|
Resident
Evil: Movie
After a long time I finally sat down
to watch Resident Evil. Being a huge fan of the video
game series, as with all game to movie translations,
I hoped the creators got it right this time. I felt
the fact that I've played the video games would give
me an edge on other movie patrons. Knowing how things
work and the style of the game as well as the enemies
would make this experience not more than a review
for me. What I got was an entirely different experience
from any of the video games. The movie contains only
factual similarities to the video game that drive
the story but the original plot of the movie freshens
things up for veterans of the game.
The movie starts with a narrative about
the Umbrella Corporation stating that the company
is so huge it's actually above government control
and regulation. With the ability to do whatever it
wants Umbrella excels in experimentation and disregard
for law. The movie begins with the events leading
up to the shut down of one of Umbrella's primary research
facilities where a deadly mutating T-Virus is being
developed. The movie takes more of an "Aliens" approach
to the situation sending in the Special Forces to
rectify the situation with precision, aggression,
and timeliness. However there are three people caught
in the middle of the mission, two of which have lost
their memory and one rogue cop. The memory loss factors
into the movie well and allows the viewer to learn
about the situation from the Special Forces through
the characters in the movie. As with all well laid
plans things eventually go wrong, all hell breaks
loose. Now we follow a pack of people as they learn
more about what is really going on and why. All the
while confronting packs of zombified people, dogs
and another strange creature.
Contained within the movie are some
above average action sequences. I like it when the
characters are quick to resolve situations without
a lot of overly dramatic style. They take care of
business and move on, unlike movies where people sit
there and prod "dead" bodies that inevitably awaken.
The director created a fast pace for the movie and
kept with it for the duration.
The worst part about the movie is the
intelligence of the Special Forces team. You would
think that anyone with that much training and artillery
would have the sense to think about what is going
on. If you shoot someone 30 times in the chest and
they get back up to come after you again you should
try shooting them somewhere else or try other methods
of killing them. You would think that these people
had never watched "Night of the Living Dead." Thankfully
most of them die off quickly and the more intelligent
members of the group rise to the surface. As the remaining
survivors try to find their way out of the doomed
underground laboratory, the two members with jaded
memories start to remember things. This brings about
a new internal struggle between survivors that adds
to the excitement of the movie.
Another thing that really bugs me about
the movie is the Zombies. For some reason once the
doors in the facility are unlocked ALL the zombies
instantly know how to find the humans and end up surrounding
them in the hundreds. Normally I would think that
sight or smell would incite a zombie to attack but
the ones in Resident Evil have ESP. Of course the
plot involves a sentient computer that shuts down
the entire research facility after the T-Virus break
out as a quarantine measure. So the computer could
have opened all the appropriate doors to lead the
zombies to the humans but that's pushing it.
The special effects are done quite well
but considering there are really only two instances
that required major effects it wasn't a very big deal.
The music and silence was done well enough for me
to feel the apprehension and fear when appropriate.
Overall I'm quite pleased with the movie
version and would say that Resident Evil is by far
the best video game to movie translation to date.
RE offered a fresh new look at the decaying video
game series. Though I would like to know more about
Umbrella, I'm sure that will remain as vague as what
was actually going on in the X-Files. I'm glad I waited
for a rental, while RE is the best game to movie translation
in my opinion, but it wasn't worth paying theater
rates.
-wileee
|
