While I would never claim that
the Resident Evil franchise offers
deep and top-of-the-line entertainment, that doesn’t change the fact that these
particular zombie films have been a guilty pleasure of mine for years. Milla Jovovich has been the reigning queen of
cinematic female badasses for years, and together, she and director Paul W.S.
Anderson have produced the gold standard of successful videogame adaptations,
so based on those reputations alone, this newest science fiction thriller
demanded audience attention. Now, my
regular readers know my skepticism concerning early September releases, but the
truth is that over the course of four films, I have grown attached to the
characters, become invested in the story, and never been disappointed in the
high levels of action and special effects.
And, to this day, 2010’s Resident
Evil: Afterlife remains one of the best examples of successful implementation
of the 3D format…at least the kind that moviegoers expect when they shell out
extra money for a pair glasses. So, as a
fan of the series, I was ready for some intense zombie carnage, and I couldn’t
have cared less whether or not, as a fifth entry, Retribution benefited from altogether coherent storytelling.
Far more of a live-action
videogame than an actual film adaptation, Resident
Evil: Retribution throws whatever guidelines its predecessors may have
followed for cinematic narratives completely out the window, and this move
surprisingly doesn’t make this sequel any less entertaining. After a decade, fans of the Resident Evil know exactly what they are
getting when walking into the theater, so despite massive plot-holes and
near-nonexistent character development, it is still just awesome to watch Milla
Jovovich brutally dispatch the undead.
Make no mistake, Retribution
was made solely for fans of the film series; there may have been a few nods to
videogame purists, but if you are at all unfamiliar with this particular
cinematic universe, things will get confusing.
To its credit, the narrative does use plenty of exposition to try and
ease-in the uninitiated, but keeping the story running smoothly clearly wasn’t
a priority for filmmakers. Instead,
simply enjoy the flashy and brutal action complemented by the 3D format and an
energetic soundtrack…expect anything more than that, and you will be bitterly
disappointed.
Overall
Recommendation: Medium
