Skip to content
MovieCove
Doomsday

Doomsday

Mankind has an expiration date.

2008105 minRMidcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Director
Neil Marshall
Starring
Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Adrian Lester, Alexander Siddig

The lethal Reaper virus spreads throughout Britain—infecting millions and killing hundreds of thousands. Authorities brutally and successfully quarantine the country but, three decades later, the virus resurfaces in a major city. An elite group of specialists is urgently dispatched into the still-quarantined country to retrieve a cure by any means necessary. Shut off from the rest of the world, the unit must battle through a landscape that has become a waking nightmare.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Doomsday?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Doomsday to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Doomsday?

Doomsday earns 6 badges, led by Not for the squeamish and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Doomsday worth watching?

Doomsday's Midcredits score is the 39th percentile of all films, from 112K ratings across 6 sources. 42% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

39th percentile

Better received than 39% of films

55th percentile among Action38th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)41st

58 /100

38th percentile of all films

54th percentile among Action38th percentile among 2000s

Critics 51 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

42% liked it

41st percentile of all films

55th percentile among Action38th percentile among 2000s
42% rated it 7–1058% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 44%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

95th percentile

111K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Action92nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$4.9M
Domestic gross$11M
Worldwide gross$22M

Returned 0.7× its budget — 69th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree Doomsday is a derivative, uneven pastiche that prioritizes spectacle over story.

Fans praised

  • visceral action set pieces and spectacular stunts
  • fun, energetic homage to post-apocalyptic classics
  • Rhona Mitra as a commanding tough-chick hero

Detractors panned

  • derivative plot patched together from better genre films
  • uneven tone and sloppy editing, especially in action scenes
  • illogical details (medieval Scots with petrol bombs, cattle in wasteland)

What stands out

Effects and spectacle70

impressive stunts and set pieces, some rubbery effects

Atmosphere65

grim quarantine zone and medieval fiefdom evoke genre mood

Cinematography60

colorful Scottish outdoor visuals, but action often hard to follow

Acting55

Rhona Mitra's commanding lead praised; supporting cast uneven

Pacing40

fast and frenetic but rushed, with poor editing rhythm

Plot and story35

derivative, illogical, rushed story

Originality25

hotchpotch of 28 Days Later, Mad Max, Escape From New York

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 15 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Doomsday like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsBrutal · 7% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film embraces its post-apocalyptic genre with a straight-faced but self-aware intensity, delivering over-the-top action and gore without irony.
The rideAs a disaster prevention thriller, tension and thrills likely dominate, with the most intense moments coming at the climax when the disaster must be averted.
StructureThe story unfolds in chronological order, following the team's preparation, journey into the zone, and escape.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's over-the-top action and genre thrills leave a fun aftertaste, while its grim resolution and moral ambiguity add a bittersweet note.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeThe narrative follows a military team sent into a quarantined Scotland to retrieve a cure for a resurrected virus, blending a quest for a medical solution with survival against violent factions.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalSacrifice · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on preventing a disaster that threatens the human race, making survival the central concern, with sacrifice a likely secondary theme as characters risk themselves for the greater good.
StanceThe synopsis presents a disaster threatening the entire human race, suggesting a global scope and a warning stance about the dangers humanity faces.

The world

Near futureUrbanScience fiction
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Tyler Bates
Settinga near-future world facing a global disaster, with a team operating in urban environments to stop it
MusicTyler Bates is credited as composer, likely providing a driving orchestral score typical of action-thrillers.

Content guide

Is Doomsday okay for kids?

R

Doomsday is rated R: “Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and some sexual content/nudity” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (95/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at severe (82/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (32/100) and frightening material at intense (80/100). Overall it is heavier than 85% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany18
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • Belgium16
  • Netherlands16
  • Switzerland18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 91% of all filmsHeavier than 85% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 95%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 23%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 78%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, language, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Doomsday have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Doomsday?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Rhona Mitra
as Eden Sinclair
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bob Hoskins
as Bill Nelson
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Adrian Lester
as Norton
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Alexander Siddig
as John Hatcher
David O'Hara
as Michael Canaris
Malcolm McDowell
as Kane
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sean Pertwee
as Dr. Talbot
MyAnna Buring
as Cally
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Emma Cleasby
as Katherine Sinclair
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Caryn Peterson
as Vagrant Girl
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Doomsday?

Movies like Doomsday include Doom (2005), Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, most are dystopian films, and several are survival thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Doomsday?

547 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: post apocalyptic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.