by norm stovall normstovall@gmail.com
C+ Rated R 95 min.
Right off the bat, viewers should be aware that this is a video game movie. Not a movie about video games or a movie that you control like a video game, but a movie that is based (loosely) on a popular video game series. Secondly, it is a legitimate zombie-killing splatter movie, so fans of that genre may very well enjoy it so long as they can get past the previous statement that this is a video game movie. I wouldn’t harp on game-based movies so much if I hadn’t learned that they are all inherently terrible. Mortal Kombat? Check. Super Mario Brothers starring Bob Hoskins? Check. Alone in the Dark? Check. The Wizard starring Fred Savage? No, wait, that wasn’t based on one specific game, so technically it was an awesome movie.
So anyway, regardless of what ‘type’ of movie Resident Evil: Extinction is, you should probably understand a little about the background and the plot so you can make an educated decision on whether or not you should waste your time with it. So who is this movie for? Well, it probably isn’t for hardcore fans of the Resident Evil Series of games, as the pacing is much quicker, and the scares are much fewer. Not only that, but the story is written in such a different way, that they don’t really compare all that much. Although I’d have to say, I think the acting is probably on the same level, though I’m not so sure that is a good thing.
As a sequel and the final movie in the trilogy, Resident Evil: Extinction is (remarkably) the most enjoyable of the series. While the first movie relied heavily on mid-tier CGI, and the second movie was pretty much B-level action with elements of the game series tossed in for fan service, albeit unsuccessfully, Resident Evil: Extinction stands on its own as a movie, first and foremost. In Extinction, it seems to balance out a bit, with just the right amount of action, horror, and gore. Though the story is still a little bit corny and there are certainly some WHAT THE F*** moments, such as the main character, Alice’s apparent psionic abilities, the movie is paced well and will certainly entertain those interested in the subject matter, which mainly consists of good-old zombie killing and action sequences.
As the movie starts, you learn that the T-Virus which has turned the entire population of Raccoon City into zombies, has spread throughout the entire globe, and has not only turned the people of the world into living dead, but the animals too. Even the vegetation seems to be infected, and North America has become a barren wasteland covered in sand. While the population of Earth is almost completely converted to zombies, there are a few small groups who have remained. One such group is a convoy of survivors headed by Claire Redfield, whose only mission is to help the women and children of their group survive. On the other side, there is the evil Umbrella Corporation, the original creator of the T-virus. These people live in huge underground lairs under major metropolitan areas, and they essentially have control over the planet, though their health is waning due to the totality of the infection on the planet. Their main goal is to find a cure for the T-virus, which just so happens to be the main character Alice, who roams the desert and eventually meets up with Claire Redfield’s convoy.
As you can probably guess, the movie goes from there, with Claire’s group working together with Alice (who is a total badass, by the way) to stop Umbrella and save the convoy.
The scenery in the movie is amazingly believable, with a spectacularly well-done recreation of Las Vegas, which is for the most part covered in sand. Filmed on location in northern Mexico, everything fits right in and is for the most part very believable. Additionally, the action sequences are done pretty well, and everything flows together surprisingly well. Ali Larter (Claire) and Milla Jovovitch (Alice) both excel as action stars, and though this film isn’t exactly what I would call blockbuster material, I have to say that as a zombie movie, it was enjoyable, and it could have been a lot worse. I still think movies based on video games suck, but Resident Evil: Extinction may have mellowed my harsh just a little bit.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
