Resident Evil: Retribution

[WingedSerpent]

Let me start off by saying that while I like the Resident Evil franchise-I wouldn't call myself a huge fan.  I've played most of the core titles, but never played RE: Zero or RE: Veronica, and there's a few others that have never found their way to my gaming console.  And I wonder if that's why I can't really say I hate most of the Resident Evil movies.  They aren't great movies by any real standard but I just don't have the same harsh feelings about them that others on the internet seem to have.  Strangely, many like the third one-which is actually the one I like the least.  O.k. Enough context.

Retribution is the 5th movie in the franchise, and actually is the close contender for the weakest in the film series so far.  A good comparison is to Iron Man 2.  The goal of that movie was to keep the characters around while setting up for a much bigger story.  Resident Evil: Retribution is very much the same way.  What happens feels like a lot of set up for the next (and presumably final) film.

Alice-the director's wife-has been captured by the Umbrella Corporation.  She is sent to an underwater complex where she finds herself fighting through different zones, dealing with some clones of her former comrades and protecting this little girl all while trying to escape the Red Queen computer.  And Wesker, the head villain of the series, has apparently become a good guy.

The Resident Evil movies have also been called the most successful video game movies, because they have been profitable enough to warren five theatrical releases. (They've obviously gotten some of my money) but I think that saying "successful video movies" is true on another level, because the film works on a very video game-esque logic.  Zombies and monsters are treated more like enemeis to fight through then inhuman horrors.  They very location is divided into "zones"-complete with an ice level. And it makes a run at Scott Pilgram territory by almost having the video game effect in the actual movie.  During one scene-Michelle Rodriguez's character delivers a Mortal Kombat Style X-Ray bone breaker moves to some people. (If you've played the last game-you know what I'm talking about).

The story is weak, and like I said is really just a lot of set up for one big final movie. Only real highlight is near the beginning of the film with a scene that seems to be an homage to the Dawn of the Dead remake a few years back.  You can skip this one.   

[JoeTheDestroyer]

Yeah, I'll skip this one as I did the last one and likely will for the next one.  I stopped following the movies after the third one.  They all feel like horrible fan fiction written by Paul What Script? Anderson.

[Jack]

I liked the first, third and fourth movies.  I'll probably check this one out - as usual - when I can find a used copy of the DVD for a couple bucks.

[WingedSerpent]

I liked the first, third and fourth movies. 

I liked the first one and most of the second one (The final act is really disappointing with what happens with Nemesis) and I kind of like the fourth.  Third one just felt too removed from the rest of the franchise.

[JPickettIII]

I like all four (have not seen the fifth yet).  I was a little bumbed when Alice lost her powers (it was the way it happened, not that she actually lost the powers).  I liked new monsters in the fourth.  I will watch the fifth after it comes out in DVD form.

One a side note, I love the games.  Them and DOOM are great gore shoot them up games.

Later,

John

[Hammock Rider]

Alice gets to wear a little wash cloth for a bit so that was good. The dialogue sounded like they lifted it straight from a video game. I don't expect any of the films in this series to be great cinema but it seems like they put as little effort as possible into it.  Bleh!