Review of Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) by Daniel P — 14 May 2010

For the most part, this second instalment in the Resident Evil series resembles little more than a badly edited video-game cut scene. Perfunctory characterisation, barely-there plot, terrible acting, giant continuity errors and ADHD-style directing are the order of the day, making the first film and third flick Extinction seem like masterpieces in comparison.

Alice, the only character to make any kind of impression, now seems to be immortal, somehow outrunning cascades of bullets and exploding glass, barely receiving a scratch, whilst the remaining characters drone on endlessly and are merely more meat for the machine.

Affected English Girl Cliché is back too, hoorah. There's not a single scare and the dramatic scenes are unintentionally hilarious (a character reveal/twist, surely meant to be poignant, is especially badly handled).

Despite, or in fact because of the Michael Bay school of editing that's employed, the copious bike chases and "lets split up" scenes, Apocalypse also d-r-a-g-s for the first hour or so. Things finally start to get interesting around the 70 minute mark but it's too little too late.

A pretty piss poor excuse for a film.