Resident Evil: Extinction
Movie Review
"Resident Evil: Extinction"
Review by Eric D. Snider
Grade: C
Rating: R
Released: Friday, September 21, 2007
Directed by:
Cast:
In "Resident Evil: Extinction," five years have passed since the events in the last film. The zombie-making T-Virus has spread worldwide, with only small patches of humanity left. Those few groups stay on the run, avoiding the flesh-hungry infected while searching for fellow survivors.
This is the third film in the "Resident Evil" series, and it feels like it's lost whatever steam it had to begin with. I know there have been multiple RE video games; I don't know if this film is based on a particular one. If it is, it must not be a very faithful adaptation. I don't think there are any video games where the whole point is to sit around doing nothing for 95 minutes. Did Samuel Beckett design video games?
Milla Jovovich is back as Alice, an unstoppable killing machine who was one of just two people to escape the lab where the virus was first unleashed. She's a lone wolf now, riding around the Nevada desert on a motorcycle, and evidently taking excellent care of her skin. It looks waxy and smooth. Where do you find moisturizer after the apocalypse?
Perhaps related to that (though probably not), Alice has developed powers of telekinesis. She uses them to help a group of survivors led by a tough gal named Claire (Ali Larter) when the group is attacked by a massive swarm of zombie birds. Alice's old friend and fellow lab survivor Carlos (Oded Fehr) is among them. They're glad to see each other. He's had a rougher time of it than she has. His skin doesn't look nearly as good.
Meanwhile, back in the underground city where it all started, an evil scientist named Dr. Isaacs (Iain Glen) is working on developing a cure for the virus. That doesn't sound evil, but trust me, it is. For some reason it requires Alice's blood. Also, he's making clones of Alice and testing their skills against the zombies. Also, maybe he's actually really trying to make the zombies stronger, not cure them. Or maybe he does that accidentally. Who knows?
A film like this, you expect to see some good guys doing battles with hordes of zombies. Am I right, folks? That's what you paid for. Yet "Resident Evil: Extinction" gives us only one major sequence of zombie fighting, plus a scene of Alice in combat with a super-mutated zombie, and a few minor skirmishes here and there. The rest is tactical: Where can we find more gasoline for our trucks and a safe haven for our group, etc. There is no imagination or wit in the dialogue, and the few actions scenes are perfunctory.
Once again written by Paul W.S. Anderson but this time directed by Russell Mulcahy ("Highlander"), "Extinction" wins points in my book for being less outrageously stupid than its predecessors were. Basically, while it's dull and listless, at least it's not aggressively, howlingly dumb. It seems to me that if you liked the first two, you won't like this one as much, since it's missing a lot of the components that made them so enjoyable (or, if you're me, so unenjoyable). Stay home and wait for Halo 3 to come out.
Grade: C
Rated R, some profanity, a lot of bloody violence, some partial nudity
1 hr., 35 min.
Copyright © Eric D. Snider.
This work may not be transmitted via the Internet, nor reproduced in any other way, without written consent from Eric D. Snider.
This item has 21 comments
September 21, 2007 at 4:16 am
When you say it's missing a lot of the components that made the first 2 enjoyable, what components are you talking about? and i'm totally being serious here, i'd like to know.
September 21, 2007 at 10:24 am
Jack-o: Jill Valentine and lots of scenes of people fighting zombies.
September 21, 2007 at 11:32 am
"Did Samuel Beckett design video games?"
That line cracked me up.
September 21, 2007 at 11:35 am
Yeah, I saw the trailer for this and thought: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
The point of mad scientists is to rule the world, not destroy it. The games are cool, and the previous movies, because there was a lot of action. And point of heroes is to prevent the end of the world. I expect to be disappointed with this, so I'm waiting for it to be on TV.
Ali Larter is hot though...
September 21, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I liked the first two for no logical reason whatsoever. Guilty pleasures, I guess. And I was excited for this one until you said there aren't many good zombie scenes.
Why do I love zombies so?
September 21, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Unless there is a change in the story of the first 2 movies Oded Fehr is not her old lab assistant. He was introduced in the second movie as a mercenary that worked for the Umbrella Corp. Alice was also never a lab worker, and therefore would never need an assistant, she was a security officer guarding a secret entrance into the Lab.
I only know these things because the first two movies have been running constantly on TNT lately.
September 21, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Well John Doe, I got the impression the doc DID want to rule the world. He actually sounded as though he wanted all the undead to follow him (or...someone) as leader. Somehow. I'm not sure he's really thought the whole thing through, actually. But it does sound like his plan, what with that talk of "domestication".
I have to say that personally I thought the movie was pretty good. No classic certainly, but highly entertaining. I liked part 1 in spite of myself, disliked part 2, but 3 imo redeems the series. I make no apologies for grinning quite a bit during this one, particularly during, uh, the "last smoke". :)
I do wonder why none of those people (besides Alice) were armed with BLADES as backup weapons! Ammo is probably scarce, but surely there are knives, swords...heck, makeshift spears would seem to be fairly useful.
September 22, 2007 at 9:12 am
Brad, that's why Shaun of the Dead was smart. Everyone had blunt instruments, like regular humans. In every Resident Evil movie I've seen, I've always said I'd rather have an axe than a gun. Axes don't run out of chopping power.
And it sounds to me like they got their "villain" plot from the same place as Dead or Alive. "We don't really have a plot, we just want X to happen. We'll just say something that sounds like there's an actual villain instead of a guy randomly saying semi-villainous stuff; the audience will totally root for the hero and against the villain just because we say he's the villain."
Again, haven't seen it yet, but if no one can describe the villain's motivation clearly and concisely, it sounds like they just threw stuff together.
September 23, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Did anyone but me find it dumb that the zombies were able to climb the eiffel tower replica but unable to climb over a simple chain fence?
September 24, 2007 at 1:57 am
Eric - The zombies in Vegas were different (read: modified with the new 'serum'), more able zombies, while the ones around the chain link fence were the normal, instinct driven zombies.
I actually thought the movie was pretty good... was wishing for a little bit more tech info, but do realize its not suppose to be a mental masterpiece.
Also, Sienna (Jill Valentine) is WAAAAAY hotter than Ali Larter's character. And please, no more hip-hop stars in action movies. It doesn't work for me.
September 24, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Yet another film showing how desperately the last two generations of youth (ie anyone born in the 80s or later) need to grow the hell up already. After the "Dawn of the Dead" remake (a very effective horror film and basically the last word on the subject of flesh eating zombies, or at least it should be), these other films are redundant and pointless. Let's start making films about human beings again, films with intelligent scripts and real acting and directing instead of endless computer generated effects, and leave the videogames where they should stay, in the game console and off the screen. Watch some uncut footage from Iraq and tell me where the real horror lies, kids.
Next youll be telling me that Will Smith is gonna star in a remake of "I Am Legend" or something equally ridiculous, so that instead of a truly disturbing and realistic film actually based on Richard Matheson's classic novel, we can watch Will Smith "kickin vampire booty" while spouting catchy one liners and mugging shamelessly for the camera. Coming to a cineplex in December, be sure to check your IQ at the door, though you should expect it to be a few points smaller when you leave.
September 26, 2007 at 2:18 pm
After leaving the theater my boyfriend and I both thought that the writers had ripped off part of their plot from George Romero's 'Day of the Day', as well as the plot from 'Mad Max.' I'm all for zombie-butt kicking, but I didn't really enjoy this movie much.
September 27, 2007 at 4:19 pm
I agree with Nate - no hiphop or rap stars in movies. Even zombie movies.
October 4, 2007 at 10:15 am
Hey guys and gals I haven't seen the movie yet but are you saying there is no valentine and what about the dude that help alice at the end of the second movie. Also is the little girl still in the moveie A.K.A the queen
October 5, 2007 at 7:23 am
I was so upset when Jill Valentine was not in the 3rd movie. She was one of my most favorite characters and it was so disappointing to find her missing in action. I read somewhere that Sienna Guillory who played Valentine had some commitment issues with part 2 but if that is the case, just get some other actor who looks a lot like her to play the character for heaven's sake! Jill Valentine is a great character. She says in the movie to Alice, "I'm good...but I'm not THAT good!" That's what I loved about her. She kicked a lot of butt. And at the same time with her amazing fighting skills she showed just how more powerful Alice was. Basically I'm just in love with Valentine's character. Ha ha.
Also I agree with Nate. Why was Ashanti even near the movie set? No thank you!
October 8, 2007 at 11:48 am
The Samuel Beckett comment caused me to laugh out loud.
November 3, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Wtf, just watched it, they totally cut jill and the little girl out of the 3rd film , if it is resident evil its not one I have played befor lol. Where is Chris, Leon ? and wesker was wet!
December 29, 2007 at 10:23 am
Brad, I'm glad you posted what you did because I loved the 1st Resident Evil by far above similar movies, the 2nd was good as well but didn't come close to the first to me, and I am looking forward to seeing the 3rd.
I was starting to think it may not be as good as the rest, but a lot of the posts seem to be from people who aren't necessarily fans of the 1st one and if thats the case I trust someone who is a fan than not.
Seems that most agree there is not a lot of zombie scenes and that's a shame (always have enjoyed those personally), but still can't wait to see it...
December 29, 2007 at 10:35 am
For those old-timers out there: Sorry if you don't like it that older movies are being remade but I love it (and was born in the 70's not the 80's). After "Dawn of the Dead" was remade I tried watching some of the old versions of that trio and couldn't do it, just not the same as newer movies even with the same story line.
George Romero is great at coming up with these type of stories, but even he realizes that as generations change they want other things out of movies. For instance: I used to love killer movies from the 80's and early 90's but can't watch em anymore because all the blood squirting is ridiculous (better to be remembered I guess). I LOVE all the remakes so far of the old zombie movies and can't wait for more to come...
December 30, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I was rather disappointed. I liked the first two movies as enjoyable, shallow fun so I guess Eric was right that I wouldn’t care for this one. I don’t know why he doesn’t think this one is the most idiotic one.
Umbrella Corp: “Hey, we’re all starving. Maybe we should research how to get some food. “
Wesker: “Naw man, we want to control the zombies. Sure, we’ll end up starving and thus making our control pointless, but logic has no place in this movie. “
Umbrella Corp: “Well, maybe we could just ask Alice for her blood so we can destroy the biohazard and save the world. Why waste resources and people (which are severely limited) trying to kill her when I’m sure she wants so save the world too?”
Evil Dr. : “Because we’re the bad guys. We can’t do anything smart. And plot contrivances are the only way to make anything happen here. Our writers just sucked I guess.”
Good guy convoy: “Hey guys, this place looks creepy. Let’s take only 2 of our large group and make them split up so that if they are attacked, they’ll be helpless. This method almost guarantees someone will needlessly get hurt. The buddy system is so overrated anyway, you know).“
Good guy: “My buddy just got attacked by a zombie, but I assume he wasn’t bitten or anything.”
Also, how did a bunch of red-necks in the middle of nowhere without food or water capture Alice (who single handedly beat up a trained army in part 2)? Not only that, but they captured contaminated dogs (which can break through cages) and put them in a pit the dogs can easily get out of. What, was that the first (and last) time they ever tried that trick? What the crap, stupid movie? What the crap?
January 22, 2008 at 7:13 am
I enjoyed the first RE due to its likeness to the games and that it maged to have a bit of a plot. RE3 on the other hand was a waste of time. The plot of this movie is..um...well it changes around a lot. The characters motivations don't make much sense either *SPOILERS* in that the evil scientist is trying to become the head of a major corporation after the apocolypse! Failing that, he wants to rule the world, inhabbitted by zombies! Why?
The idea of trying to domesticate the zombies is interesting as is the cloning of Alice, but these points are abandonned in lieu of shallow love stories and more rediculous plot points, such as watching zombies standing around a fence in no fewer than a dozen points throughout the movie or a scene where Alice gets captured whose only purpose is to shgow that Alice is still a killing machine and to bring back the zombie dogs.
What is RE3 about? 90 minutes too long.