Movie Info
Movie Name: Dead Space: Downfall
Studio: Film Roman
Genre(s): Animated/Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date(s): October 28, 2008
MPAA Rating: Unrated
A strange artifact has been found on Aegis VII, and the Church of Unitology sees the Marker as a sign of proof of their religion. Strange things have been happening on Aegis VII since the discovery as the population begins to go crazy. The USG Ishimura has come for the Marker, but the madness is spreading. The Head of Security Alissa Vincent realizes the her crew is in danger and the Marker is the cause. The Marker must not return to Earth or the monsters it has unleashed will be unstoppable. It is up to Vincent and her team to stop the Necromorphs and prevent the Marker from causing more destruction.
Directed by Chuck Patton, Dead Space: Downfall is an animated tie-in movie to the popular Dead Space video game series. The movie is a prequel to the first game Dead Space and also ties in to the Dead Space prequel video game Dead Space: Extraction.
Dead Space: Downfall is a rare horror cartoon. Dead Space the game is quite scary…there are always creatures jumping out at you. Since you aren’t directly involved with the action on the screen for this film, it isn’t as scary as the game. It does still provide some great horrific visuals with the Necromorphs and their killer attacks.
Story wise, this cartoon is sometimes a bit confusing. Even though the story is a prequel to Dead Space, you feel rather thrust into the story. There isn’t much background on the religious aspect of the story and events occurring on the planet (mostly tied to Dead Space: Extraction) are sometimes hard to determine. Once the Necromorphs start taking over the ship, it starts to get more direction, and I do like how the story ends with Dead Space (the game) beginning.
The animation for Dead Space: Downfall is good, and a strange cross between standard animation and anime. It is hindered by the story which doesn’t allow enough development for the characters (besides Alissa Vincent) and though the Necromorphs are cool, I wish there was more variety in them attacking…though they are creepy looking.
Dead Space: Downfall has high ambitions that can’t quite be achieved. They wanted a stand-alone story, a tie-in story, and to appeal to players of the video games. The movie cannot please everyone, and probably won’t please everyone. I do like what it has attempted and wish it could have been just a bit better. Dead Space follows other video games in creating these animated tie-in. The movies are a tip of the hat to the videogame source material which are getting stronger as years go on. It used to be a video game just had aliens attacking Earth and you defending it…now the aliens have reasons or as in Dead Space aren’t even alien. Another animated film Dead Space: Aftermath was released in 2011 and took place between Dead Space and Dead Space 2.