"You are all going to die down here..."
The Umbrella Chemicals Corporation manufactures a great deal of the world's goods. No one except the employees know, however, of the sinister activities in which Umbrella partakes. As a "normal" work day at the underground Umbrella facility moves forward, someone releases Umbrella's experimental "T-Virus" into the lab. The facility's security system, "The Red Queen," then traps all of the employees underground, sealing their fate. Meanwhile, Alice, unconscious and lying in the floor of a shower, comes around. Not remembering anything, she explores the house in which she has awaken, realizing through pictures and flashbacks that it's apparently hers. But her mission of discovery is abruptly interrupted by a supposed cop, a fellow amnesiac, and a team of military officers who storm the facility. They all then depart on an ultimate mission of discovery: Who is Alice? Who is Spencer? What's going on at Umbrella? Who's on First?
As a fan of many of the video games that have been adapted into films, I was extremely skeptical of the quality of Resident Evil before I ventured to my local Carmike. I mean, who wouldnt be gun-shy after the Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, and Tomb Raider debacles? But what I found during and after the movie was quite surprising: the most genuinely thrilling and scary horror movie experience since The Evil Dead. Forget the fact that this film is based on one of the best video game series' out there, because it more than adequately could exist on its own two rotting feet.
But, being the consistency whore that I am, I cannot forget that this film is based on one of the best video game series' out there. The story only vaguely resembles anything from the video games: the Umbrella Chemicals Corporation is the overall bad guy, there are zombies, and the female lead kicks ass. In the games your main objective is to lead the characters to apparent safety from the zombie onslaught and uncover the secrets of Umbrella, as do the characters in the movie. But it's a given that the movie would HAVE to be like this, so I won't include it in my similarities list.
The major difference between the flick and the games is the reason and the way the T-Virus (what causes the reanimation in dead tissue) goes airborne in Umbrella's labs. I won't give away all of the movie's plot secrets, but there is a mole in the group of people trying to get out of the labs; In the original game Umbrella itself actually ran the tests at a mansion on the outskirts of Raccoon City.
Another huge difference is that the lab is run by a supercomputer called "The Red Queen," which is embodied by a holographic image of the developer's daughter, and is the "brain" of the facility. The Red Queen seems like an idiotic departure for the series, but she turns out to be a rather menacing figure, and is, at times, extremely creepy (what is it about girly Brit voices saying mean things that is so creepy???).
But after getting past these easily forgivable inconsistencies, you have a fantastic flick. The actors are quite good in their respective parts: Milla Jovovich does excellently as the amnesia-ridden lead character Alice. Michelle Rodriguez, as Rain, once again plays a bad-ass chick to a tee, this time as a member of an elite military unit sent to the lab. James Purefoy's Spence plays an important part of Alice's past (which neither can remember - damned amnesia!). Eric Mabius above-averagely plays Matt, who will play a very important part of the next RE flick Nemesis (which will apparently be based on the third game in the series).
In the past, I haven't included the directors much in my reviews, except for the good job/bad job kind of deal. But I must give many kudos to director Paul W.S. Anderson, who successfully pulled off the Directing-Writing-Producing hat trick. Anderson deserves a great deal of the credit for the successful adaptation of this flick, and I give him a standing-o for his statistically difficult accomplishment. I won't say that removing George Romero from the director's chair was a good move (I mean, he is the King of the Zombie Flicks), but it did not hurt this film in any way whatsoever.
Now, on to the main reason a great deal of people will go see this flick: the monsters, which are extraordinary. The zombies bring back many memories of George Romero's undead, which is rather appropriate as his Night of the Living Dead movie series was the inspiration for the RE games. The eventual final boss (in video game terminology: the final enemy you must defeat before completing your quest) of the film, the Licker, is in top CGI form, and is also another of the few consistencies with the video games. The Licker also kicks major booty. Can't forget that.
The finale of the movie is especially outstanding. It definitely succeeds in its purpose, which is to make you scream out loud, "Damn you! I want more!"--or not. But it certainly makes you quiver in anticipation of the sequel.
The soundtrack also doesn't leave anything to be desired. How can it, with the likes of Marilyn Manson being a part of the composing crew? I can accept the fact that not all people are into the stylings of artists like Manson, but even the crappiest of crappy soundtracks can be overlooked if the experience the movie gives you excels, which in this case is true.
If you are a fan of the video game series, a fan of horror films, both, or are just looking for a good time at the movies, you owe it to yourself to see this film. The cast is excellent, the monsters are excellent, the soundtrack is excellent, the thrills are excellent, and the consistencies with the games are excellent (when they're there). Well, what are you waiting for? GO! WATCH! NOW!
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