Resident Evil is a one of many movies that were based on a game. And I must say, most of the time that is some good, badass cinema. And Resident Evil is no exception. If you’re thinking it’s another silly, zombie movie then you’re wrong. In this movie there’s a scientific explanation and a back story to everything, and unlike other zombies, these can easily make you one of them. Just one scratch and you’re infected. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me first give you a quick plot description without giving too much away.
At the beginning of the movie, we learn about an Umbrella Corporation that controls most of the world’s pharmaceutical market. But that is not all they do (that would be boring). In their super cool, research facility called the Hive, located beneath Raccoon City, their scientist do forbidden, viral research. That’s where they develop a T-virus. A virus that not only kills you within a few hours, but after you’re dead, it animates your body to become, yes you guessed it, a flesh-eating zombie. If that’s not enough to scare you, the virus spreads by any possible means. So when someone breaks a vial containing the virus inside the laboratory, things don’t look good for the Hive’s employees. The Red Queen, a super computer with artificial intelligence (which, lets face it, never bodes well in sci-fi movies), that controls the building, seals all the exits as to keep the infection from spreading.
Then we are introduced to Alice (Mila Jovovich). She wakes up in what seems to be an abandoned mansion. She has a short-term memory loss, confused she walks around exploring the rooms. She comes across Matt (Eric Mabius) who also has amnesia. Suddenly they both get seized by a group of commandos working for Umbrella. They tell them that underneath the mansion there is an entrance to the Hive, and that their mission is to reenter it to find out what went down there, and to manually switch the Red Queen off. They have no idea why she killed everyone or what’s awaiting them inside. On their way to the train that leads underground, the group comes across Spence (James Purefoy) who just like Alice and Matt suffers from amnesia. They all enter the Hive, and that’s where the fun begins.
I like the way the movie progresses. The viewer doesn’t know anymore than Alice does. And just as she gets flashbacks of her past, and the pieces start to fit together, so do we start to understand more and more of what’s going on. It’s nice to have a movie that doesn’t give everything away, but lets us explore the Hive together with the characters. Everyone seems to have something to hide, and you get everything from betrayal to mutating monsters, and all of that while running away from the walking dead, who will want to eat your flesh for lunch. Expect to be scared, surprised and (my favorite) excited about some good ass kicking! The director and producer Paul Anderson really makes an effort with this one. He also makes a few nods to the Resident Evil games that the fans of them can try to spot.
Now there, you can’t have a good movie without a suitable soundtrack. To me it’s like the smell to the taste. Music is 60% of the movie experience, and for Resident Evil composed by Clint Mansell ,Marco Beltrami and Marilyn Manson. The electronic beat goes well with the story, it gives me chills every time I listen to it. For this review I listened to some of the tracks on its own. But knowing the story I saw the parts of the movie they were used for, and couldn’t find a comparison I wanted. I played it to my dad, and asked him what this music reminded him of. He said it sounds like the dead are rising from the grave I think that ought to do it. Besides if you don’t believe me, watch the movie and see, or rather listen for yourselves.
This review is starting to be longer than I anticipated, but I want to add that I don’t think the movie doesn’t have any flaws. It’s bound to have imperfections. Like whatever CGI was used in it, lets just say, we have seen better. Also the dialogues could have been made longer. The characters seem to talk only about what needs to be said, the information the viewer has to hear. I think a little chit chat would have helped to create deeper personalities, but I guess there isn’t much on your mind, when one is trying to stay alive.
To sum it all up, in Resident Evil there’s something for everyone who likes science-fiction genre. Strong women (just for the guys I might mention that Michelle Rodriguez stars here), smart men, viruses, monsters, crazy computers, vicious dogs, a lot of action and suspense (which, hats off to Mila Jovovich who did all but one stunt all by herself), all shaken together and served as red as Bloody Mary! Plus if you like this one, you have 2 more sequels to watch straight after, and another one coming up this year!
So if that sounds good, then grab your remotes and let the train to the Hive take you for a ride, just don’t forget you have only 2 hours to return! ;)
