Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)


REVIEWER RATING: 
7/10


The first Resident Evil was released back in 2002 to a number of mixed reviews, but genre fans (like myself) seemed to sway more towards the positive side. I personally thought the movie was highly enjoyable and still believe it to be one of the better game-to-film adaptations to-date, despite not following the actual game much. The film opened to good numbers, and naturally spawned a sequel a couple years later, which eventually accumulated triple its budget.

Talk of a third and even fourth film surfaced shortly after the release of the second, which would finalize and tie up loose ends in the story. However, word spread that this third movie would actually be the last installment to end it as a trilogy (which is what writer Paul W.S. Anderson originally intended), but for those of us who have seen this film, know that it definitely can't end with things as they are. Veteran action director Russell Mulcahy takes over duties behind the camera, replacing Paul W.S. Anderson, whom now only serves as writer and producer.

In this movie we're shown Alice, now a lone survivalist in a post-apocalyptic and zombie-overrun world. It has been many years since the events of the second film, and the virus has spread across the globe, and somehow wiping out most of the Earth’s natural resources, such as water, leaving only deserts in its path. We're also shown the two returning characters from the previous installment, "Carlos Olivera" and "L.J.", as they're not part of a caravan of survivors traveling from one location to the other, scavenging for food and supplies.

Within the group we're also introduced to a few new supporting characters and potential victims, such as the young "K-Mart" (who was actually found in K-Mart), and "Mikey" (who I didn't see much point in having around). Then there's "Nurse Betty" played by singer Ashanti, that provides the heals when necessary. Lastly we're introduced to another new noticeable character from the game "Claire Redfield", who leads the convoy with Carlos. The favorable "Albert Whesker" is shown in parts of the film, and new baddie "Tyrant" proves to be a worthy opponent for this new improved Alice towards the end of the flick. I thought the new characters were rather bland (aside from Claire), while the old characters are sadly short-lived and cheaply discarded.

On the other hand, Milla is badass as usual with her duel-wielding khukris, and new psychokinetic powers, as she's shown she dicing away hordes of zombies. I really enjoyed the first two installments, as I found them to be action-packed and fun. While this movie does have its high points, it was rather lacking in the action department. I loved the whole post-apocalyptic Mad Max-type feel, of the desert wasteland and a convoy of survivalists. It was clear they spared no expense on the aftermath of the wide scale effects of the outbreak, showing a fallen Vegas and a series of wide views of the now water-deprived Earth. The biggest problem I have with the flick is the lack of proper explanations as to how some things came to be. Were merely given a brief reason as to how the outbreak effected the earth in such a ridiculously fast way, and some things (like what happened with the other remaining survivors of the second film) are never fully answered.

Throughout the film we're given attacks from infected Dobermans, and crows who've been eating the rotting flesh of the infected, turning them into vicious pecking machines (especially in numbers). Were also shown the new "super zombies" made from Alice's DNA that prove to be stronger, faster, and more dangerous than regular zombies. Director Russell Mulcahy's new approach towards the series was an interesting one, but failed to deliver the adrenaline ride that was present in the previous installments. However, he did improve in some of the sequences, throwing away the unrealistic over-the-top action that was rampant (and at times ridiculous) in the second film.

The gore's pretty decent, giving us a lot of holes blown into the skulls of numerous zombies, and lots of blood splattered throughout the film. The final battle between Alice and Tyrant was interesting, but underwhelming, like most climactic battles. In the end the movie delivers in some instances (like new foes and setting), but fails in others (like plot-holes and half-assed explanations), ultimately delivering an entertaining, but flawed action-horror effort.

I personally found the film to be the weakest in the series due to its numerous plot-holes and lack of action. However, I loved the post-apocalyptic feel and thought the action it did have was an improvement from the over-the-top non-sense present in the previous installment. Worth a check.
OVERALL: 
I personally found the film to be the weakest in the series due to its numerous plot-holes and lack of action. However, I loved the post-apocalyptic feel and thought the action it did have was an improvement from the over-the-top non-sense present in the previous installment. Worth a check.


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