Looking back at... Doctor Who: Vengeance

Jack Murray-Bell Looks Respectively, From An In-universe Perspective, At Doctor Who’s Third Movie From 2010

Hello and welcome back to my retrospective on the Doctor Who movies. This time, we'll be looking at Doctor Who: Vengeance; AKA my personal favourite movie in the franchise.

So, before we get into the plot, I'm just going to say that I love the title sequence: it's basic, but I think the speed of the camera going through the vortex and the text is nice and easy to read. We also finally have a good version of the chapter three logo for the movies. I absolutely love this movie's rendition of the Doctor Who theme; especially that build up at the start. Also, it's probably the most sci-fi sounding theme since the S24-27 theme in my opinion.

So, now onto the plot. I really liked it. Bringing Gregori back was an interesting move on Robert Shearman's part … at least, I hope it was Shearman because I really don't want to have to give credit to Gareth Roberts: he lost any respect I had for him. Anyway, I really liked how they had this movie tie in with Series 3 of Panopticon, and it was good of them to make the first two episodes of Series 3 cut down versions of this movie. Gregori himself is a great villain: manipulative; sly and cruel, and his plan to try and find a book in order to become president again is simple but effective. I honestly like early Gregori compared with 'sighs' what they did with his character in Series 4 of Panopticon

As for the Rogue backstabbing the Doctor: it was handled well; same with the Rani siding with Gregori.

Now, as for the parts of the movie that adapt Shada: they do a really good job of respectfully bringing parts of this unfinished Season 17 story to life while also still feeling original. Professor Chronotis has to be one of my favourite one-off Time Lords: he's just so likeable and funny.

Zenla and Chris are two of my favourite companions: Zenla is essentially a modernised version of Romana II and Chris just has a charming and likeable personality.

As for the villain cameos: I'm not a fan. The only one that really had a point was Erasmus Darkening.

Cordale is a really great secondary villain, and she and Gregori have some good interactions. Again, Panopticon Series 4 basically ruined her character.

Now I want to take a minute to talk about Twelve's regeneration scene: it's beautiful and haunting at the same time with the way Twelve just suffocates to death, leaving his body just floating there while regenerating and then falling into the TARDIS as he's still regenerating. Honestly, this regeneration scene almost tops Two's regeneration in The War Games as the creepiest regeneration; Two's beats it with the music and Two helplessly screaming NO over and over.

For me, this is also the saddest regeneration scene. While I did see some of the Anthony Head era live, Paterson Joseph was and still is my first Doctor, so seeing him go was a big tearjerker, and I would class his regeneration scene as one of the scenes that marked the end of my childhood, along with the endings to Toy Story 3, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Dark Knight Rises and Avengers: Endgame.

So, this movie is the first to be directed by Martin Campbell and he does a really great job. David Arnold also makes his debut as composer and he does a great job with the incidental music; each piece managing to fit the scene it's used in perfectly. The acting is also really great, with Paterson Joseph on top form as always. Joseph, Scott and Landau also have great chemistry together.

I only have one gripe with the movie: I'm not a fan of the fact that they felt the need to recast The Valeyard. Michael Jayston was and is still acting, and I just find it really ageist that they decided to replace him (no offence Charles Dance). Also, I wasn't a fan of the font used for the end credits. Had to use TARDIS Data Core to look up the cast and crew.

Overall: Doctor Who: Vengeance is the high point of the franchise for me. Join me next time as I take a look at the darkest movie in the franchise: Doctor Who: Endgame