Review of Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) by Colin G — 09 Jan 2012

Apparently the Resident Evil series is calling itself 'the most popular horror franchise ever'. Should this be true, mankind doesn't deserve to survive and should be shipped wholesale to hell immediately as punishment. Let's face it, Paul W.S. Anderson makes Michael Bay look like Orson Welles (apart from the massive girth). Dialogue and acting are appalling, like something off a straight to DVD release. It's amazing that a movie which obviously spent a lot of cash on effects can come across as cheap. When the 3D effects are used to their full potential (as they are a few times) it is impressive and lifts the film from a half star rating to one star. The fight between Claire and the undead Axeman is the highlight. Let's focus on the Axeman for a moment. He is an impressive looking monster with a cool weapon lifted directly from the 'Resident Evil' console game series. Now, you'd think Paul W.S. Anderson would set up some sort of back story to introduce this character, introduce him into the film in a way that captures the imagination and hooks the viewer. But no. This is how bad Mister Anderson is. The Axeman just turns up in the middle of a crowd of 'standard' undead and starts bashing on the prison gates. That's it. When he gets inside he fights Claire when Alice is knocked out, then Alice revives and finishes him off. Absolutely NO explanation AT ALL about what he is, where he came from or why he's there when he is so obviously not just 'another zombie'. However, the movie still isn't as bad as 'The Expendables'.

Sadly there's going to be another 'Resident Evil' movie and I fear the franchise will continue as long as there is money to be squeezed out of it.