The Resident Evil franchise is known for its complex nature. It has a pattern of alternating between groundbreaking excellence and disappointing failures. However, when it comes to the cinematic adaptations, the situation is less diverse. Nearly every Resident Evil movie and show can be described as terrible. The attempts at live-action fall short and lack intelligence. Even the animated adaptations lack soul, despite having enjoyable action scenes. Overall, the 2002 Resident Evil film stands out as the best in the series.
Paul W. S. Anderson has made a name for himself in the video game movie genre with eight films under his belt. Uwe Boll surpasses him with eleven movies, but Anderson earns some recognition for creating one or two movies that are worth watching. However, Anderson's most recent film, the 2020 Monster Hunter, was a financial disaster. This setback has led him to take a break from the genre. Nevertheless, fans eagerly anticipate his return as his distinctively over-the-top and comically sloppy style has gained popularity among audiences.
What happens in the Resident Evil movie?
What is Resident Evil's Rotten Tomatoes score?
The Hive, a deadly underground laboratory constructed by the hilariously evil Umbrella Corporation, becomes the target of a shadowy figure who steals the nightmarish bio-organic weapon known as the T-virus. This malevolent individual then exposes the Hive's staff to the deadly pathogen, prompting the Hive's AI system, the Red Queen, to activate its defense mechanism and seal off the facility.
In the midst of this chaos, a group of mercenaries led by James Shade arrives to investigate the Hive. Alice, our fearless hero of the franchise, awakens in a mansion with no recollection of her past. It is revealed that she and her amnesiac partner, Spence, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the Hive. James Shade orders Alice and Spence to accompany his team into the depths of the Hive.
As they delve deeper into the Hive facility, tragedy strikes when a laser trap eliminates James and a number of his commandos. To make matters worse, a brave mercenary decides to deactivate the Red Queen, unwittingly unleashing hordes of zombies and a colossal bio-organic weapon within the facility.
Through a slow process, Alice's memories start to resurface while witnessing the deaths of several soldiers. Eventually, the remaining survivors find themselves united in the central chamber of the Red Queen. It is here that they discover they only have a mere hour to escape before the Hive ensnares them indefinitely, leaving no room for error or hesitation.
Resident Evil received a modest 35% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, although its audience score was significantly higher at 67%. Surprisingly, only the final chapter of the franchise and the upcoming 2022 Netflix series managed to surpass its critical rating. The film's presentation can only be described as absurd, drawing most of its positive elements from the original game. The source material's bizarre tone, needlessly convoluted narrative, and borderline experimental action scenes were faithfully translated to the big screen with minimal alterations. While there are a few standout scenes, such as the memorable laser hallway sequence mentioned in numerous reviews, the film's reliance on CGI, particularly in the early 2000s, fell short of perfection. Despite limited production resources, the practical effects failed to leave a lasting impression. One of the film's most captivating aspects is its main protagonist, Alice. However, she does not yet embody the unstoppable action hero fans would come to know. Throughout most of the movie, Alice remains an amnesiac character, serving as the audience's gateway into the story. Her lack of knowledge about the impending dangers allows for a complex character arc that evolves not only throughout the film but also throughout the entire franchise. While Resident Evil may never be regarded as a critical masterpiece, it undeniably provides a highly enjoyable and entertaining experience.
How does Resident Evil end?
Several mercenaries are bitten by zombies. Alice remembers the existence of an antivirus that could save them and leads the group towards the laboratory. Upon arrival, she discovers that the antivirus is missing. Alice and Spence recall that Spence stole the T-virus, infected the scientists in the Hive, and hid both the virus and antivirus on a fast train. Spence launches an attack on the mercenaries but is quickly bitten. He locks them away, retrieves the antivirus, and is then killed by the powerful BOW known as the Licker. The Red Queen offers the soldiers an escape if they kill their most infected member, but Alice refuses as a power outage temporarily disables the Red Queen. Alice eventually locates the antivirus and kills the reanimated Spence. They board the train and initiate their escape.
During their escape, the Licker attacks, but Alice manages to briefly subdue it. One commando falls victim to the Licker, while the antivirus fails to save another. Alice is forced to kill her infected comrade and inadvertently triggers a button, opening a hatch that releases the Licker onto the train tracks. Alice and Raccoon City Police Officer Matt finally reach the mansion, but they are tranquilized by Umbrella scientists and taken away. Matt is then recruited into the Nemesis Program, and the Hive is reopened for further study. Alice wakes up in Raccoon City Hospital and discovers that the city has been completely destroyed. She grabs a shotgun from a nearby police car and steps out to confront the new nightmare.
Resident Evil presents its simple narrative while including numerous inaccurately remembered elements and underwhelming plot twists. It has the potential to be a straightforward science fiction horror encounter, but Paul W. S. Anderson decided to incorporate an amnesia subplot. Nevertheless, it remains one of the top Resident Evil films. With over two decades since its original release, Resident Evil deserves a retrospective view. Alice's initial clash with Umbrella continues to captivate, preserving its peculiar charm from its debut.