DOA: Dead or Alive (2006)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Corey Yuen

Writers (WGA):

J.F. Lawton (screenplay) and
Adam Gross (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 September 2006 (Australia)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

You're Invited.

Plot:

The movie adaptation of the best selling video game series Dead or Alive.

Plot Keywords:

Tournament | Island | Parachute | Martial Arts | Ninja

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jaime Pressly	...	Tina Armstrong
Devon Aoki	...	Kasumi
Holly Valance	...	Christie Allen
Sarah Carter	...	Helena Douglas
Natassia Malthe	...	Ayane
Kane Kosugi	...	Ryu Hayabusa
Matthew Marsden	...	Max
Eric Roberts	...	Donovan
Steve Howey	...	Weatherby
Brian J. White	...	Zack (as Brian White)
Kevin Nash	...	Bass Armstrong
Collin Chou	...	Hayate
Derek Boyer	...	Bayman
Silvio Simac	...	Leon
Fang Liu	...	Gen Fu

Also Known As:

DOA (USA) (short title)
Dead or Alive (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for pervasive martial arts and action violence, some sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | South Africa:13V | Finland:K-13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | South Korea:12 | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Heng Dian, China

Company:

Constantin Film Produktion

Trivia:

Milo Ventimiglia was originally supposed to be Weatherby but dropped out because he didn't like the way the character was developed. He appeared in Stay Alive (2006) instead, another video game movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Helena is fighting all the guards on the staircase, there are knocked out guards and a samurai sword lying directly behind her foot. In the next shot, they are all to the side so that Helena can run down the steps.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ryu Hayabusa: Princess Kasumi, your brother is dead. Your destiny is to lead your people.
Kasumi: I will not believe he is dead, until I see his body.
Ryu Hayabusa: There is no body.
Kasumi: Then he is not dead.

Movie Connections:

References Enter the Dragon (1973)

Teenage boys are going to love it

I love martial arts movies and in particular Cory Yuen films. No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers is a favourite. Having previously done great work with Jason Statham in The Transporter I had pretty high hopes. But I had reservations - this was a starring role for Holly Valance after all.

It wasn't everything I hoped it would be. Compared to the raw energy of Crank, DOA was committee film-making as usual. Colourful and featuring plentiful (reasonable) action DOA is only interesting in the opportunities it presents to draw comparison to others.

Borrowing stylistic and casting ideas from Charlie's Angels and Kill Bill, DOA is essentially Mortal Kombat and Streetfighter combined. Drawing parallels to Enter the Dragon too, there is nothing original or inventive.

Kane Kosugi benefits most from the choreography. He has a sequence on a flight of stairs which is brilliant and brutal - very similar to his scenes in his Japanese breakthrough vehicle Blood Heat. Elsewhere, while the film sexes up the concept of the tournament/video game movie, it's fatal flaw is that it's heroines don't convince. In Charlie's Angels they did.

Cory is notable for doing more than his share of fighting femme movies back in Hong Kong, including the recent So Close, but none are classic. DOA should have featured support from the likes of Cynthia Rothrock and Michelle Yeoh rather than Eric Roberts and Robin Shou. The girls are pure eye candy. Only Pressley comes close to credibility - because she has an impressive physique and attitude. Holly flutters her eyes at Coronation Street's Matthew Marsden while forcing an English accent. Devon Aoki lacks charisma.

The incorporation of the video game elements such as the character intros, K.O. freeze frames etc works really well and the costume design and production design brings the game to life brilliantly. You believe in the exaggerated world and that is key. But ultimately this is little more than a time waster.

A decent popcorn movie but nothing new for action fans.