About These
Films: To date (2010), this is easily the most successful
movie franchise based on a video game. It's hard for a "video
game movie" to be commercially successful. Most video games can't
be translated to film without a lot of video game geeks tearing it
apart. The "Resident Evil" movies are a big departure from the
games, but they're such good movies that audiences still like them.
Milla Jovovich as Alice is the biggest reason these
films work. Jovovich has become such a key part of the franchise
that she can't be recast without killing the series. They
probably could have gotten away with recasting her after the first, or
even second film. But by the time movie #3 came out, it was
pretty evident that Milla Jovovich IS "Resident Evil". What makes
this amusing is the fact that Alice is an original character for the
films, and does NOT appear in the video games.
I HATE the video games, but LOVE the movies. I
don't think video games should contain such gruesome violence.
Heck, the movies are less violent than the video games! However,
it works as a Rated R movie series. I'm surprised these movies
have focused more on the story than the violence, which is just
incidental. The "Resident Evil" films do not try to glorify
violence. There are times, however, when violence has to be shown
because, after all, this is a movie about flesh-eating zombies.
"Resident Evil" is the ultimate zombie movie
saga. There have been a lot of zombie movies made, but this film
series is the most elaborate and intelligent.
Resident Evil
(2002): I love this first film, but I will admit each
sequel gets better. A special military unit goes deep into the
underground laboratory of the Umbrella Corporation to fight an
out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have been
turned into zombies by the T-Virus after a freak accident.
Alice has amnesia at the start of this film, due to
exposure from nerve gas. She ultimately learns that she's a top
agent working for the Umbrella Corp which she learns is incredibly evil
and corrupt.
The story for this film is very entertaining and it
is the first truly unique zombie film ever done. Most zombie
movies are very simple; undead people walk around terrorizing the
populace. "Resident Evil" has so many different subplots and
ideas. Zombies is just one element to this film series, rather
than the whole thing.
I liked the character of Rain Ocampo and was sorry
to see her die. I also liked the character of Matt Addison and
thought he might be a potential love interest for Alice. That
never comes to pass. Matt is taken away by Umbrella at the end of
the film and, in the next movie, has been transformed into the monster
Nemesis. Alice is the only hero from this film to make it to the
next film.
At the end of this movie, Alice wakes up to find
herself in Raccoon City...overrun by zombies! Umbrella let the
T-Virus loose!
Cast:
Fun Facts:
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
(2004): This entry picks up right where the first film
left us. Alice comes to in Raccoon City only to find that the
city has been taken over by zombies and other horrible creatures
infected by the T-Virus.
Umbrella has transformed Matt Addison into the
grotesque giant Nemesis. Alice finds out that she has been given
super powers beyond belief. The entire city has been quarantined
by Umbrella, who is trying to cover up their gross mistake. We
are finally given an explanation to the origin of the T-Virus, and it
really serves the story. The T-Virus was created by Dr. Ashford
for a good purpose; to revitalize those who were dying...namely his
daughter. Umbrella took the T-Virus idea from him and started
using it for evil purposes. When healthy people or animals were
infected with the T-Virus, it simply killed them and turned them into
zombies. What would have been a boon to mankind was now
humanity's greatest threat.
Major Cain is the primary villain of this
movie. He's not the head of Umbrella, but he's the head of their
"dirty work" department. Added to the cast of heroes is Jill
Valentine, Carlos Olivera, L.J., Angie Ashford, Terri Morales, and
Peyton Wells. Terri and Peyton are killed. The others
survive, but we do not see Jill or Angie in the next movie!
Raccoon City is decimated by Umbrella Corp.
They cover it up by saying it was a nuclear power plant
explosion. Our heroes barely survive their helicopter flight out
of the city. Alice was killed and left at the crash site.
Umbrella found her, took her to a secret lab in Detroit, and brought
her back to life. This time they increased her super-powers,
turning her into something truly scary. She escapes the lab with
the help of Jill, Carlos, L.J., and Angie.
Cast:
Fun Facts:
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007): This
movie takes place several years (I'm assuming five years) after the
events of the previous movie. It's the first zombie movie to be
filmed almost completely in daylight in wide open spaces. Most
zombie movies ever made have been filmed primarily at night or in close
quarters.
We know that Alice left her friends almost
immediately after her rescue in Detroit at the end of
"Apocalypse". Olivera and L.J. are back. We are not told
why Jill Valentine and Angie Ashford. To me, this is a pretty big
oversight, especially with Jill. She was such a cool and
important character in the last film.
Dr. Isaacs, who we saw briefly in "Apocalypse", is
the primary villain in this movie. Near the end, he becomes the
hideous creature known as Tyrant in the video games.
As with any "Resident Evil" movie, new heroes are
introduced. The most notable are leader Claire Redfield and
14-year-old girl K-Mart. Near the end of this movie, Claire,
K-Mart, and other survivors leave by helicopter to Alaska. It is
believed Alaska is a safehaven from zombies and monsters. We
don't learn until the next movie that the Alaska safehaven is a hoax
perpetrated by the evil Umbrella Corporation to trap humans.
In the film's final moments, Alice uncovers hundreds
of her super-powered clones and plots revenge against Umbrella.
Cast:
Fun Facts:
Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010):
As expected, this film is even more fantastic than the last.
"Afterlife" picks up shortly after the events in "Extinction"; a few
days or a few weeks at most. It
starts with Alice and her hundreds of clones attacking the Umbrella
Corp headquarters. From there, it's just one thing after
another. Also as expected, another cliffhanger.
The "Resident Evil" films have always been good for
its supporting characters. By this time, Claire Redfield (Ali
Larter) has become Alice's faithful sidekick. New to the series
is heroic Chris Redfield (Wentworth Miller), brother to Claire and a
possible second partner for Alice. It's hard to say if the trio
will remain for the rest of the film series, or if someone will get
killed. These movies are full of surprises.
I really liked Crystal (Kasey Barnfield) and wished
she hadn't been killed off; at least not so soon. She was a nice,
attractive character with a good personality. I also thought Kim
Yong (Norman Yeung) was a good character. Kind of a wimp, but a
decent sort. Kim was killed in a very gruesome manner. His
death scene was the grossest scene in the movie (an axe splits him in
half). That was the only thing I think should have been done
different in the film, but it's a small complaint. I just don't
think movies need to be that gory.
We see Jill Valentine, a heroine from the second
film, return in the tag at the end of this film. It's not
explained, but this time she is a villainess working for the Umbrella
Corp. We do know, however, that she is under their mental
programming due to the device on her chest.
Cast:
Alternate Titles:
"Biohazard IV: Afterlife" [Japan title; English]
Fun Facts:
The working title for the third Resident Evil
film was "Afterlife", but was changed to "Extinction".
This is the first live-action movie based on a
video game to be shot in 3-D.
This is the first "Resident Evil" film to be
released in IMAX.
Claire Redfield finally wears the red vest, which
is her signature look from the video games.
Certain plot ideas for this film were taken from
the games, "Resident Evil Code: Veronica" (2000) and "Resident Evil 5"
(2009).
This is the first "Resident Evil" movie where
Alice's hair is entirely brown.
List of "Resident
Evil" Video Game Titles
The games in bold are the primary console games. Notice there are
two versions of the original game.
Resident Evil (1996) Resident Evil: The Director's Cut
(1997) Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Resident Evil: Survivor (1999) [1st in Survivor sub-series] Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)
Resident Evil Code: Veronica (2000)
Resident Evil: Survivor 2 Code: Veronica (2001) [2nd in Survivor
sub-series]
Resident Evil: Gaiden (2001) [1st portable game]
Resident Evil Zero (2002)
Resident Evil: Dead Aim (2003) [3rd in Survivor sub-series]
Resident Evil: Outbreak (2003) [1st in Outbreak sub-series]
Resident Evil: Outbreak File #2 (2004) [2nd in Outbreak sub-series] Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Resident Evil: The Missions (2005) [1st mobile game]
Biohazard: The Stories (2005) [2nd mobile game]
Resident Evil: Deadly Silence (2006) [2nd portable game]
Resident Evil: Confidential Report (2006) [3rd mobile game]
Biohazard: The Episodes (2006) [4th mobile game]
Biohazard: The Operations (2007) [5th mobile game]
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007) [1st in Chronicles
sub-series]
Resident Evil: Genesis (2008) [6th mobile game]
Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008) [7th mobile game]
Resident Evil: Uprising (2009) [8th mobile game]
Resident Evil 4 (2009) [9th mobile game] Resident Evil 5 (2009)
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (2009) [2nd in Chronicles
sub-series]
Biohazard: Survival Door (2010) [10th mobile game]
Resident Evil: Revelations (2011) [3rd portable game]
CG Movies
"Resident Evil: Degeneration"
(2008): This is the first, full-length CG animated feature
for "Resident Evil". Unlike the live-action movies, this film is
set within the "universe" of the video games. It is a prequel to
the video game "Resident Evil 5" (2009) and its primary heroes are Leon
S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. This is the first time both
characters appeared together since the video game "Resident Evil 2"
(1998).
"Resident Evil: Damnation"
(2012): Not yet released, but is planned to be a sequel to
"Resident Evil: Degeneration".