RESIDENT EVIL

With Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, James Purefoy
Directed by Paul Anderson

The Killer Game
Capcom's Resident Evil games (developed for PlayStation) are one hell of an enjoyable (and creepy) ride of bloody action, clue solving and mission completion via a huge mapped area, collecting weapons, ammo and a range of tools and health supplements necessary to complete the entire exhilarating experience. The game (in 3 volumes so far) takes you into the heart of Raccoon City where a deadly virus developed by the controversial Umbrella Corporation has run riot, turning those infected into zombies or genetic monsters.


The Cinema Girls
For this plausible cinematic conversion Jovovich is a great choice, not only because she looks like a computer game heroin, but also because she has that American-Mainstream-Euro-Arthouse duality, crossing over wonderfully. The male characters are all unknowns and are adequate while, at times, the tough girl act by the other supporting female lead (Rodriguez from Girlfight) gets a bit tired, but the caricature was probably a necessity.

The Nightmare Begins
Waking up in the shower of a large house with a bad case of amnesia, our sexy protagonist is taken captive by what seems like a swat team. They take her to an underground train which leads to The Hive - the Umbrella underground research facility where the mother computer detected the freed virus, sealing up the entire place and exterminating all in its several dozen levels. The team is there to override the highly sophisticated computer that communicates with them via a voice & hologram of a little girl. The intensity of this virus caused the deceased employees to rise as flesh eating zombies! It's about time we got another big screen zombie flick! The fight for survival is on, as the team not only has to deal with the deadly computer and zombies (who infect with a single bite or scratch). Other horrific genetic experiments (conducted by Umbrella) are on the loose and a timeframe before they are sealed in, adds to the race. Amid this grisly carnage our heroin's memory slowly returns, revealing more than even she expected.


The Look & Conversion
Anderson has created a new narrative, but stayed true to many of the game's essential elements. While most of the film is set in the underground facility (in a large chunk of the games you roam the desolate & decimated zombie infested Raccoon City streets, buildings & sewers), the interiors and set design relates the flavour of the game with other elements well in tact like the train, virus serum, the genetic "licker" monster, skinless doberman zombie dogs and even a hint of the Nemesis project inserted.

While I feel that George A. Romero, the king of Zombie flicks, should have directed this movie, Anderson managed to encapsulate an atmosphere closely replicating that of the game as well as make it stand on its own for those who have no idea that the game exists. Then again, imagine what David Cronenberg could've made of it!

4 / B
- PB

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click below for the the sequel & soundtrack
click below for the PlayStation games