Resident Evil: L'apocalypse

Following the success of the 2002 adaptation from video game to film that was 'Resident Evil', comes its tantalizingly-trailered sequel, 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse'. I have to say, I was entranced by the trailer of this film. I seriously thought that this film had the potential to rise above 'Mortal Kombat' (1995) and 'Resident Evil' as the best cinematic event to spawn from a video game. 'Apocalypse' doesn't do everything wrong, but it certainly doesn't do everything right.

Let's start with a brief synopsis. Firstly, this film picks up literally days after the first drops us off. 'Apocalypse' opens with a rehashed explanation of what we learned about the two main characters in the original, Alice (Milla Jovovich) and Matt Addison (Eric Mabius). Again, we are told that this Umbrella Corporation is an international super-power and that Alice is (or more accurately was) the head of security in an underground research facility dubbed "The Hive", which harbored research and specimens pertaining to biological weaponry. After that, we are treated to the scientists who wheeled Addison away at the closure of 'Evil', opening the zombie-infested annals of "The Hive". Immediately before the audience 'knows' what happens (its pretty obvious and is given away in the final shots of the first 'RE') we transition into a militaristic evacuation of important personnel associated with Umbrella Corp. After a few assorted events that do (and simultaneously do not) move the plot line (a 'do not' being the lead-scientist asking how bad the situation is). After this, we are introduced to nearly a half-dozen other characters, including a renegade police officer (Sienna Guillory), the remaining members of an elite task force (Oded Fehr, Zack Ward), a VERY stereotypical Black man (Mike Epps) and a hulking creature (which, if you paid attention to the first 'RE', you would be aware of its appearance) that totes both a rocket-launcher and a hand-held chain gun named the "Nemesis".

As far as performances go, the aforementioned actors and actresses do well with the material that they are given. Guillory has Helen of Troy (not from the film 'Troy') on her resume, as Jovovich has Joan of Arc, Fehr has the mummy hunter, Ardeth Bay from the 'Mummy' series and Epps is credible in several comedies. There is no real emotion in the script, so the viewers really can't ask for any emotion from the actors (sadly true).

That is where 'Apocalypse' stumbles, and in many places, falls on it's face.

The plot is paper thin with nearly no real complications for the audience until the last ten minutes (which is a near-complete turn around from the original, which actually evoked SOME thought from the audience). It is basically unleash zombies on the city and shoot 'em up. The small sub-plots really vary from little to no relevance in the story whatsoever. It is pretty predictable that there is some kind of 'oh no, my friend was bitten and eventually, I'll have to kill him just before he bites me' situation, and the big action/set pieces are blatantly set up. The characters are thinner than the plot, with their arcs being straighter than a steel arrow. Alice begins the movie as an ass-kicking femme fatal, and finishes the film being...oh, you guessed it, an ass-kicking femme fatal. Jill Valentine (Guillory) is another one of these masculinely tough females, although sans Alice's super powers. The only real life that is brought to the script is through the epitome of black stereotypes, played by Mike Epps. It was sadly ironic, however that my favorite bit of 'Apocalypse' involved a reference to another video game franchise.

Again, 'RE: Apocalypse' is not completely bad. Although few, it has its moments. Mike Epps has his funny lines and his one encounter with the Nemesis brought laughs from the entire audience, which was something needed in the film. The Nemesis was done well a majority of the time (although there is a bit where the big oaf crashes through a wall and his head piece actually shifts visibly on the actor's shoulders) and makes a formidable villain for a good margin of the film (although his closure is a bit weak). Many of the action sequences had great potential...but the majority of those action scenes were fast-cut, much like 'AvP', so much so that it was very hard at moments to see exactly what was happening in the shot.

'Apocalypse' suffices much more as an action movie than it does as a horror film, and it struggles to keep interest, even for someone who has faithfully played the video games. I will be glad to admit, though...'Apocalypse' has the BIGGEST, most unexpected scare of 2004. I won't say when or where...but I am glad to have experienced it. 'Apocalypse' isn't exactly worth all eight dollars of your admission fee, but it doesn't make a bad Saturday afternoon matinee...6/10.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I think that's what makes IMDb such a great site for reviews. When a movie trailer peaks my interest, one of the first things I do is come to this site to see what others have thought about the film. Usually there are a variety of opinions ranging from "excellent" to "pure crap" for any movie, no matter how ridiculous it may seem to me and I respect that. It's very disappointing however, to check the reviews and see that virtually no one appreciated a movie that I had high hopes for but have yet to watch. It happened with AvP, in which complaints of bad lighting, bad angles on combat scenes and a general absent-mindedness for logic in the plot ruined any anticipation that built up when watching the trailer over and over. But as I have said, everyone has an opinion and that's what makes sites like this worth checking out. I have benefited from fair reviews in which the critic still disapproves of a movie, but lists it's merits as well as it's faults.

I hope to give a fair review for Resident Evil: Apocalypse. First off, I liked this movie, a little better than the first actually. Apocalypse had a sense of urgency that I thought kept the plot rolling at a nice pace. The actor's performances were alright, I mean really, there was nothing too challenging about their roles. They just had to be convincing at looking scared, angry and eventually dead. The story was laid out decently enough, nothing too innovative or complex, but then again there was nothing innovative or complex about the games in which this movie was based from. I was a fan of the games, for the action and the sheer expasiveness of the settings where the game was played. And that's what I think made this sequel so enjoyable. There were more references and subtle details thrown into this movie making it a more complete game to movie conversion. The action scenes were okay, entertaining and not dragged out. The special effect scenes involving the lickers, explosions, etc were par for the course really, but it was nice to see the slow-mo bullet sequence appear here as it has become a staple of any movie in which a gun is used since the success of the first Matrix and whatever movie the Wachowski Bros ripped it from. The overall location and set of this movie are fantastic, which is it's real claim to fame here. Eerie atmosphere, labyrinthine city, danger around every corner gave the movie the edge that the first didn't quite nail. And finally, the costumes were passable. I liked the Nemesis design, very true to the game and brought to the movie with the same intensity as it had in RE 3. And finally, what everyone thought sent the movie overboard was the Uber-Alice. Did it ruin the movie? Not really. Could the movie have ended the same way if ALice didn't have these powers, I think so. But it would have taken some thought. They destroyed the mutated licker in RE1 okay enough without super powers. Why not just steal Nemesis' bazooka?

The review is getting long here, so I'll wrap it up quickly. Resident Evil Apocalypse is a good movie if measured in terms of action, explosions and atmosphere. It's not going to win any awards for acting at the Oscars, and it's certainly not getting any attention in the horror genre for new and innovative ways to kill people. It's just a flat-out good flick worth a matinée price.

I liked the first movie, it was good average entertainment. I think this one is slightly better than the first, mainly because this one is scarier. I admit i preferred the zombies in the Dawn of the dead remake but thats because they were fast. The script is no great shakes, the cast are OK. Though the bad guy seemed like he was doing a poor man's Schindler. The FX was fairly decent and the movie never becomes boring, it's too fast paced for that. Some of the sets were obviously based on the games. At least it made me jump out of my seat a few times. Needless to say a third one seems very likely but i like where there going with one scene reminding me of Brian De Palma's The Fury. 6 out of 10

A film that directly continues the first part of the saga known as Resident Evil.

The casting is excellent, Sienna Guillory is the right choice for the role of Jill Valentine. Alice, Jill and Carlos fight not only against time, but also against a formidable opponent called Nemesis.

Nemesis looks great, quite sinister and scary. The make-up and special effects team did a great job.

The film is solidly directed, although the fight scenes could have been better, but overall it's not bad at all. Carlos Olivera is a fun character, Oded Fehr portrayed him excellently.

Milla Jovovich is always excellent as Alice.

What is specific about these kinds of films, and especially about this Resident Evil franchise, is that you can watch it many times, and each time it is more fun. It is designed to entertain the viewer and it certainly succeeds in that.

The movie is definitely worth watching, it's fun, with solid action and a tense plot.

I wouldn't call this a brilliant movie, but it certainly kept me watching from start to finish. Michelle Rodriguez's character is replaced by another kick-arse heroine to work alongside Jovovich's Alice. There's also a new super-evil dude to contend with. Naturally the biggest baddies of all are the people who work for the Umbrella corporation! And, man, those zombie dogs are just freaky!

In this movie we get to know a bit more about how the T-Virus came to be, and get a new perspective on how it can be used for good and not just bad. Naturally, though, it's mostly all bad!

As usual, there's a lot of action and a lot of death. And the Umbrella Corporation sure is good at twisting the facts of the truth. I'm intrigued to know what happens next.

So I'm ready to watch movie #3.