Title: Resident Evil: Extinction
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Mike Epps, Iain Glen, Ali Larter
Directed By: Russell Mulcahy
Produced By: Martin Moszkowicz, Victor Hadida, Kelly Van Horn
Genre: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Horror, Adaptation and Sequel
Release Date: September 21st, 2007
MPAA Rating: R for non-stop violence, language and some nudity.
Distributors: Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Releasing
Resident Evil: Extinction is based on the wildly popular video game series and picks up where the last film left off. Alice (Milla Jovovich), now in hiding in the Nevada desert, once again joins forces with Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr) and L.J. (Mike Epps), along with new survivors Claire Redfield (Ali Larter), K-Mart (Spencer Locke) and Nurse Betty (Ashanti) to try to eliminate the deadly virus that threatens to make every human being undead...and to seek justice. -Official Site
Resident Evil: Extinction is an apt title. With this installment, the entertainment value of the Resident Evil franchise is almost extinct. Veering even farther from the games on which it is based, as well as changing the nature of characters that have been established in previous films, not to mention the ridiculousness of the setup, all lead Resident Evil: Extinction on an unbelievable ride that hopes to squeeze by you with it's failings unnoticed. Example: The world has dried up, literally. No oceans, lakes or rain. Why? Because most of the population is dead. You buy it? If so, I have a bridge or some property on the moon for sale.
Where does it go right? Effects, makeup and some of the fight choreography and the actual acting. Milla Jovovich still kicks ass with much grace and beauty. I must mention the fact that her face looks completely airbrushed on though. Kind of like what they do to every single Playboy model ever. Ali Larter channels Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 almost perfectly, all the way down to the costume. Baseball cap, sunglasses, etc. I am really disappointed in Mike Epps in this final chapter. His jokes and wisecracks were some of the best things in RE2, but he has been relegated to almost a background character here. Same goes for Oded Fehr, the commanding soldier from RE2 has been reduced to a shock trooper. The biggest problem is that there really isn't anything distinguishably different between any of the characters. They all seem to have the same attitude. Not through the actors fault though, I lay blame on the director. And yes, if you read the synopsis, there really is a character named K-Mart. Just another ridiculous nail in the coffin of the Resident Evil franchise. Even though they left it wide open for a sequel, almost demanding one, I hope they let this dead dog lie in pieces.
I have said enough about this one. I have seen worse, but I have seen much better.
Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitch@comicbookbin.com
