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Resident Evil

Resident Evil

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Art of Death
Review: I have never played any of the "Resident Evil" video games, but I understand this film is very faithful to the storyline -- specifically, it serves as a prequel to the first game (the end of the movie is apparently the beginning of the game). As a video game adaptation, this film is one of the most solid I've seen. Yet it takes most of its cues from the video game paradigm, and is constructed somewhat like the video game we all wish we could play.

All the elements are here: The Red Queen, the AI which controls the movie's environment, is like the "dungeon master." It's a lethal adversary, yet it provides backstory, context, and objectives, i.e. the "mission" of each "level." Its primary goal is the extermination of the human characters, yet it bargains with them and even at times saves them for various purposes, rather like the way the rampant AI Durandal behaves in the famous "Marathon" game series.

The main character, Alice, arrives in the movie just like a video game character: No weapons, no clothes, no memory, just a heightened perception and a suite of deadly combat abilities. In order to work out her own situation and objectives, she must collect weapons and useful items along the way, and rely on her observations and on the exposition provided by others (as in a game's cutscene). That exposition, furthermore, is provided in a deliriously perfunctory scene executed as efficiently as a military operation, as if the filmmakers acknowledged the unfortunate necessity of this action-halting story element and decided to get it over with as quickly as possible.

And finally, there are the scores and scores of irretrievably feral zombies, which provide limitless guilt-free cannon fodder for the main characters to slaughter. This is something every action game provides in one form or another: Sufficiently independent humanoid enemies that are nevertheless so unquestionably evil (Nazis, Imperial Stormtroopers, alien invaders, demons, zombies) that you can blast away at them without reservation.

As a film, "Resident Evil" lacks a compelling storyline, deeply drawn characters and even well-choreographed action sequences. Instead, it focuses intensely on cinematography, production design, sound, and editing. This actually makes for a more interesting film, since nearly every frame is a carefully constructed movement within the scope of the film. Its goal, put simply, is horribleness. This movie, like other films such as "Final Destination" and the director's own "Event Horizon," elevates the terror of danger and death to an art form. How terrified can you be before you die? Getting shot in the back or killed in a car accident is tragic and even painful, but at least it's quick. The anticipation of a baroque and cruel death is milked dry in this film. Irony, too, is an important factor, as in the case of the businesswoman who squeezes halfway out of a stranded elevator only to find that the elevator's about to start moving again.

Although this film sometimes gets bogged down by inconvenient practical considerations (like having to get from point A to point B), and the unending horde of flesh-eating zombies tends to get old, it's a slick, carefully-made and professionally produced distillation of horror that's as fascinating as it is artful. The music and photography are excellent, and if you have the technology to watch the DVD in Dolby 5.1 Surround, you'll love the sound work. It also provides a few fresh twists that defy conventional action plots, and a beautifully rendered ending which inverts expectations at the same time as it satisfies the story's arc.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: I dont like video games to be turned into movies. However, this is a pretty good movie. (Not to mention Mila Naked) It lacked something along the way, and the super creature zombies [were bad]. The dog zombies were the best part of the film, and its worth watching just to see them, and mila naked. Definately worth watching.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: OK ....a show of hands to outlaw Zombie movies forever?
Review: I like Milla, I like the Zombiedogs, they don't like her. Milla turns into Carrie-Anne Moss, runs around a wall, and kicks a dog in the head. If you saw this in the trailer, then you have already seen the highlight of this flick.

HELLO....ASPCA, where are you? This movie is an affront to all genetically altered killer zombie dobermans and their owners everywhere.

I can't imagine this thing generating enough attention to justify a sequel. One of the worst I've ever seen. But, if you just can't get enough of zombie movies, and you thought Blade II was cool, and you asked your mommie for an X-Box for Christmas, then you'll probably like this thing. 1 Moooltiepass, to get me as far away as possible.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Goreless Weak Exploitation for Adolescent 40 Year Olds
Review: This is a zombie movie? More like the people watching it are zombies themselves if they can actually swallow this as horror.
Here's a clue: DAWN OF THE DEAD is a zombie movie. This is a corporate franchise pick that gives MILLA JOVOVICH a chance to wear next to nothing. This movie is idiotic, not nearly as good as the game in anyway, boring, cheesy, has bad special effects, and is overall fairly goreless. This is NOT A ZOMBIE movie. This is like LUNCHABLES the movie. It's prepacked and look's pretty good until you actually eat it, or in this case watch it.

The only reason to watch this loser is if your a Milla Jovovich fan. And she may have a nice body, but she is about as dimensional as a sheet of paper as an actress. And everyone knows she wouldn't have a career if what's his name hadn't been doing her and putting her in all his movies.
So basically this film is okay on the T&A factor, but negative on the gore factor. This is just not very good at all.

Of course if your a 15-40 year old who can't ever get a date because you lack the neccessary social skills and are too embarrased to actually buy porn then perhaps this idiotic film might tickle your fancy. Lusting after these empty screen goddesses is not a terribly productive pastime but if you are 30 and still getting turned on by the cartoon drawings in HEAVY METAL magazine then this is for you.
I mean just go to a sci-fi convention. See the 400 pound men talking about how hot Milla is and what they would do to her. It is all just very sad and pathetic and this movie in all its pathetic glory is truly for pathetic people.
So guys, put on another 100 pounds, sit in front of the tube and dream that one day you might get the girl. Sorry.
THIS MOVIE IS AS CLOSE AS YOU'LL EVER GET!!!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Great but not so great
Review: I first saw this movie in theatres, where it was extremely scary, disturbing, and creepy. I anticipated and jumped at every scene. Once it transferred to video, it lost something. The DVD version just lacked the horror. NO doubt it is a stylish, sleek film with incredible special effects and a great soundtrack. It just lacks all convincing scariness...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Better than expected.
Review: Being a movie based on a videogame I had low expectations but right from the start it grabbed me and kept me glued to the screen. The movie hold a high level of tension and terror right from the opening scenes. It does get somewhat choppy at times but overall I really enjoyed this movie. The vhs video quality is excellent and the audio is top notch with a clear, dynamic and very deep low and upper ends. Overall: VERY GOOD.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: What a weird plot?
Review: Visually interesting. Alas, for a plot. Someone breaks into a high-security biological warfare lab, steals a new virus, & just for the fun of it, as he leaves, he tosses a vial of the stuff against the wall, breaking it; then he tries to get away.

Fearing contamination, the high-tech super-computer that runs the lab's security decides to kill everyone in the complex! Not only that, it offs a few people in interesting ways; but you're left wondering - what for? Surely such a complex would be able to isolate the affected area? Why'd everyone have to die?

Next, a specialist security unit has to get in to discover what happened. What they discover is row after row of coffin like containers, each housing one of the now dead staff members. And, of course, they're all brain-hungry zombies just waiting to get let out!

This film is garbage. Sure, there's some well secquenced fight scenes, & they way the computer tries offing the specialist secutirty unit is also interesting. Obviously this computer is highly original, and uses its artisitc bent in coming up with ways to kill people.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Resident Evil
Review: I have seen reviews for this flick that go both ways. Here is my take. I watched this film expecting nothing. -SUPRISINGLY- I found this flick entertaining. Do not rent this expecting a horror film. It is simply a movie about a video game. I will warn you that this is a film that starts kind of slow. Be patient for the first 15 -20 minutes. When the team finally gets to the red queens lair you will have been suprised once. I will not ruin it for you. Pay attention to what the teams mission is and try to figure out the relationaship between the two people (Jovavich and the guy found on the train). Try to figure out who is the "badguy". This is a enjoyable film if you go into it not expecting it to be the best film of the year (although hollywood is producing less and less competiton each year). This film does have kind of a cool ending. It is not your typical hollywood movie ending which is nice to see once and awhile. Enjoy!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Jovovich great! The movie rots!
Review: I admit, I was suckered into the DVD by the soundtrack, but hearing Manson doesn't make up for such a waste of cinema. I would rather have seen Jovavich running around without any attempt at putting a movie around it. If you like film, then don't waste your time seeing this much less buying it. However, if you like video games, then it's probably up your alley.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Probably The Worst Movie I Have Seen
Review: You know I have heard a lot of people love this movie, but when I watched it I was utterly dissapointed. I have played every Resident Evil game that has came out and I loved every single one of them. One of the things I liked about the game was the well developed plot. This movie does a horrible thing to that plot. First the movie is about a a virus that allows the dead to come to life as zombies that wander lifelessly feeding off human flesh. First the mansion would have been better left off the movie entirly it served no purpose other than to give us a few glimpses. Whatever they did to the police teams was atrocious and it still leaves me confused. The movie throws you into a situation where the police are holding people hostage during a raid on the house. I must say the only thing this movie has going for it is the excellent special effects, but they do not make up for the mutilated and awkward plot that was created.


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