Resident Evil: Afterlife
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Wentworth Miller, Shawn Roberts
Director: Paul W.S Anderson
Rating: 1/5
The film series that just won’t die, Resident Evil: Afterlife shuffles it way back into screens to make more folks groan.
Somehow on its fourth instalment, this sees the now super powered Alice and her army of clones (Milla Jovovich) taking on the evil Umbrella corporation and its super villain boss Wesker.
Not all goes to plan though, and Alice ends up de-powered and stranded after a plane crash. She then starts trying to find survivors, flying to Alaska to meet up with old pal Claire Redfield (Ali Larter), before running into a group of stereotypes in an LA prison.
So far, so ridiculous.
But let’s be nice though, and start with the positives, as few as they are. For all of its faults, this is a cracking film to look at, with great visuals and some of the crispest 3D in the business.
The decision to use the same camera’s as Avatar really does pay off, and puts many bigger budget 3D fests to shame.
Now here comes the bad part. This is an awfully scripted, horribly acted, nonsensically plotted film.
With the stupidly silly plot described above, the dialogue only helps to make this look like the work of the film’s undead. But perhaps this film isn’t meant to be serious.
With such corking lines as moments as when the characters say ‘It’s a trap’ just before wandering into it and Wentworth Miller’s Chris actually exclaiming ‘Where is everyone, I don’t understand’ this may just be the comedy of the year.
The performances in this film only seem to make it look even worse. All the stars seem to have adopted an acting style that only includes intense staring and monotone speaking.
Despite this though, Wentworth Miller and Shawn Roberts stand out.Miller for being so bad it hurts, but Roberts for seeming to get the joke, hamming it up and having a whale of a time.
Even the visuals are not left untarnished. Zack Snyder can finally be let off the hook for most overuse of slow motion. Anderson seems obsessed by the stuff. Nearly every action shot in the film is in slow motion.
It only gets worse as the film goes on, with a fight scene between Claire and an axe-wielding foe shot in slow motion, even the bits when she’s just running away. It’s hard to describe just how ridiculous it gets.
Resident Evil: Afterlife is a terrible film, let’s get that straight.
It is not the worst film of the year (stand up The Last Airbender and Marmaduke) but that’s only because it’s unintentionally hilarious.
Only see this if you love zombies so much you have a psychiatrist or you don’t have to pay for it and fancy a giggle at a film so in love with The Matrix it’s painful.
Even then, this is a serious biohazard.
Resident Evil: Afterlife is out now.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith