For those
who don't know, "Resident Evil" is based on a video game of
the same name for the Sony Playstation. Now, I know what you're
thinking. You're thinking why are they making another movie based on a
video game?! Wasn't "Tomb
Raider" enough? If that's not, wasn't "Mortal Kombat"
enough? Still not satisfied, wasn't "Street Fighter",
"Super Mario Bros" enough? The answer is yes. Yes, that we
do not have to worry about there being another bad movie from a good
game.
"Resident Evil" is not your usual game-turned-movie movie.
It's so much more. Yes, at times it is a bit too predictable and the
cheap thrills run rampant, but those who have played the game,
will not be surprised-- well in a way they will. Not with the gore--
heavens to Betsy [or Patsy] no. But that many people (myself
included) were told that the plot is nothing like the game-- and
that's a bold faced lie. Sure, what happens throughout most of the
film never happened in the game-- well the game never showed it. You
see, the entire movie is the back story for the game. In other words,
the game begins where the movie ends-- not gonna get specific, ya
gotta see it for yourself (Hey, sometimes the TV spots don't lie).
The one and only difference is that the character names have been
changed. In the game you got "Chris Redfield" and "Jill
Valentine", but in the movie you got "Alice/Janus
Prospero/Marsha Thompson" and "Matt", among others.
The
wonderfully beautiful and talented actor Milla Jovovich plays the
character with three names. She kicks butt. She's bouncin' off walls,
kicking zombie dog's all over the place...she's Leeloo, The 5th
Element! Nobody can stop her! Not even the undead! Okay, it's
wrong to bring her other characters into this movie, but at least she
went back to doing movies like this than another "The
Messenger". The other hottie is Michele Rodriguez, who
plays the tough girl, Rain Ocampo. But is it just me or does she look
like Katie Holmes' sister? Doesn't matter, this chick can act.
Enough of this talent arse kissing.
The
marketing behind this movie is pure genius. I mean, you have a movie
that ends right where the game begins. Theoretically, people who never
played the game but saw the film will go out and buy the game to
continue the story. OR maybe it's the other way around. Perhaps the
release of the game 4 or so years ago was just a marketing ploy.
Hmm...Kinda makes you think. Maybe the movie came first but they
wanted to build up a fan base and what better way to do that than to
use video games-- fans love interaction.
Some people
will think that there's a sequel in the works because of the way
it ends. I don't think so. Or at least we already have the
sequel...THE VIDEO GAME!
This movie
is great, but it pretty much is asking for a bashing. Nitpicking
critics everywhere will pick this film apart and say that it's too
episodic, too graphic, too predictable, and too many cheap thrills.
Sure, if you take each scene one at a time and one by one, yes, I will
give them that. BUT looking at the WHOLE this film is genius. It's
marketing to perfection. Plus there's tons of sex, nudity, and
violence! The perfect guy movie!
Although I
really don't see anything "cheap" about these thrills. I
almost jumped out of my seat several times--and that is unusual for
me--however, the two women next to me did. This is a scary movie. It's
got suspense and it's got substance. This has a story. We haven't seen
a film like this since "Alien".
Another
thing that critics could bash this movie is that it doesn't know what
it is. There's zombies, killer dogs, other mutants, and a smart-alec
British hologram kid by the name of "Red Queen". All I have
to say to that, is THAT'S WHY IT KICKS AS*!
Again,
"Resident Evil" has a plot. It develops it well. It is not
another "Tomb
Raider" or "Mortal Kombat"-- and the latter was
directed by the same guy as this-- Paul Anderson (not to be confused
with PT Anderson). Mr. Anderson also directed "Event
Horizon", and there are some elements of it in "Resident
Evil", but only the good elements.
We haven't
seen this great a Sci-Fi/Horror film since "Alien", and we
do not have to worry about there being another bad movie from a good
game.
-- James
( 4 out of 4 pops )
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