the recluse has stealthily lived out his live in British Colombia, off the grid and away from inquiring minds. However, he is a published author, sustaining himself from book royalties. He calls up his publisher with news of a new prophetic book, and the publisher is all too happy to meet his demands, which includes specific instructions for publishing house employee Eric Fox (A.J. Buckley, "CSI: New York") to personally retrieve the manuscript. Crane has left clues around town for young Fox to follow to find the soothsayer's home. He does, but does't exactly find what he expected. Fox also meets a young college professor named Brook Calvin (Jewel Staite, "Firefly"), also summoned by Crane. Now, working with Crane's magical rod which is his key in seeing the future, the pair learn they have but a day to save the Earth from total destruction.

A sheer lack of dramatic intensity or thematic relevance simply comes with the territory of the Disaster movie segment; this is a genre defined almost completely by scope and special effects rather than characterization and plot details. That's why a movie like 2012 sits atop the pile, simply because it's the most dominant and complete movie of its genre ever made. This is a genre that cannot be compared to anything aside from others of its kind, and expectations must be adjusted to even tolerate these sorts of movies, let alone enjoy them. 2012 doesn't rack up Oscar-worthy elements, but this genre requires a skewered, abnormal outlook to "get" these movies, to accept them at face value, and that outlook will go a long way towards appreciating the art of the dumb Disaster movie as an enjoyable little escape vessel. And insofar as the Disaster genre goes, Doomsday Prophecy isn't a bad little offering. It lacks the mega-budget polish and special effects of a Roland Emmerich film, but it plays with an obvious charm, a good pace, and even a halfway acceptable sense of adventure and danger. The story is nothing of note and only the specifics separate it from all the others. There's the unlikely pairing, the race against time, the secrets revealed, the shady government/military figures, and all of the other clichéd elements at work. Yet Doomsday Prophecy weaves it all together to satisfaction; the picture is not 2012, but it's a commendable little outing for a SyFy-grade effort.

Then again, there are some really ridiculous pieces within the Doomsday Prophecy puzzle. Like Megafault before it, the film goes out of its way to show fissures in the earth chasing after vehicles. Likewise, smoke/dust clouds do the same, here at least having the decency to take out the bad guys. It's as if "nature" can no longer be random in these sorts of movies, or else "randomness" must coincide with the great dramatic fortitude, at least as much as the plot requires. The entire premise is based on two men's ability to foresee the future, or at least see it in painful flashes via some super-rod that will play a part in the effort to save the world. So as the heroes move forward by looking into the future, it would seem reasonable to think that there's no purpose in watching, because the audience and the characters both know what's coming before it arrives. Yet the film hangs on to more than a sliver of adventure; the ride is in the details, in the anticipation, in almost hoping for disaster to strike, for the future to somehow beat the rod and take an unexpected twist (whether the movie is smart enough to play with ideas about altering what's purportedly already set in stone is another matter). The movie simultaneously assures everyone that everything will be OK while still portending a dangerous path ahead. It also relies on the old "seconds left to avert disaster" crutch, and because cinema's too scared to allow time to tick down to zero, the sense of dread is lost to cliché. Yet the movie still works in a mindless sort of way. Go figure. Jewel Staite holds her own and puts on the best show in the movie, playing a believable female brainiac, not a James Bond special. A.J. Buckley is forgettable in the lead role; he plays the part evenly but unspectacularly, going through the motions but finding little range or energy in a movie that admittedly doesn't give him a ton with which to work.

Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

These SyFy Channel movies making their way to Blu-ray courtesy of Anchor Bay usually look pretty good, so wise viewers might rightly foresee Doomsday Prophecy's high quality 1080p video transfer, rod in hand or not. Though there's a few weak spots -- some softness, occasional lower-grade details, noisy blacks -- the transfer impresses a great deal. Generally, detail is exceptional. The image is consistently crisp and supported by a natural grain structure; facial and clothing details are remarkably intricate, allowing viewers to see complex creases and stitches in shirts and denim jackets while enjoying rough lines and facial stubble on the guys. The girls' faces are covered in makeup, but eagle-eyed viewers might see some makeup powder and residue. Colors are balanced and well-defined. Jungle greens, a beater of an old red pickup truck, a blue denim jacket, and all sorts of colors always appear film-accurate. Though blacks can be a touch noisy -- a low-light lecture hall scene in chapter seven being a prime example -- they're visibly accurate, never going a bright shade of dark gray or absorbing critical details. Likewise, flesh tones are always true to life. There are no spots, speckles, lines, or others signs of wear and tear. Banding, blocking, and the like are practically nonexistent. In short, this is a rock-solid transfer from Anchor Bay.

Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

Doomsday Prophecy features an active and immersive Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is a very fine presentation. It's wide, makes fine use of the surrounds, and even if it sounds a slight bit processed at times, the entirety of the presentation will nicely surround the listener and pull him or her into the action. Music enjoys a nice, natural spread and surround support, armed with fine clarity and good attention to detail throughout the entire range. Light atmospherics are fine, and again do well to submerge the listener into the environments. Whether the background sounds of cable news and ringing phones in the publishing house offices as heard early in the movie or natural woodland ambience has heard in spots through the second and third acts, the track plays clean, clear, easily identifiable, and mood-critical background elements that give sonic shape to the film. The low end is fairly tight and active. Earthquakes, rattling cities, and shaking foundations are commonplace throughout. There's a good sense of sonic chaos, and rather than just toss a lot of bass at the listener, the track remains simultaneously focused and energized. Gunfire erupts from all over the stage in one critical shootout. It plays with good volume and sonic realism. Lastly, dialogue remains firmly grounded in the center channel; the spoken word is consistently clear and lifelike. Overall, this is a good, balanced, enjoyable track from Anchor Bay.

Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

Doomsday Prophecy contains only one supplement: 'Doomsday Prophecy': The Stories Are True (1080p, 21:33). This extra features cast and crew discussing end-of-the-world prophecies, the specifics of the plot, the characters and the actors who portray them, the process of shooting various scenes, stunts and fight choreography, shooting locales, and more.

Doomsday Prophecy Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

Highbrow audiences will rightly shun Doomsday Prophecy -- this movie is not for them -- but those with an ability to overlook flaws in favor of fun should find some pleasure in this race against time to save the world from assured destruction. The picture hits some lows, unearths even fewer highs, but plays nicely along the middle ground, delivering a serviceable and entertaining little outing that plays through an entire plot built on transparency and a lack of surprise, but it's constructed and acted just well enough to make it worth the effort. The special effects are lacking, but they actually look a fraction better than the normal SyFY rubbish visuals. All in all, a fair movie and one Disaster fans are probably going to enjoy. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Doomsday Prophecy features high-end video and audio. One supplement is included. Recommended to Disaster movie fans and SyFy movie fanatics.