[Review] Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Ah, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Or as I thought, Resident Evil: "Wait, this is still happening?" or Resident Evil: "Wait, this isn't the same thing as Underworld?"

Opening in a ravaged Washington D.C., Alice (Milla Jovovich) returns as the series' rugged killing machine of a protagonist, but this time she's lost her psychic powers and must round up a group of ragtags in order to battle against the evil Umbrella Corporation, led by Dr. Isaacs (Iain Glen) and his army of undead--before they wipe out humankind.

Aside from the fact that this film just takes itself way too seriously, the whole construction of this thing is just massively unappealing. I knew things were looking grim when the narration in the prologue did an on-the-nose play-by-play of exactly what was taking place on screen. Then there's all the abrupt jolts from zombies jumping out of rubble, which are more jarring than entertaining, more obnoxious than scary--especially as the sound alternates between complete silences and ear-shatteringly loud music. The action sequences are muddled by aggressive quick-cutting and brutal shaky cam. There's no sense of rush. No sense of awe. I mean, Milla Jovovich speeding in a jeep while playing 'Chicken' with a giant Pterodactyl-like creature should just look more exciting than it does.

Iain Glen, who most people probably know as Jorah Mormont from "Game of Thrones", is a naturally charismatic actor, but unfortunately his villainous role here is mostly relegated to standing around and reciting awfully uninspired dialogue.

At any given time, the film's picture is either shaded in a drab haze or cloaked in darkness. I get it, that's the aesthetic of the world's setting, but I also got the impression that some actual video games probably look more visually engaging than this movie. I'll never be opposed to seeing Milla Jovovich kick some major ass, but in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, sometimes you literally can't see it.

( 4.5/10 )

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