DOA: Dead or Alive (2006)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Corey Yuen

Writers (WGA):

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

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
Ying Wang	...	Lei Fang
Chad McCord	...	Chief Detective
Martin Crewes	...	Butler
Theodore Thomas	...	Gentleman (as Ted Thomas)
Li Shi	...	Bellboy
Anna Bolt	...	Nurse Jones
Hung Lin	...	Hitomi
Song Lin	...	Brad Wong
Robin Shou	...	Pirate Leader

Directed by
Corey Yuen

Writing credits (WGA)
J.F. Lawton		(screenplay) and
Adam Gross		(screenplay) &
Seth Gross		(screenplay)
J.F. Lawton		(story)

Produced by
Mark A. Altman	....	producer
Paul W.S. Anderson	....	producer
Jeremy Bolt	....	producer
Steve Chasman	....	executive producer
Shirley Davis	....	line producer
Shirley Davis	....	line producer
Bernd Eichinger	....	producer
Simon Emanuel	....	associate producer
Mark Gottwald	....	co-producer
Andreas Grosch	....	executive producer
Daniel S. Kletzky	....	executive producer
Robert Kulzer	....	producer
David Lai	....	associate producer
Peggy Lee	....	co-producer
Andreas Schmid	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Junkie XL

Cinematography by
Chi Ying Chan
Kwok-Man Keung

Film Editing by
Ka-Fai Cheung
Eddie Hamilton
Angie Lam

Casting by
Robyn Ray

Production Design by
James Choo
Sung Pong Choo

Art Direction by
Wong Ching Ching

Set Decoration by
Chung Kim Wai

Costume Design by
Frank Helmer

Makeup Department
Kevin Alexander	....	key hair stylist
Rosemary Lawrence	....	makeup artist
Anita Morgan	....	key makeup artist
Margaret Stevenson	....	makeup department head
Zoe Tahir	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Kerstin Dyroff	....	production manager: VIP Medienfonds
Petrina Ho	....	unit production manager
Cheuk Kau Man	....	production manager (as Cheuk Kauman)
Kerri Schwarze	....	post-production supervisor: Complete Post
Michael Toji	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Debbie Antoniou	....	second assistant director (as Deb Antoniou)
Felice Ning Bee Fei	....	third assistant director (as Felice Fei Ning Bee)
China Yi Wu Fong	....	second second assistant director (as China Fong Yi Wu)
Richard Hughes	....	second assistant director: second unit
Julie Siu Wai Lau	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Julie Siu Wai Lau)
Lemon Liu	....	second assistant director
Sylvia Liu	....	first assistant director
Yin Yin Zhao	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sherrie Dai	....	draftsperson

Sound Department
Steve Baine	....	foley artist
Stephen Barden	....	supervising dialogue editor
Todd Beckett	....	re-recording mixer
Alex Bullick	....	foley supervisor
Lee de Lang	....	sound design editor (as Lee Delang)
Lee de Lang	....	sound effects editor (as Lee Delang)
Brian Dunlop	....	adr recordist
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Gina Gyles	....	foley assistant (as Gina Wark)
Craig Henighan	....	re-recording mixer
Craig Henighan	....	supervising sound editor
Travis MacKay	....	adr recordist
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
John A. Pagano	....	sound effects editor
Peter Persaud	....	foley recordist
Jill Purdy	....	supervising dialogue & adr editor
Rocky Quiroz	....	boom operator
Tim Rakoczy	....	sound design editor (as Tim Rackozy)
Tim Rakoczy	....	sound effects editor (as Tim Rackozy)
Nathan Robitaille	....	sound design editor
Nathan Robitaille	....	sound effects editor
Martin Schloemer	....	mixing recordist
Kip Smedley	....	sound recording engineer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Susumu Tokunow	....	sound mixer
Marilee Yorston	....	foley assistant
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Visual Effects by
Glenn Campbell	....	supervising digital compositor: Area 51
Tiger Cao	....	animator: Menfond
Angus Chan	....	animator: Menfond
Cori Chan	....	animator: Menfond
Yan Chan	....	animator: Menfond
Ruxing Chen	....	animator: Menfond
Patrick Chui	....	senior animator: Menfond
Rhys Dippie	....	3D artist: Oktobor
Rhys Dippie	....	compositor: Oktobor
Wai Kwan Fong	....	animator: Menfond
Ben Fu	....	animator: Menfond
Danny Garcia	....	visual effects artist
Johnny He	....	senior animator: Menfond
Kim He	....	animator: Menfond
Weisong He	....	animator: Menfond
Bismarck Ho	....	animator: Menfond
Japhy Ho	....	senior animator: Menfond
Jesse Ho	....	animator: Menfond
Kim Ho	....	animator: Menfond
Aidy Hong	....	senior animator: Menfond
Michael F. Hoover	....	animator: Area 51
Jean Hou	....	project coordinator: Menfond
Kelvin Hou	....	senior animator: Menfond
Barry Howell	....	animator: Area 51
Brenda Huang	....	senior animator: Menfond
Leming Huang	....	senior animator: Menfond
Star Huang	....	animator: Menfond
Louis Hung	....	animator: Menfond
Robyn Isaacs	....	executive producer: Oktobor
Jianqin Jiang	....	animator: Menfond
Jonny Kofoed	....	animator: Oktobor
Jonny Kofoed	....	visual effects designer: Oktobor
Edmond Kwan	....	animator: Menfond
Tawny Kwan	....	project coordinator: Menfond
Wing Yan Lai	....	in-out opticals: Menfond
Anthea Lam	....	senior animator: Menfond
Garrett Lam	....	on-set visual effects liaison: Menfond
Garrett Lam	....	project manager: Menfond
Pat Lun Lam	....	animator: Menfond
May Lee	....	senior animator: Menfond
Paul Lee	....	animator: Menfond
Kwok Yuen Leung	....	animator: Menfond
Mon Leung	....	animator: Menfond
Qianghua Liang	....	animator: Menfond
Lili Li	....	senior animator: Menfond
Jules Lin	....	animator: Menfond
Jules Lin	....	on-set visual effects liaison: Menfond
Ruiwen Li	....	animator: Menfond
Sunny Li	....	animator: Menfond
Minping Liu	....	animator: Menfond
Yuen Chi Liu	....	animator: Menfond
Xiaoxin Li	....	animator: Menfond
Kament Mai	....	animator: Menfond
Michelle Massie	....	visual effects co-producer: Area 51
Don McCoy	....	animator: Area 51
Don McCoy	....	model maker: Area 51
Tim McHugh	....	visual effects producer: Area 51
Peter Montgomery	....	visual effects supervisor: Los Angeles
Joey Ng	....	senior animator: Menfond
Alison O'Brien	....	visual effects consultant
Galan Pang	....	senior animator: Menfond
Xianwen Qian	....	animator: Menfond
Christopher Wild Rogers	....	digital intermediate post-production supervisor
Chris Rogers	....	digital project manager: Oktobor
Greg Spencer	....	digital compositor
Kellany Stewart	....	digital compositor
Sam Sun	....	animator: Menfond
Jiajun Tang	....	senior animator: Menfond
Joey Tang	....	visual effects
Meg Thomson	....	visual effects producer: Oktobor
Matt Trott	....	art director: Oktobor
Matt Trott	....	visual effects designer: Oktobor
Yi Man Tse	....	animator: Menfond
Andrew Ryan Turner	....	visual effects editor
Michael Wah	....	senior animator: Menfond
Chi Kit Wong	....	animator: Menfond
Eddy Wong	....	visual effects
Sum Yin Wong	....	animator: Menfond
Victor Wong	....	visual effects supervisor: Hong Kong
Daniel Wu	....	animator: Menfond
Jimmy Wu	....	animator: Menfond
Nicky Wu	....	senior animator: Menfond
Shelley Wu	....	animator: Menfond
Roy Xie	....	animator: Menfond
Coco Xu	....	senior animator: Menfond
Siu Fai Yeung	....	senior animator: Menfond
Wesley Ye	....	animator: Menfond
Yan Yuan	....	senior animator: Menfond
Darkus Yu	....	on-set visual effects liaison: Menfond
Darkus Yu	....	senior animator: Menfond
Wind Zeng	....	animator: Menfond
Xianghao Zeng	....	senior animator: Menfond
Fish Zhao	....	senior animator: Menfond
Zhuopeng Zheng	....	animator: Menfond
Hua Wei Zhou	....	senior animator: Menfond

Stunts
Jian Yong Guo	....	stunt coordinator
Ming Liu	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Ming Qiu)
Che Qiang	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Ying Wang	....	assistant stunt coordinator

Casting Department
Thomas L. Carter	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jessica Jorde	....	costumer
Jennifer Seery	....	costume supervisor
Jack Tung	....	wardrobe coordinator
Kar Yan Yip	....	assistant costume designer: hong kong

Editorial Department
Joe Fineman	....	post-production consultant
Adrian Hauser	....	digital colorist: Complete Post
Skip Kimball	....	digital intermediate colorist
Steve Lemley	....	color timer
Brad McLaughlin	....	post-production coordinator
Jason Wasserman	....	first assistant editor: avid
Nick Wenger	....	post-production assistant
Bruce Williamson	....	digital producer: Atlab
Charlie Wong Wing Fung	....	post-production coordinator
Henry Yekanians	....	scanning and recording supervisor: Atlab
Ai Kusuhara	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Jason Bentley	....	music supervisor
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Anthony Enns	....	music score production assistant
Sam Estes	....	additional composer: score
Sam Estes	....	conductor
Sam Estes	....	orchestrator
Nancy L. McCullough	....	music clearances
Fredrik Sarhagen	....	score mixer
Cliff Swanson	....	orchestra coordinator
Julie Wadley	....	music clearances
Ben Zales	....	music assistant

Other crew
Sandi Archer	....	assistant accountant
Jo Carter	....	accountant
Mandy Chan Mei Yan	....	assistant production coordinator
Sarah Crompton	....	assistant: Mr Anderson )
Maria Dan	....	assistant to producers
Judy Goldberg	....	assistant: Jeremy Bolt
Joel Goldes	....	additional dialect coach
William Goodman	....	production liaison
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative
Florian Harms	....	legal counsel: VIP
Octavio F. Islas	....	assistant: Jeremy Bolt
James Taku Leung	....	adr voice group (as Jim Leung)
Sherrie Liu	....	script supervisor
Chad McCord	....	dialogue coach
Dieter Meyer	....	production executive
Eva Neufahrt	....	production controller: VIP Medienfonds
Christine Robson	....	production accountant
Chuck Speed	....	business affairs: Mindfire
Adele Steward	....	production coordinator
Davina To	....	assistant to director
Claire Varney	....	unit publicist
Berit Wetzel	....	legal counsel: VIP
Sylvi Woitusch	....	production assistant: VIP Medienfonds
Charlie Wong Wing Fung	....	assistant production coordinator
Patrick Zorer	....	production executive

Thanks
Rosemary Lawrence	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Constantin Film Produktion (as Constantin Film) (presents)
• Impact Pictures
• VIP 4 Medienfonds (as VIP Medienfonds 4)
• Mindfire Entertainment (in association with)
• Team Ninja
• Tecmo

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (2006) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2006) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Constantin-Filmverleih (2006) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Dimension Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmax (2006) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (2006) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Kye Films (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki Bulgaria (2007) (Bulgaria) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Rialto Film AG (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Sinergia Productions (2006) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Weinstein Company, The (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• West (2006) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Dimension Extreme (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Highlight Film (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Veronica (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• Area 51 (visual effects)
• Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company (visual effects)
• Oktober (visual effects)
• Oktobor (visual effects) (as October)

Other Companies

• Complete Post  post-production house
• Atlab  digital film scanning and recording (as Atlab Australia)
• Cal Poly Choir  choir
• Cinevex  laboratory services: rushes (as Cinevex Australia)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color and prints
• Deluxe Post-Production  foley facilities
• EPC  post-production consultant
• Huayi Brothers  production services
• Modern VideoFilm  digital intermediate
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo  orchestra recorded at
• Runway  post-production
• Salon Films  Chapman camera dollies
• Salon Films  Panavision camera lenses
• Salon Films  camera cranes
• Salon Films  grip and lighting equipment
• Sound Dogs Toronto  sound editorial services
• Taihe Film Investment Co. Ltd.  production services
• United Performers' Studio  extras casting
• Universal Music Group  soundtrack
• Widget Post Production  sound post-production
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility
• Wilshire Stages, The  post-production sound services (as Wilshire Stages, Los Angeles)

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:

WILHELM SCREAM: As one of the guards get kicked off of the balcony.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Tina is in the spa with Zack and takes off his shorts, the line when she says, "You're wearing way too much clothing," her lips are not moving.

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 Jerry Maguire (1996)

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.