(2013-05-19 23:11:35)

Hot babes and high kicks.

First of all I don't know a single thing about the video game. A bunch of people are invited to DOA, a tournament that takes place every year to find the best fighter around. 3 super hot girls are invited, including Jaime Pressly. The main part of the story is about a Japanese princess who escapes from her castle to join the tournament because she wants to find out about her brother's death. Collin Chou plays her brother and he was killed at last year's DOA. There are other little subplots, but good storytelling is not exactly Corey Yuen's specialty. The acting by everyone I thought was very good, but unfortunately the movie is completely mindless. The action is not the greatest but not bad either. The main problem is that there is too much editing. The editing is done nice and slick, but I like to see a lot of exhanges without cutting. The fights with the women are extremely cut up (and when its not cut up their moves look completely unskilled), but some of the fights are actually pretty good. One of the highlights is when Kane Kosugi takes on about 20 guys. Even though there is some ridiculous wirework invloved, the fighting is mainly on the ground and Kane Kosugi and Corey Yuen work together beautifully. Kosugi is the meanest looking guy in the world when he fights. All he has to do is give a quick kick to the shin and his opponent goes falling flat on his face. And he pulls it off so convincingly. His kicks are amazing and his arm locking moves are very proficient. Corey Yuen shows why he is one of the best fight choreographers around in this scene with great choreography and some nice full contact looking hits. The next fight is surprisingly a good one between Jaime Pressly and a black guy who is always trying to get into her pants. I am usually not a fan of wirework, especially Corey Yuen's, but this scene is done very well and has a couple of jaw dropping shots. Pressly's punches look horrible but she has a couple of good kicks. Her opponent is very fast and I wouldn't mind seeing him in more movies. Collin Chou has the most disappointing fight. How Corey Yuen managed to make this the worst fight of the movie is beyond me. I don't know what he was thinking. Collin Chou is one of the most amazing performers ever to hit the screen (see Donnie Yen's Flash Point for proof), but he is completely wasted here, even more than Matrix 2 and 3. He does some ugly wire kicks and his fight with Eric Roberts is too brief. Very very sad. This ruined the movie for me. The only other decent fight has Kane Kosugi against a guy about twice his size. Kosugi looks awesome but the fight only lasts for about 30 seconds. Overall I wasn't too disppointed with this movie. Great eye candy, good action, and no thinking required. 2.5/5

Lars Gustavsson

(2013-05-19 08:07:31)

Entertaining but producers - Shame on you...

D.O.A is a pretty entertaining flick. The involved people sure seemedto have fun makin' it and that's good. The fun infects us viewers too.The martial arts scenes are entertaining, although not realistic atall. But hey, the film is based on a video-game so what would youexpect, right? It's all good. Cheap thrills and laughs and all that.Cory Yuen does a decent job as a director etc.. But producers - Shameon you. According to what I know D.O.A is filmed in Thailand, yet inthe end credits i did NOT see a single Thai name. Yep folks, no jobswere made for local people in this production. Instead it seems likethey flew in a bunch of Chinese folks when they needed extras and othercrew members. Nothing against the Chinese. They rock! But it's badbehavior from the producers side. Next time.. behave and create somelocal job openings. All that to the side. D.O.A is worth a look...

ThrownMuse

(2013-05-19 00:55:09)

Destined to be a drinking game favorite?

Whoa. File this one under "how in the hell was that greenlit?!" or "Ican't believe it's not Uwe Boll!" I'm still baffled by what I've seen.The first half hour was somewhat amusing and entertaining (what's notto like about Devon Aoki jumping out of her castle and flying away, orJamie Pressly taking on a gang of pirates who try to steal her yacht?),but after the fighters have been at D.O.A. Island long enough for theplot to thicken, the movie becomes uninteresting. 87 minutes shouldn'tfeel like 3 hours! Bonus points for the "D.O.A." appearing on thescreen every other scene (I smell a drinking game!) and a synchronizedjump-off-a-building by everyone involved in the production.What a bizarre and goofy movie. It's like "Charlie's Angels: FullThrottle" (yikes!) but lower budget.

(2013-05-18 03:50:40)

Hilarious Cool Kick Azz Fun

1. iF YOU LIKE any OF THE doa GAMES YOU must SEE THIS MOVIE2. tHIS MOVIE HAS IT ALL - IMAGINE jAMES bOND WITH ONLY THE GIRLS!!!3. kUNG fU - cHEESE - eXTRA CHEESE - AND hOT bABES - sHWING - i'M NOT WORTHY4. tHE gOSPEL aCCORDING TO zACK5. iMAGINE THE MATRIX WITHOUT THE pHILOSOPHERS6. dON'T BE AN rTARD - THIS .AVI IS DUMB7. i'M NOT ANTI-.AVI WHEN i AM IN THE MOOD. bEGIN THE BEGUINE.8. e = mc^2 = MIGS9. TOUR DE FRANCE10. bIOXOCK11. mATT AND tREY12. out....

Jeffrey M. Anderson

(2013-05-14 06:52:14)

Unquestionably brain-dead, but also a great example of unpretentious, second-gear celluloid, generated quickly, cheaply -- and for the fun of it.

Savannah Comilla

(2013-05-13 22:40:47)

As close to the Game as you can get!

As a person who was introduced to this amazing fighting game in 1998, Ihave avidly played each and every sequel-The movie is honestly theclosest to the game as I think they could get! I have never seen amovie so close to the mark in an adaptation before! A lot of peoplewill scoff at the obvious wire work in some scenes, and bark inlaughter at the plot-but the point is that the movie was meant to be asclose to the game as possible, and it was done outstandingly well! Iwas completely bummed out to learn that it didn't do well in theaters,and rushed out to buy the DVD as soon as it hit the shelves. I have tosay: the relationships between the main characters are very cool, Zackand Tina could not have been more in character with their gamepersonalities, and the beach volleyball scene really cracked me up!

James O'Ehley

(2013-05-13 13:03:45)

It's got hot babes in bikinis kung-fu fighting - what more do you want of a movie?

(2013-05-12 23:57:47)

Dumb Over Arousing

This review is from: D.O.A. - Dead or Alive (DVD) ... yet entertaining. If you're in it for straight, brain-on-hold, action or VG to film authenticity then this is the film for you. As far as titillation goes, however, if Ms. Pressly and company acted any more masculine they'd be wearing jockstraps. A perfect gift for the video gaming feminist in your life.

Gregory Kirschling

(2013-05-12 04:30:43)

If you only ever see one bad movie about warrior chicks who meet on a tropical isle for a fight contest, make it DOA: Dead or Alive.

(2013-05-11 16:34:58)

Another movie...

This review is from: D.O.A.: Dead or Alive (DVD) I only gave it a 4 as it's just a movie....I don't see giving a movie a "5 star" unless it's truly amazing. The movie came within a reasonable time. The movie itself...one of the better game-to-movie (for live action films) attempts. Decent acting, attractive women, in shape guys, good action, and the occasional comedic aspect. Also, safe for the kids.

Flagrant-Baronessa

(2013-05-10 20:36:29)

Absolutely torturous

Sixteen of the world's finest fighters within their respective styles –comprising mainly of steroid-fuelled hulks and butt-kickingbimbos-in-bikinis – are invited to a remote pacific island to competeat "Dead or Alive", the greatest martial arts contest on earth. Theprize is $10m. I'd attempt to add depth to this inane premise byexplaining some of the personal conflicts and histories that the keycontestants carry with them to the tournament, but since the film givesthem so little importance, why should I even bother?The story centres on four feisty femmes – Charlie's Angels all sexed upand stripped of their angelic qualities, as well as most of theirclothes – mouthy American pro-wrestler Tina (Jaime Pressley), slickcat-like Australian jewel thief Christie (Holly Valance), ninjaprincess Kasumi (Devon Aoki) and the previous tournament's master'ssweet daughter Helena (Sarah Carter). Although they are initiallyadverse to cooperating, the dire circumstances on the exotic islandforce them together in a sappy moment of team spirit. Aoki is arguablygiven the lead role of the bunch, with a personal history of a brothergone missing in 'DOA', and she is arguably the worst actress of themall, scraping by on unspeakably wooden lines and blank facialexpressions to convey a 'stone-cold' attitude. Of course they are allridiculous and the director camouflages their shortcomings with booband butt shots en masse.The saddest thing is that the smallest hint of watchability left in thefilm rests squarely on the well-toned shoulders of these four women.The quality of 'Dead or Alive' should therefore speak for itself. Itsaudience should rightfully comprise of Maxim readers, straight-to-videoactioneers and rabid x-box fanboys and there is little or no potentialfor cross-over appeal within any other demographic because it is soinane. I hardly fit in any of the aforementioned categories but havingsaid that, I can certainly be swept away by eyecandy of either sex.It's not a sexual thing; it's a visual thing and undoubtedly someentertainment stems from watching the scantily-clad/naked fantasy womendoing madly acrobatic stunts in Kill Bill-esquire scenarios whilestrategically-positioned objects firmly secure the PG-13 rating withthe goons at the MPAA.The eyecandy end of the (short) spectrum begs another accolade to beput forth: there is admittedly a tremendous visual sense in 'Dead orAlive' with a topdog action choreographer (Corey Yuen ) as its directorand it shows in the theatrical kinetics of the showdowns. There istruly nothing novel about them at all, but at least the effort is thereand the sporadically visually arresting fights serve as pleasurablepaint-jobs to the messy rest, with the lead actresses as its elaboratewindowdressing. The cinematography is the standard flashy fare,appearing as though its sequences have been extracted from a video gamecut-scene. The result is a fluid line-up of framable shots seamlesslyintercut and CGI-enhanced and it is just so utterly boring andunimaginative that I want to cry.The problem is that I cannot even cry, for 'DOA' never ever elicits anykind of response. At a push, Pressly's trashy charisma made me chuckleat one point (for the record, she is the only one of the girls wholooks like she could inflict harm on anyone) but for the remainder ofthe film I was just in sedated state of awe of how inane the film was.Women are subject to extremes: they are either mouthy touch-chicks ordamsels in distress but always gorgeous of course. I suppose I shouldnot have expected more from a 'beat 'em up' series, flavored with showymartial arts and laced with busty beauties but holy hell, this wasexcruciating.3 out of 10

David Edwards

(2013-05-10 10:33:07)

A film that boys aged 12 to 15 are going to lap up thanks to endless shots of Valance and her curvy co-stars in their swimsuits. But with a plot even flimsier than the bikinis, there's nothing here for the rest of us.

kamal-geeganage

(2013-05-09 04:04:24)

Would have been better with no Buddha's statues

Its a good movie. But It is absurd to see that directors have used LordBuddha's pictures everywhere in the movie. They say it gives anoriental feeling. Seeing Buddha's statues get destroyed and havingBuddha statues in the bed room where people have sex, would NOT give anoriental feeling.. its disgusting to see that one of the world'sgreatest philosophers is being used in such a lowly way.We as true Buddhists who respect all the religions in the world, aresad to see this. By doing such things you don't harm our philosophy,but you would harm yourself.MAY NOBLE TRIPPLE GEM GUIDE YOU AND BLESS YOU FOREVER!

solidsnake4040

(2013-05-08 12:46:47)

Watch Van Damme's Street Fighter again or Watch the paint on your wall

Piece of crap. Cory Yuen can do so much better than Wire-fool. Themovie's plot is retarded and very lame. No spoilers but it is a pornversion of Bruce Lee's classic Enter the Dragon. Just that this timethe evil mastermind is not developing drugs, and he invited 4 chicks tothe tournament. The girls are not attractive at all, and Kasumi has nofigure to wear a bikini. The love relationships were built up fasterthan instant cup noodles and the some of the best characters in thegame were killed off in the first round. The action scenes in the movielook extremely familiar to Cory's old movies, which means that he wasnot creative at all. Fans can easily draw reference to movies like"Legends of Shaolin", "Kiss of the Dragon", "The One", "Cradle 2 theGrave" and others. The only good thing about this movie is that you getto see Robin Shou went from Liu King and degraded to a cheap piratethat appears no more than 4 minutes through out the movie.

dilbertsuperman

(2013-05-08 08:02:29)

Total cotton candy Mortal Kombat with chicks- Think COMIC BOOK.

For fighting fans- the fighting is the super fake Hollywood "wire fu"fighting- for action fans- there is no blood. For people that likeplots- well- it's a rehash of a plot thats been done several times-with a stupid twist. This thing is a total letdown on the parts wenormally look for but what it lacks in substance it tries to make upfor in style..There are a number of stylish shots in this movie which would makewidescreen viewing rather fun- and a number of excuses for the women inexcellent condition to not wear much clothing and jump around- so-there are some redeeming parts to this film- it's basically bikinibabes meets Mortal Kombat. PLOT: A number of mainly females are invited to an island because oftheir awesome prowess as fighters- but the real reason they weresummoned has yet to be revealed- this steals the plot of severalstories before it, including Enter the Dragon- but tries to throw atwist in at the end which really solidifies this movie as nothing morethan a cheap comic book on film. The female bodies were appreciated andnicely shot. At times it looked like a juxtaposition of sportsillustrated swimsuit edition and mortal kombat.They could have improved this with a more hardcore approach to thedisplay of T&A and a more graphic style of fighting. For being an eyecandy fight flick - this is pretty tame and hence LAME.Go see Charlies Angel's instead- it sucks too, but not as hard.

dustinhunter707

(2013-05-07 17:33:39)

Interesting movie with excellent fight sequences

I was expecting some good fun from this movie because its directed byCory Yuen, who also did the fight choreography on Transporter 2 whichwas just amazing. Anyways this was a good solid PG-13 action film withnonstop fighting and I liked it, I mean I have seen better, but I haveseen much worse also. Jaime Pressly is great in this movie along withEric Roberts and Devon Aoki. Great cast and great fights makes this outto be a pretty good movie, plus hot babes that can fight just nevergets old in the action genre to me. Overall I gave this movie a 7 outof 10 because I thought it was good and entertaining but it could havebeen a little better if it had been rated R or if the fights wereextended a little more.7 out of 10, recommended for fight fans and action junkies like myself.

TheHande

(2013-05-05 18:48:47)

A Delightful Action-Comedy

Basically Video-Game Movies can be split into two types: Serious andNot Serious. 'DOA: Dead or Alive' is an example of the latter in itsbest form. The movie follows the tournament plot-trail of MortalKombat, though the only connections this time include Jeremy Bolt andPaul W. S. Anderson in the producers' chairs and Robin Shou (Liu Kang)in a nice little cameo-role.This film, like Mortal Kombat, combines the right elements. Furious andwell-choreographed fight-scenes with memorable characters and trueB-movie comedy combined with impressive visual- and computer-effects.The film's rather odd editing style helps to establish its computerizedlook and prevents the audience from mistaking the film as seriousdrama. :) The plot undoubtedly does not deserve many cheers, but itwould be harsh to undermine it. Some excellent themes exist, even ifthe format of the story does not provide much depth. Regardless, thisdoes not severely hinder the viewing experience.Where the film undoubtedly does suffer is confining in one too manyB-movie clichГѓВ©s near the end, but the delightfully action-packedending-skit luckily leaves the audience with an up-beat feeling.

(2013-05-05 14:33:05)

"Perfect. Broke another nail"

Chalk one up for oblivion, video game fans - we lost out on "DOA: Dead or Alive". Whilst watching this movie, I became convinced of a couple of things: first of all, the filmmakers obviously wanted to replicate what Mortal Kombat had done for the adaptation genre ten years ago; and secondly, every single one of them had both an unhealthy fixation with breasts that goes beyond the gimmick of the game series. Both of these aspects become obvious throughout the course of this 87-minute debacle that's sure to give critics just another reason to bash on game-based movies.The story: the best fighters from around the world - including a Japense princess (Devon Aoki, Sin City), a female pro wrestler (Jaime Presley, "My Name Is Earl"), and a beautiful assassin (Holly Valance, Taken) - are called to partake in a tournament for the prize of $10 million. Their reasons for joining are diverse - the princess Kasumi is searching for her lost brother Hayate (Collin Chou, The Forbidden Kingdom); Tina the wrestler is desperate to prove to the world that she's not a fake; and the assassin Christie plans to steal the prize money - but when it becomes clear that the tournament is merely a cover for a more sinister operation instigated by organizer Donovan (Eric Roberts, Best of the Best), the warriors must cast aside their differences to escape with their lives. While the film has no shortage of characters from the game series, you'll get to actually know next to none of them because the focus is constantly on the three starring ladies, who are highlighted more for their quirks and sex appeal than for their respective backgrounds or fighting abilities. Characters like Hayate (Colin Chou, The Matrix Reloaded), Hayabusa (Kane Kosugi, Blood Heat), and Ayane (Natassia Malthe, Elektra) are major players in the games, but in the movie, they're presented as little more than afterthoughts in favor of the teasing sensuality, light lesbianism, and partial nudity - all of which are presented as though the viewer is eavesdropping on the classroom daydream of a 15-year-old boy: girls sharing beds, fighting topless, the ever-forgettable volleyball match, etc. Of course, that's only half the film considered- what about the action? Ten martial arts showdowns highlight the fighting aspect of the franchise. To run down the list, Tina vs. Zack (Brian White), Hayabusa vs. three guards, and the sword fight involving Helena (Sarah Carter) are good; Kasumi vs. Ayane, Helena vs. Christie, Hayate vs. Donovan, and Donovan vs. the girls are merely decent; and Leon (Silvio Simac) vs. Kasumi and Tina vs. Bass (Kevin Nashh) are in the infamous negative-star range. Max vs. Bayman also takes place, but it's too much of a joke to consider. Though it lacks a proper term, I label the action in "DOA" as "pop fighting" - lots of posing, quick cuts, wire-fu, and the performing of moves that not even suspension of disbelief can make plausible; in particular, the Leon/Kasumi encounter is a study in ridiculousness.I won't even get into the forsaken acting, the braindead dialogue ("I am your servant, but if you leave the compound, I am honor-bound to kill you"), the ridiculous production (overdone sound effects, repetitious transitions), or the fact that Hayabusa walks through the entire movie wearing his headband like an idiot, but you'll realize quickly that unless you're over the age of fourteen, you'll need to watch this film whilst intoxicated to walk away thinking it was at all significant. "DOA" might have been a great film back in 1995, but nowadays, it's thoroughly behind the times in what both an action movie can be. The film received only limited promotion in North America, and I'm not surprised. Director Corey Yuen (The Transporter) and producer/genre leech Paul Anderson (Resident Evil) really could've done better than this.

(2013-05-05 14:35:46)

Booty booty booty

This is a fun film - something Bond can't do these day. Bootilicious babes who can kick a** in tiny bikinis - imaging merging Ursula Andress with Michelle Yeoh and a couple of hunky hunks - that's DOA.Not Academy Award material-lah but just fun.P/S Corey Yuen should direct a Bond flim. It would be a as bootilicious as Dr No and Thunderball. I miss the Pussy Galore in films today.

Rich Cline

(2013-05-04 23:42:52)

Yes, this is a genuinely terrible film. But it's also good fun.