Zombie Condominium
In this laughable symphony of brain-munching, the not-so-medieval dame, Milla Jovovich, breaks the laws of gravity as easily as she breaks zombie skulls. She deftly outmaneuvers what appear to be genetically-engineered super-zombies, with the finesse of a ballerina sporting combat boots. The fun truly begins when scientists – who apparently have more dollars than sense – decide to play God. Surely, what could possibly go wrong in an underground bunker filled with bio-engineered undead? Wink, wink.
Our heroine, Alice, awakens in a deserted mansion, amnesia plagued and surrounded by ominous clues. She dives head-first into a resident nest of corporate conspiracy in the underbelly of Raccoon City, backed up by a rag-tag team of commandos. A runaway bio-weapon, nicknamed The T-Virus, is turning personnel into cannibalistic nightmares within this labyrinthine compound. As the memories jigsaw back, Alice deciphers her pivotal role in this pandemonium. And oh, theres a mutant creature with a taste for drama!
In Resident Evil, logic apparently got the T-virus, too. Doors that only open when youre near death, lasers that turn into a net only at the last moment, and who can forget the zombies waiting politely to attack until our heroes have had their epic entrance. Truly marvelous!
Jovovich’s hardcore resolve and kickassery somewhat salvages the drifting vessel. Her scenes, along with some visually arresting set pieces, do offer moments of adrenaline-pumping satisfaction. However, the oversimplified characters, the close-to-zero narrative coherence and the implausible scientific premises conjure more chuckles than chills. Perhaps a little more brainteasing and a little less brain-eating might have served the movie better. Yet, in a twisted way, its underwhelming seriousness almost adds to its peculiar charm.
Jovovich’s physicality is commendable, but her depth is as shallow as the character-written-on-a-napkin she tries to portray. Her supporting cast shines with their best zombie-dead expressions. Anderson’s directing is as flawless as a patchwork quilt, jumping between action and horror with a chicken-like headlessness.
Conclusions
At its best, Resident Evil is a wild, nonsense-filled ride. While it’s a laugh-inducing mess of a horror movie, it simultaneously becomes an entertaining funhouse — should you loosen your grip on logic. Carry popcorn, leave sense at home! Its visual extravagance and relentless thrills make it a perfect popcorn-muncher for that 2 am nothing else to watch slot. So, for anyone craving a hilarious horror-comedy filled with zombies, action, superhuman moves and sci-fi beauty, jump aboard this crazy Resident Evil roller coaster.