And now for the second review for Summer of ZOMBIES! Today's movie is the sequel to the first Resident Evil movie...that's right, today we're reviewing Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
I don't really need much background here. If you haven't read my review of Resident Evil read that first, I'll wait...done yet? No...well hurry! ...NOW?! SERIOUSLY?! Ugh...Ok, that's it. If you haven't read it yet TOO BAD! Ok, there is a couple things I need to say...first thing is this. Remember how I mentioned that Anderson was the director/writer/producer of the series? Well, even though he didn't direct this or the next movie, he still wrote and produced them. Anyways, he met Milla Jovovich (Alice) for the first time making the first Resident Evil movie. However...Anderson fell in love with her during production. No, seriously. He even proposed to her in 2003...the same time he was writing the script for Apocalypse...hmm...you know, that explains a LOT! Secondly, despite what I said in the first review (HA! Told you to read it...), from here on out there is NO continuity between game and film. It didn't take me long to figure out, either...
And for a quick plot analysis...the T virus has gotten into the water supply of Raccoon City, causing a HUGE Zombie outbreak. Alice and a group of survivors try to save a young girl and get out alive. Wow...that was quick.
Ok, Positives. Well, I do like the scale for this movie. The first movie had a small facility, and everything was contained. This movie improves things by having all of Raccoon City be infested. The action in the movie is very good, too. A lot of the characters are likable, and a good amount of them live this time. I also like how they tried to incorporate more of the game's elements into the movie. And more of the monsters make an appearance, which is awesome. Lastly...the ending. Seriously, the endings that Anderson has just makes you want to watch the next movie! It's cliffhangers to the extreme...
Negatives...where do I start...well, first off, the CGI still is bad...it's improved, but not much at all. Also, they sorta butcher the story of the third game. I appreciate that they tried...but bad decisions still made it bad...And now for the REAL problem with this movie. This movie turned Alice into a Mary Sue. Seriously. This is the first movie to include main characters from the games, and they become pretty much non-existent once Alice is around. For example, early in the movie you see Jill Valentine break into a police station and kill a bunch of Zombies single handily. It was a very cool moment and the first time we see zombies die. (Early in the movie this time, thankfully.) However, once Alice shows up Jill becomes Princess Peach. She stands in awe of Alice and actually runs away from danger when Alice tells her to. I honestly feel like Anderson swept the story aside in order to write a movie praising Jovovich...just so she would like him. I mean, in this movie Alice returns from the dead twice, stares unblinkingly at Nemesis, has Nemesis AT HER MERCY, and single handily fights off a huge hoard of Zombies...WITH KARATE! Honestly, this is my biggest complaint with this movie. The first movie had Alice as a memory loss victim with a dark past that returns to haunt her. She eventually over comes that in order to save the last couple of survivors, even when it puts her into danger. She fights, yes, but not much. And even when she does it makes sense. This movie, however, makes her the greatest thing since sliced bread. We are forced to think that Alice is the most powerful and greatest person in this universe, and aren't given much choice on the matter.
I'll be honest here, I was really enjoying the movie...but the constant Alice/Jovovich worship was really irritating and distracting. Look...I think she's a good actress, and I am not complaining she was in this movie...but this really felt more like a Mary Sue fanfiction for Resident Evil 3 than a Resident Evil Movie.
Word of Warning: Again, not a movie for kids. At all. This time the R rating feels more natural. There is more blood and gore (Still pretty tame, though.), and more violent deaths. There is still swearing, but there are less F words (Still a few, though.). And again...Zombies, people. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Final Verdict: 6/10
I am The R2 Dude, and this is The R2 View!
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