Movie Review
Resident Evil: Extinction
Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 21, 2007
A few years back, I was short on cash and had to make due with only a couple bucks to eat over the weekend. I went to the store to get some food, and the best cheap meat I could think of was Spam. However, when I went to the canned lunchmeat section, I found a less expensive generic store brand. I soon found myself pondering whether the generic stuff would live up to the quality of real Spam.
In quiet reflection, this made no sense. Is there anything worse than Spam? Probably not, but it still is awesome on a fried egg sandwich.
Likewise, I found myself wondering whether Resident Evil: Extinction will live up to the quality we’ve come to expect from the first two films.
After Alice and company fought the zombies underground in Resident Evil and then faced the undead as they overran Raccoon City in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, now they are fighting the zombies for control of the wasted world. Milla Jovovich teams up with Ali Larter and her refugee team to take on the zombies in apocalyptic desert landscape. Think of it as The Road Warrior meets Dawn of the Dead on the Las Vegas strip.
If this appeals to you, you might like the film. It’s not that the zombie showdowns spills over into the keno lounge of the MGM Grand or anything that fun, but the wasteland of former Las Vegas makes a pretty cool backdrop.
Ultimately, if you really loved the first two movies, or if you really hated them, you’ll probably want to skip Resident Evil: Extinction.
While I was a fan of the first two Resident Evil flicks, I was a bit disappointed with this movie. Sure, it’s got a lot of zombies blowing up, but it just gets too silly in some parts. The terror of flesh-eating zombies is left at the side while I found myself using the plot holes to make jokes…
How many zombies can you fit in a cargo hold? Apparently about 60,000 if you pack them really tightly.
How many people can escape in a small helicopter? The number seems to be about 20 if you pack them in like clowns in a VW bug.
How many people are stupid enough to let themselves get bitten by zombies and not take a bullet to the head? Well, this was actually only one, but it was a big duh for the reality in the film.
Still, Resident Evil: Extinction wasn’t a total waste. Milla Jovovich, queen of the modern B-movie, looks sexy in her apocalyptic Mad Max outfit. And I did enjoy looking at the hundreds of naked Alice clones in the Umbrella Corporation’s underground warehouse.
Dropping Ali Larter and Ashanti into the zombie hunter den wasn’t a bad idea, although they did wear a bit too much clothing than I imagine would be comfortable in the apocalyptic Nevada desert. It seems the costume designer didn’t learn anything from the short skirt worn by Sienna Guillory in Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
Gorehounds and zombie freaks should enjoy the zombie scenes. There’s many a head that is blown in by shotguns and other devices. I think more zombies are wiped off the earth in this film than the rest of the movies together. But rotten zombie brains splattered into the camera lens does not always a good movie make.
This all might be the director’s problem. Paul W.S. Anderson was in charge of the first two, and he’s one of my favorite hack directors. When he passed the directing reigns over to Russell Mulcahy, he should have thought twice about this. With rare exceptions, it really is not a good idea to give a seasoned director from television and movie videos a chance at the big screen. We end up with… well, we end up with Resident Evil: Extinction.
The Upside: Lots of zombies get shot in the head.
The Downside: All the naked Alice clones have their hands strategically covering their boobs.
On the Side: The destroyed Statue of Liberty head made me want to yell, “You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!â€
Read more articles by Kevin Carr
18 Comments
September 21st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I’m still keen to check this one out. I wouldn’t call the first two movies ‘excellent’ by any means, but they are a guilty pleasure! :P My first rule of movies, if there are zombies in it, I have to see it.
September 22nd, 2007 at 12:18 am
Ok, I just got back from this and I’m still trying to figure out what the plot was. The first scene left me scratching my head and it continued untill the credits. The plot has more holes than any movie I have ever seen. I can’t even think of one scene that made sense and progressed any kind of coherent storyline. If you’re thinking about going to see this, don’t. Ever.
September 22nd, 2007 at 1:13 am
to corranhorn85: Did you even see the other 2 movies. That might have made this, the THIRD movie, make a little more sense….
What the hell were you thinking going to a THIRD movie in a trilogy with your pants down?
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I did see the first two and liked them. This one just took what the first two did and crapped all over it.
September 24th, 2007 at 2:22 am
Gah, this one was much better than the second, but the first is probably still my favorite - plot wise. This one was my favorite, visually.
While you totally make yourself out to be a pig with all the naked Alice and outfit comments; I do agree about the cargo hold zombies. There were far too many.
I was disappointed with the amount of people dying, but then again, I expected it, as there was no way they would make it a happily-ever-after for Alice. Also, there was no Leon. =[
But all in all, I loved it. Granted there should've been more references to the video games [which, had you played them, the plot would've made a little more sense - you can only put so much information into a two hour movie], backstories to the other characters and such. I mean, I’m sure they could’ve fit a few minutes of campfire tales while they were all camped out before the crow attack.
ANYway, yeah, I loved it, and would be willing to go see it again [once I get paid, haha].
September 24th, 2007 at 2:24 am
Oh, but I did love Alice’s outfit. I wish to own it one day. ^_^’
September 30th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
What happened to Jill Valentine?
October 4th, 2007 at 9:37 am
I personally did not really care for the first two movies. I enjoyed this one a little more than the others. Quite frankly I’m still upset about them crapping all over the original storylines the games laid out. I’m a huge fan of the games and I think they messed up by adding a new main character to start with, and don’t get me started about what they did to Nemesis in the second. Although, you’re right, Alice’s costume in this was really nice (although who wears a coat in the hot ass desert).
October 14th, 2007 at 4:06 am
You’re so stupid. The second movie sucked. But this one? Amazing. And I didn’t see any plot holes like you did. You were just too busy wondering when the naked Alice clones were going to show again. You’re such a guy and don’t deserve to be a fan of these movies.
January 1st, 2008 at 11:45 pm
….Ok you know what i give up….do you wanna know why leon was not in this movie? ok here it goes…in resident evil 2 there was a newspaper in the movie that explained how jill valentine was suspened from the force due to her partner (leon kennedy) dieing. it was becuase of that leon couldnt be in the movie…hell they had a guy ready to play him..(the guy from supernatural) This really really sucks Becuase i love resident evil 4 and and Leon is my favorite cherictar. however this is the movie writers fault. LEON does NOT die! in the REAL resident evil story because he goes on to europe to fight sadler 6 years after racooncity. but at lease he is in the new CG resident evil movie that takes place 1 year after residentevil 4. and geuss what?? NO ALICE thank god
So hey live action RE: movies listen up……YOU ******! UP
January 1st, 2008 at 11:51 pm
nothings_impossible12@hotmail.com is my email if anyone would like to get back to me about Leon not being in the resident evil live action movies. please i would like to hear from someone.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am
My friend had printed out a copy of a promo news paper from RE : Apocalypse, it was a news story about Jill Valentine. It talked about her claims of zombies in the Arklay Mts, her and that guy from the movie. According to that, it mentions Leon Kennedy as her partner, and that he died sometime in between both movies! Very very distressing and dissappointing as this is, Leon prolly won’t show on any of Milla Jovovich’s Resident Evil Movies!
And what ever happened to Jill Valentine anyways? Do They mean to say that our busty super-cop Jill died somewhere in between the last two movies too? And where did Claire learn to fly a Helicopter?!
But good news, I heard that a new RE movie is in the making! It’s supposed to be based on the first game and appearantly animated! Sooo cool!!!! Well here’s hoping!
-Charlie-
January 15th, 2008 at 9:58 am
is it just me or does anyone else think that Sarah Michelle Gellar wold have made a great Rebecca Chambers?
ooooo and Ryan Reynolds as Chris Redfield? hehehe
-Charlie-
January 26th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Leon is NOT died in the movies. He’s going to be in the next resident evil movie. Its called Resident Evil: Afterlife. He is being played by Jensen Ackels (the older brother from supernatural). He’s perfectly suited to play Leon too. His role in supernatural is a lot like Leon except Leon doesn’t always go chasing after girls.
To make things better, Leon is going to be in Resident Evil Degeneration! W00T!
April 15th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Resident Evil: Extinction was the best movie I think made in last year or so - it was great. The guy who wrote this main articicle - you want nudity get a playboy…
As far as these other people posting all about Leon and a Fourth movie….Check your sources. There is no confirmation on ANYTHING yet having to do with a 4th film. They’re not entirely closed to the idea but they aren’t thinking about it yet either…. Jovovich was only signed on to do 3 movies - and hasn’t signed on yet for the 4th…
Rumors run rampid however about the name Resident Evil: Afterlife and it taking place in Japan - and possibly following Larter’s character’s travel to Alaska. None of that has been confirmed - and it is a little sad that people are posting things as FACTS when their FACTS AREN’T FACTS at all.
I hope they do make a 4th installment to this film… I hope they continue to keep “Alice” a character - possibly kill her in 4th film and let Claire take over… either way - I am gonna go see it and see what they do right and what they do wrong.
Ali Larter has been quoted in saying however if the third film did well at the box office that would be play well in them making another film and that she’d definately sign on…
Here’s hoping…
June 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I agree Extinction was pretty good. But yeah I was searching the internet and saw this thing and Leon was coughing up blood laying on the floor and one had this like red vien type things going all over his body so is that how he dies? I don’t know but Leon is my Fav from Resident so it would suck to not see him in one of the movies.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
i like all the resident movies but why did the two guys from the second movie die mike epps and oded fuer they were the best ones of the movie
July 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
im a big fan of all the resident evil games and movies but leon didnt even play in any of the movies and it said he did i dont know who played him because i thought jensen ackels played leon and what about mike epps and oded feur they died and ther still has to be another movie this sucks!!!!!