Resident Evil: Apocalypse

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Horrorphile - October 2007

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

October 3rd 2007 23:53

The nightmare continues for mercenary Alice (Milla Jovovich) in the sequel, Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), written by original writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, but directed by Alexander Witt, who previously had been a second unit director. The results are mediocre at best.

Major Cain (Thomas Kretschmann) ordeed The Hive re-opened, and in doing so contaminated all of Raccoon City with the T-Virus. Alice teams up with other other military-trained survivors, Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) and Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr), and a journalist Terri Morales (Sandrine Holt).

Resident Evil: Apocalypse Milla Jovovich

Alice (Milla Jovovich), locked and loaded

The city is crawling with zombies, chaos reigns supreme. The ragtag team must rendezvous with Dr Ashford (Jared Harris) and find his daughter Angie (Sophie Vavasseur), as she has the anti-virus. But what happened to Matt Addison who was quarantined at the same time as Alice at the end of the first film?

Alice will soon meet her Nemesis.

The only thing bikes are good for: crashing through stained glass windows

The main problem with Resident Evil: Apocalypse is that the whole movie feels sillier. There are more comedic moments, especially in the dialogue and some of the characterizations: L.J. (Mike Epps) for one. But even Nemesis (6’6” actor Matthew G. Taylor in a huge body suit) looks like a ridiculous cross between the Chatterer Cenobite from Hellraiser (1987) and Rawhead Rex (1987).

Resident Evil: Apocalypse Sienna Guillory

Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) having a Nikita moment

The other drawback is the softening of the movie’s violence. The tone is still relentless, but it’s less graphic, and that’s one of the reasons which made the first movie memorable. It was quite definitely a horror movie, but one with a sf slant. Apocalypse feels more like a shoot ‘em up action thriller with a sf slant. This worked for Aliens (1986). But not here. Of course, any movie with zombies has a horror overtone, but Apocalypse keeps cutting away at the wrong moment, the editing whizzes you through the action way too fast, or most annoyingly, the director utilises a tacky blurred fast motion effect, which makes it look like you’re watching late night television.

Glass shards? What glass shards?

What the movie does have going for it is Milla Jovovich. She commands it. But I was constantly distracted by trigger-happy uber-babe Jill Valentine, who reminded me of tomb raider Lara Croft meets la femme Nikita, but sexier. Sienna Guillory, who normally sports long strawberry blonde hair, looks damn hot with a jet-black bob, a turquoise tube, a mini and motorcycle boots!

Nemesis (Matt Taylor), locked and loaded

But I digress … the rest of Apocalypse does not match the smouldering heat of Sienna Guillory’s sexy sly glances. Not even Alice’s kick-ass combat skills can save this remarkably un-stellar sequel. It’s all “style” and no substance; popcorn for the braindead. But hey, it’s only a video game after all.

Warning: Major Spoiler Alert!

But my serious gripe comes from the situation at the end of the movie after the helicopter is hit by the pressure wave from the nuke and crashes. How the hell did they survive?! With no injuries sustained whatsoever?! It confused the hell out of me.

Dr Isaacs (Iain Glen) comes into the picture at movie’s end and another layer is added to Alice’s nightmare. Project Alice has been initiated … Prepare yourself.

I'm the uber-mercenary

Resident Evil: Apocalypse Jill Valentine

No, I'M the uber-mercenary

Here's the original trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

3 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Harry

October 4th 2007 00:28

World Art
Sydney Diary
Personals
Video Games
Brisbane Diarystar
Zoo Parent

How can you be a mercenary in a mini-skirt and an almost-corset?

Comment by Damo

October 4th 2007 02:14

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

Sexy looking chicks with pencil thin arms that look as they could hardly lift the guns they are firing? Nothing unrealistic about that.
Nemisis was the most unscary monster ever. His fate was known as soon as he was let out of his cage.
I really wanted to like this movie but that Umbrella corp just annoys me so much.
However it fills in a dull afternoon with the family ok

Comment by Bryn

October 8th 2007 05:28

Horrorphile

With difficulty, but it can be done ... lol

Damo, yeah, I know, I know ... but hey. Saturday afternoons, right?

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