Resident Evil: Retribution (DVD REVIEW)
Resident Evil:
Retribution
DVD Review
by Kam Williams
Fifth
Installment Pits Latex-Covered Heroine vs. More
Mutants
The Resident Evil film franchise is
proving to be every bit as enduring as the hordes of flesh-eating zombies
featured in every episode. The movies are based on the popular series of high
body-count computer games which has also spawned comic books, graphic novels,
cartoons and a line of merchandise with action figures.
This fifth screen adaptation marks
yet another collaboration between writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson and his
wife, cover girl-turned-actress Milla Jovovich. She, of course, reprises her
lead role as Alice, the pistol-packing protector of a planet ever threatened
with extinction.
As usual, Anderson does his best to
exploit his supermodel spouse’s good looks, between keeping her clad in
form-fitting latex for the duration of the adventure and seizing on any excuse
to take a pause in the action for a lingering, extreme close-up of her flawless
facial features. Otherwise, RE 5 features fairly formulaic zombie fighting
fare, with Alice
and an intrepid team of defenders (Michelle Rodriguez, Boris Kodjoe, Bingbing
Li, et al) representing the last hope of humanity.
At the point of departure, our
heroine, by way of voiceover, quickly recounts the back story of what’s
transpired in the prior installments. We learn that the trouble all started
when an industrial accident triggered a viral outbreak which in turn led to the
rise of the undead.
Today, the diabolical Umbrella
Corporation is again up to no good, and on the verge of unleashing an army of
mind-controlled minions, including clones of our pretty protagonist.
Over-plotted to the point of absurdity, there’s really no reason for me to
relate RE 5’s inscrutable storyline.
For while Milla might be up to the
challenge of executing the script, the same can’t be said about her supporting
cast’s wooden delivery of every last line of dialogue. The worst in this regard
is Hong Kong star Bingbing Li who is crippled by the English language here,
making a most disastrous Hollywood debut.
A visually-captivating fantasy for
teenage males with raging hormones, the demo most apt to enjoy watching an
invincible vixen in spandex waste wave after wave of mindless mutants.
Fair (1 star)
Rated R for partial nudity and pervasive graphic violence.
Running time: 96 minutes
Distributor: Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Outtakes;
Drop Undead: The Creatures of Retribution; Retribution Soundtrack; Face of the
Fan; Commentary with director Paul W.S. Anderson, Milla Jovovich and Boris
Kodjoe; Commentary with director Paul W.S. Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt;
and more.
To see a trailer for Resident
Evil: Retribution, visit:
To order a copy of Resident Evil: Retribution on DVD,
visit: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B009MO57H6/ref%3dnosim/thslfofire-20
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