While not as prolific (yet) as the Saw series, Resident Evil based on the popular video games, is another of those franchises that just won’t die (even after the last entry titled ‘Extinction’ suggested it would). But this fourth film Afterlife has proven, at least by its impressive US box office haul that there’s still life in the old girl yet. But big earnings aren’t always an arbiter of quality.
Milla Jovovich returns as zombie annihilator Alice but this time she’s been deprived of her super powers and must depend on her considerable ability to kick butt and her arsenal of weapons to fend off the undead. With much of the world’s population now flesh eating zombies thanks to the T virus created by the exploitative Umbrella Corporation, Alice discovers in apocalyptic Los Angeles that a mysterious radio message of hope is luring survivors into an insidious trap. She sets out to rescue them alongside a band of fellow survivors including ally Claire (Ali Larter returning from Resident Evil: Extinction), sports star Luther (Boris Kodjoe, Surrogates) and suspected murderer Chris (Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller).
Fans of the series and the genre won’t be disappointed; there’s plenty of action, senseless violence, a skyrocketing body count and bucket loads of blood. But there are also wooden performances, inane dialogue and a derivative storyline. Speaking of derivative, the Wachowski brothers, creators of The Matrix trilogy should be charging returning director (and Jovovich’s hubby) Paul W.S. Anderson a hefty fee for blatantly ripping off their ideas, like so many other films have done before it. There’s action in fleeting stasis, bullet time and a shameless Agent Smith knockoff as the villain (Shawn Roberts, Edge of Darkness). Enough already!
Anderson has jumped on the 3D bandwagon and this is where Afterlife really succeeds. He’s clearly showing us how clever he is but it works spectacularly; guns just about poke you in face, glass shards hurtle towards you and blood almost spills from the screen to splatter your 3D glasses.
Indeed, this latest Resident Evil is only reprieved by its 3D style over substance. Expect more of the same as, like its reanimated zombie hordes, the franchise is slated to rise again.
Resident Evil: Afterlife opened nationally in Australia on the 14th of October.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Wentworth Miller, Shawn Roberts, Boris Kodjoe.
