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RESIDENT EVIL. Sci-fi/horror. 110 minutes. Rated R, violence,
gore. Buried deep below Raccoon City is the biohazard research center, aka
The Hive, of The Umbrella Corp, the world’s largest corporation. When
The Hive’s main computer system initiates a lockdown, a paramilitary
group is sent in to find out what’s going on. Along for the ride is
Alice (Milla Jovovich), who doesn’t quite know why she’s there due to
amnesia. As the soldiers descend into The Hive, they come face to face
with a defiant computer defense system, and an army of flesh eating
zombies.
Based on the popular video game, the movie version matches the
game’s action, gore, and even its lack of character development. Not
wasting any time, the movie quickly pulls you down and into The Hive with
Alice and the paramilitary group, and you’re off to the races. Of
course, Jovovich is a babe and there are a few scenes of her that will
certainly entice you to use the ol’ pause button –wink, wink.
Paramilitary soldier Rain (Michelle Rodriguez) is an exact clone of the
Vasquez character in Aliens. Tough, hardass Hispanic chick with an
attitude and a knack for big guns. Although she acts tough and menacing,
Rodriguez’s eyes are very sleepy looking, which annoyed me for some
reason. Resident Evil is about as complicated as Beavis and Butthead, but
it is nicely done and overwhelmingly achieves its goal; to entertain. The
movie’s ending is left wide open and will continue in the sequel,
Resident Evil 2; Nemesis (due out 2003). The DVD includes a boatload of
extras; 5 featuretts, cast and crew commentary, trailers, production
notes, etc. The picture is pristine, the sound is amazing, and the overall
package is pretty damn slick. All around most enjoyable DVD, I say. I
wonder if Milla will take me to the premier for Resident Evil 2? – Denis
Sheehan
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