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Dead Space: Downfall

An animated horror movie that is the prequel to the popular video game.

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Do Aliens Have Religion?

  • Apr 10, 2010
  • by
Rating:
+3
A prequel to the EA video game Dead Space. Which I don't know anything about.

Alissa Vincent is the chief of security for the Ishimura, a spaceship tasked with recovering a very big and very strange "artifact" from Aeris 7. Once the thing is brought on board, a piece of the planet is hauled up also. And then things start getting weird. The rash of violent behaviours that swept the colony on Aeris 7 are now manifesting aboard ship, as people turn on themselves and each other, committing suicide and murder. A lot of people, including the ship's doctor beleive the artifact is the source, but the captain is determined to complete his mission and bring the thing home. Alissa and her team move through the ship, looking for survivors of this strange plague, but finding only dead bodies and horribly mutated victims. Eventually, Alissa is the only one left standing and, ironically, she finds some reprieve in the shadow of the artifact. She leaves a recording for anyone who might come looking for the Ishimura, then sacrifices herself in a last-ditch, and ultimately futile attempt to save anyone else from suffering the same fate as those on board.

Dead Space the game is rated "mature", so it stands to reason the movie would also cater to an older audience. The film does its best to deliver violence and gore, but the creepy atmosphere is somewhat tempered by the quality of the animation. Be that as it may, the story is well told and rivals similar live action films.

Alissa's sweep of the Ishimura--quiet walks down dark corridors, and violent encounters with Necromorphs--is offset by the drama playing out on the bridge. There, the captain grows ever more unstable as his religious fervour clouds his good judgement. Themes of religious zealotry and intolerance are further explored when Alissa's agnostic/atheist security team meets Irons. Irons is a Unitologist, but he's also straight-thinking, helpful, and fearless. Though some members of the security force are put off by Irons' religion, they set aside their differences in order to survive. Upon the bridge, no such compromises are made.

Unitology is a powerful religion on Earth, and the church's influence is very strong. The Unitologists believe the artifact is the source of life, and it's this belief that brought the Ishimura to Aeris 7, piloted by a captain who is one hundred percent dedicated to the cause. But it's only at the end, when everyone else is dead, that Alissa learns the truth about what the artifact actually does.

Dead Space: Downfall isn't preachy. Most of the film is dedicated to killing Necromorphs, and the story is only meant to fill in the gaps as to what happened before the game begins. And the movie ends right at the start of the game; as Alissa floats through the cold black of space, a rescue ship arrives and hails the now-derelict Ishimura. It's a bit of a downer ending, but the film is a prequel to a story that has a life of its own.
Do Aliens Have Religion? Do Aliens Have Religion?

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April 15, 2010
I'm normally not interested in flicks that are associated with video games because they make little if any sense and exist only to sell the game. Is this any different is the question.
 
April 10, 2010
wow! that is a pretty interesting take. I liked this one for its approach of simplicity, and for what it set out to do (namely as a prequel to a game) it was done very well. Great review!
 
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More Dead Space: Downfall reviews
review by . July 08, 2011
posted in Movie Hype
While I normally like to go into a good amount of depth into my reviews, I'm keeping this one a little short since there really isn't a lot to explain for Dead Space Downfall.      Dead Space Downfall serves as a prequel to the hit video game (and one of my personal favorites), Dead Space. On a remote mining colony called Aegis VII, an alien artifact (simply called the Marker) is extracted and many of the miners involved in the operation believe it's proof that God …
review by . June 12, 2011
posted in Movie Hype
A space crew come into contact with an ancient artifact. After bringing it aboard their ship, chaos immediately begins with the crew members being viciously slaughtered by an alien race that they released. Chief Alissa Vincent is sent in with her team to learn what exactly they're up against.-summary         This is one that really surprised me. Anyone who's familiar with my history concerning video games to film knows that I have a deep disdain for them. Now …
Quick Tip by . July 12, 2010
posted in Movie Hype
Okay i really liked the video game movie could of been a little bit better
review by . June 27, 2009
posted in Movie Hype
Dvd
The video game industry is one awesome profitable industry. It’s funny when you think about it, since the industry started with games like “Space Invaders” and the dawn of the Sega Genesis. Capcom’s “Resident Evil” and “Street Fighter” have spawned several mainstream movies in its wake, Akklaim also with the “Mortal Kombat” franchise. Now, EA’s science fiction survival horror game “DEAD SPACE” is a marketing giant in …
see all Dead Space: Downfall reviews (5)
About the reviewer

Ranked #273
I love horror movies. I love to talk about them, read about them, and even watch them from time to time. I write a blog and host a weekly podacast with Count Vardulon in which we argue about, laugh over, … more
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About this movie

Wiki

Dead Space: Downfall is an animated movie, a prequel to the events of the game Dead Space and takes place after Dead Space: Extraction, taking place while the Necromorphs invade the USG Ishimura after it receives the Red Marker. The movie, developed by Film Roman and EA, was released on DVD October 28, 2008 and broadcast on the Syfy Channel on December 2, 2008.

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Tags

Movies, Action Movies, Action, Science Fiction Movies, Film, Horror, Science Fiction, Animated Movies, Scifi, Animation, American Animation, Video Game Adaptations, Gore
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Details

Genre: Animation
DVD Release Date: October 28, 2008
Runtime: 74 minutes

First to Review

"3 ½ Stars: Action-Packed, Violent and Brutally GORE-RIFFIC!!! (Gore-tacular was taken)"
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