 |  |
Review #529 of 365
Movie Review of Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) [R] 95 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $8.75
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 20 September 2007
Time: 11:59 pm
DVD Release Date: 1 January 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
Soundtrack: Download now from 
- or - order the CD below
Directed by: Russell Mulchay (The Curse of King Tut's Tomb)
Written by : Paul W. S. Anderson (AVP: Alien vs. Predator)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Milla Jovovich (Ultraviolet) • Oded Fehr ("Sleeper Cell") • Ali Larter ("Heroes") • Iain Glen (Kingdom of Heaven) • Ashanti (John Tucker Must Die) • Christopher Egan (Eragon) • Spencer Locke (Monster House) • Matthew Marsden (DOA: Dead or Alive) • Linden Ashby ("The Young and the Restless") • Jason O'Mara ("Men in Trees") • Mike Epps (Talk to Me) • Joe Hursley (Accepted)
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Click to see the Movie Poster Extravaganza for the Resident Evil film franchise
Click to read the spoiler points for Resident Evil: Extinction
"Perhaps, entitling it Resident Evil: Extinction, wasn't such a genius idea."
The good 'guy' of the series is actually a great female hero, probably one of the least appreciated, in fact. Her name is Alice (Milla Jovovich), and her blood is valued as the most prized possession on the planet—if only she could be found—because it is believed that it contains the cure for the virus. She's been off the grid and on the run for several years now having decided that hanging around other uninfected people wasn't so good for their health as she has a knack for attracting all the wrong people at precisely the wrong moments who are, in fact, after her, but cause great collateral damage in their attempts to snare her.
The film opens with a great sequence of Alice trying to escape the Umbrella Corp's Nevada command center located thousands of feet below ground. She survives a few of the traps rigged to prevent her escape, but not the final one. A rotating servo gun pops up out of the floor and shoots her several times in the stomach at close range. Dr. Isaacs appears and has his attendants draw a blood sample and then remove the body from the now bloodied corridor. They take her body to the surface and dump it into a dried up, concrete aqueduct on top of 20 or 30 other identical Alice bodies. Soon enough, we learn that the 'good' doctor has been up to no 'good', and is cloning Alices by the dozens in hopes to find one genetically strong enough to yield a new serum he knows can (a) domesticate the zombies turning them into a docile workforce for the future, and (b) a vaccine to prevent anyone else from ever being infected. Meanwhile, the original Alice he presumes is dead is wandering the desert alone in search of something, anything, to bring meaning to her life. After a mishap of her own psionic powers that destroys her only form of transportation, she happens upon a caravan run by Claire (Ali Larter) of which her old friend Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr) is a member. The caravan, desperate for supplies and reduced in half by size in six months of being on the run, is in the midst of its latest nightmare, an swarm of virally infected crows that would make even Alfred Hitchcock run for his life. Fortunately for them, Alice arrives in the nick of time to prevent the entire lot by being pecked to death when she unleashes her psionic powers literally cooking the crows in a fearsome fireball. After saving them, she inspires their hope of refuge presenting Claire with a journal she's found in her travels that seems to indicate that Alaska was too far from the infection zones and may be the nirvana they seek. A vote of the group seals their doom as they must then travel against all common sense of avoiding large cities inhabited, usually by thousands of the cannibalistic zombies, to Las Vegas to refuel for the big venture. The decision unwittingly takes them into a trap set by Dr. Isaacs to catch and kill the original Alice. It seems her psionic bursts have attracted the attention of his satellites alerting him to her existence and precise location. Will the caravan survive? Will Alice discover what's going on in the facility below ground in Nevada? Well, you'll just have to see the film or read the spoiler points to find out.
Director Russell Mulchay took over the helm for this installment of the now trilogy. His eclectic directing résumé has included everything from music videos to Highlander to episodes of "Queen as Folk". Given that he's never helmed a film quite like this one, the job he did wasn't half bad. Meanwhile, Paul W. S. Anderson, who has written all three films and directed the first one as well, seems to have stayed relatively true to his characters and story. Keeping in mind, of course, that converting a complex computer game into a film represents a substantial challenge in the first place and not just because there may be legions of loyal followers who don't want to see their game messed up. Employing the same writer certainly has added to the levels of continuity throughout.
The star of the series, of course, is Milla Jovovich. Her fantastic beauty hides a superheroine inside ready and capable of transecting numerous cannibal zombies in one fell swipe of her knives. She brings strength of character and purpose to the role, and demonstrates, in no uncertain terms, the capacity for women to have leading roles in superhero / action films.
"The Resident Evil series proves that a female lead can propel box office dollars and long-term fan relationships."
The major problem with the film rests in the plot. First, the ending is incredibly unsatisfying failing to tie up most of the important plot lines suggesting either another sequel or poor planning and editing. This might have been something that could have been over looked, unfortunately, the second issue grows out of it. Throughout, one cannot help but have a sense of déjà vu. Is it just too similar to what happened in 28 Weeks or Days Later?
Regardless, overall, the film is well made with good special effects, a terrifying villain who only gets bigger, 'badder', and more evil, and strong performances by the two leads Ms Larter and Ms Jovovich. If only Mr. Anderson had tied up all the loose ends in the script, and they had released the film in July, it might have been able to be a true contender.
"… the ending is incredibly unsatisfying …"
Alternate Poster
Click to Purchase
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
Cast Members
Milla Jovovich
• Oded Fehr • Ali LarterIain Glen
#VALUE!#VALUE! • Christopher EganSpencer Locke
• Matthew Marsden • Linden AshbyJason O'Mara
• Joe HursleyDirector
Russell Mulchay
Writer
Paul W. S. Anderson
| Book | CD Soundtrack | DVD |
| VHS | Poster | Related DVD |
| Related DVD | Related Book | Related Game |
No comments:
Post a Comment