DOA: Vivo ou Morto

It is 2021 now.but watch this 2006 movie is still fun.it is a tv game adapted movie,not big budget mission impossible or the bourne identity.but still full of good action fights,great stunt design,no unnecessary cheap CGI,good charactor development.and even it is 15 years ago,the director made a full hot diverse female team do the final big combate.

nothing to complain,just good entertainment.

In 1999, the martial arts movie was redefined by "The Matrix." What people forget is, the martial arts movie was previously redefined four years earlier, with the release of 1995's "Mortal Kombat." Of course, yes, "The Matrix" left everything before it in the dust. But for that 4 years, we had a short-lived champion... exciting action sequences, fair-to-cheesy dialogue, and a thumping techno soundtrack. It took something as historical as the Wachowski Brothers to knock it off its perch.

"Dead or Alive" features action sequences about on-par with "Mortal Kombat," dialogue scenes that are only slightly more painful, and the added presence of Eric Roberts, which takes two full points off its IMDb rating just for attaching his name to it.

I didn't hate DOA; it was miles better than "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" and director Corey Yuen ("Transporter," "So Close") is certainly light-years better than Uwe Boll, if that even means anything.

Slightly better than your average rental, but not worth a $7 movie ticket. In 1996 this would have made a bundle, but today it's just something that might actually hold your attention on cable at 3 a.m. 6/10.

Christie is a jewel thief fleeing the police in Hong Kong. Tina Armstrong is a pro-wrestler seeking to defend herself against claims of being fake. Kasumi is a ninja princess who has left her clan to avenge her brother's death. The three individually wind up being invited to join DOA, a competition where the finest fighters compete for the title of world's greatest (and of course a big wodge of cash). Once on the island location, the fights begin but it seems like not everyone is just here for the contest and other agendas come into play, not least of which from the mysterious organiser Donovan.

I just heard a news article on the way today about how video stores are gradually shutting down as the various ways to get movies squeeze them out of the market. Defending this was a claim that online renters cannot replace the store as they don't send you stuff in any order and can give you a comedy when you are in the mood for a drama etc. One hour later I got home to find myself living that argument as LoveFilm had dealt me DOA right off the bottom of my long rental list! Regardless I sat to watch it as sometimes it is good just to veg out and, on this level, I suppose it might just work if you are target audience.

There is a very basic plot here but mostly it is lots of non-stop action from start to finish. Sounds great right? Just what the doctor ordered – a tight, exciting action movie that never lets you go. Right. Only problem is that the action is roundly poor. The approach is the same for all the fights – lots of video game moves, CGI, unbelievable wire work and, if all else fails two words – "slow" "mo". It all failed to engage me as it was all so very obvious, unimaginative and uninspiring as there was just no heart or grit to the action – just loads of visual flair. As if this wasn't enough to tell you that the target audience is the teenage male, we have loads of soft sexuality that will just seem childish to most adults but will titillate the type of boys who fanaticise over Lara Croft.

There is no doubt that the female leads have great bodies but they lack a sensual edge that a strong woman character would need to be sexy. Instead these lot might as well be just dolls, thrown around and undressed as the boys see fit. Beyond their curves they have nothing in regards character and their performances mostly match that. Pressly has a lot of grace from me because of me liking My Name is Earl but she doesn't do much here other than wheel out that trash mouth she does all the time. Valance is a non-entity in regards acting and it is only the odd (hilarious) "oh gosh look she's nearly naked" scene that made me notice her. Aoki is poor and I maintain that her continued appearance in films and as a model is not evidence of her talent so much as it is of how much influence Daddy has. Carter is cute like the rest of them but is lumbered with the task of being pawed by Howey doing a totally unconvincing geek performance. Roberts is comically miscast and the rest of the support makes WWE look like Shakespeare in the park.

Overall then a roundly poor film but one that will probably just about satisfy the male teen market looking for video game fighting and partial nudity. Adults and those with more discerning tastes need not apply.

Dead or Alive is a film that is so exploitative and atrociously bad, that somehow it ended up being a whole lot of fun. However to view this as a fun film, it must be viewed as intended: With brain switched off, and ol' Mr McDong taking control of your functions for 80 minutes. Yes, this may be a film with a predominantly female cast, but ladies need not turn up to watch this, cause they probably won't enjoy it, unless their sexual barometer is registering the opposite end from "hetero." This film is total gratuity in every regard, from the scantily clad, sexy ladies, to the barrage of testosterone pumping action. This is hot chicks doing high kicks! So with that, and having this the pre-conceived idea when I bought my ticket, I knew I'd enjoy it. Hell the film was marketed right. It's about a video game and has the subtlety of said game, which is in the button bashing, short attention span of the games spectrum. It's a simple movie for a simple movie going experience. IF anyone goes into this film and comes out having not enjoyed it, then they SHOULD have known better! I think only those who want to see this kind of film, who are in the mood, will watch, and they'll get a kick out of it like me. Critics will despise it cause it represents a film they have to watch, but probably don't want to.

So DOA is essentially a non-interactive video game, an FMV if you will. It's got an awful script, mediocre acting, and all the efforts of the filmmakers have gone into perfectly capturing, glistening, bouncing boobies amongst the martial arts mayhem. The plot essentially is nothing more than little set-ups to all the fights, taking place at a secret fighting tournament set up by Eric Roberts, in grade-A scenery chewing mode. Roberts to me is a tragic waste of talent, who in the early 80's looked a great prospect and to some, me included, has more talent than his over-rated sister Julia (who now of course takes all the plaudits). Roberts is consigned to doing DTV movies now, or TV movies and on the rare occasion he appears back in the multiplexes, it's in another B-movie that usually is awful. However at least Eric is enjoying himself here, relishing his return (somewhat) to the limelight. or to put it another way, to remind people Julia wasn't an only child! The rest of the main cast, who register any interest, are the hot ladies. There's the rather bizarre, yet strikingly attractive looking Devon Aoki and then there's also Holly Valance, Sarah Carter and Natassia Malthe too. However it's Jaime Pressley who steals the show, not only with her performance, that delivers the most laughs (intentional ones that is), but also she has a bod to die for and considering some stiff competition from Valances sculpted physique in particular, that's no mean feat.

Overall though this film will go down as a classic bad movie. The filmmakers never intended making anything beyond what they deliver. This is bad, it's cheesy and it's forgettable. But it's outrageously fun while it lasts and it most certainly requires the wearing of loose fitting underwear to allow for Sgt Schlong to stand to attention every now and again. I feel guilty having enjoyed it, but I had a good idea of the film that would be delivered and it was delivered as I imagined. ***

As a fan of the DOA video games, it was in my nature to go see this film. Even though I knew it was going to be shocking, I was surprised (a bit).

Following the storyline from the games, DOA is about a fighting tournament held on a secret island were all is not what it seems. Princess Kusami (Devon Aoki) joins the tournament to find her brother. Tina (jammie Pressley) a distinguished womens wrestler joins to prove to the world she's not fake, like her "fighting style". Christie (holly valance)playing a sultry thief joins in order to steal a vault full of money, hidden on the island. Over time they meet other characters and they learn to work together in order to stop the main villain, Donovan (Eric Roberts).

Like most fighting video game/movies the really isn't much of a story and a few of the actors are below par (espesially from Kane Kosugi), I was really impressed by Holly Valance and Sarah Carter.

Most reviews can tell you that this is strictly for teenage boys, and I can tell you there right, through some racy shots of Holly valance and Jamie Presley. But what Impressed me the most with DOA is the fight sequences. Kane Kosugi has one of the best I've seen In a while on a flight of stairs and Sarah Carter and Holly Valance battle it out in the rain making it an almost glorified wet t-shirt Competition.

If your looking for something innovating form this genre, keep walking, but if your looking for a great way to spend and hour and a half with some friends, then see DOA.