DOOM, based on one of the most popular video games of all time, knows exactly what it wants to do, and wastes no time in doing it.

Andrzej Bartkowiak, the director of effective action flicks like ROMEO MUST DIE and EXIT WOUNDS, gets right to the meat of the movie: marines versus monsters in dark, dangerous corridors.

The Rock brings just the right balance of bad-ass attitude and deadpan humor to the role of Sarge, while the cast's other standout is Reaper (LORD OF THE RINGS' Karl Urban), who tries to repair his strained relationship with his sister Samantha (Rosamund Pike), one of the base's scientists. They're joined by a motley crew, including the twisted Portman, intensely religious Goat, affable Duke, and newbie The Kid. While the plot differs from that of the game in a few key ways, it remains true to the spirit of the original, a no-frills fest of shooting, explosions, gore, and vicious zombies. The game was, of course, a "first-person shooter," and in an inspired moment, the movie turns itself into one for a stretch. It's exhilarating, as are several surprising twists that separate this fun, streamlined action extravaganza from lesser video game adaptations.