Surprisingly Entertaining.

I was generally surprised that I liked this movie, not being a fan of either of it's stars. I decided to give the movie a try since it does deal with one of my favorite horror topics...zombies!

...
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Surprisingly Entertaining.

I was generally surprised that I liked this movie, not being a fan of either of it's stars. I decided to give the movie a try since it does deal with one of my favorite horror topics...zombies!

As a horror movie Resident Evil fails miserably, it's not scary and contains only small amounts of suspense. It is much better as an action film although much of the action is chaotic, accompanied by lame heavy metal/thrash music. But seeing as it is based on a video game and made primarily for teenage boy video game addicts it is quite good in and of itself.

The movie plays well, even though it is apparent that some scenes have been cut to achieve an R-rating. The characters do what they need to do in order to survive.

One small problem with the movie is the relative lack of zombie screen time. They do appear in two major scenes but most of the time the hallways are clear. This hive was supposed to employ thousands of people but you only ever see 100 zombies at the most. Also, the humans seem to be able to travel easily wherever they have to go until it is time for another action sequence. It would have been better if they constantly ran into single zombies which they were able to easily dispose of, but this is nit-picking on my part.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and I have never seen, let alone played, the video game. I'm not sure if this movie will have the staying power over multiple viewings for me (like Aliens) but it's a very good single viewing action picture. Easily the best movie I have seen based on a video game. Despite it's flaws Resident Evil rates a 7 out of 10, if taken more seriously this could have been a really good movie. It would have been nice to see a George Romero version.

Surprisingly Entertaining.

I was generally surprised that I liked this movie, not being a fan of either of it's stars. I decided to give the movie a try since it does deal with one of my favorite horror topics...zombies!

...
[+] Read Full Review

Surprisingly Entertaining.

I was generally surprised that I liked this movie, not being a fan of either of it's stars. I decided to give the movie a try since it does deal with one of my favorite horror topics...zombies!

As a horror movie Resident Evil fails miserably, it's not scary and contains only small amounts of suspense. It is much better as an action film although much of the action is chaotic, accompanied by lame heavy metal/thrash music. But seeing as it is based on a video game and made primarily for teenage boy video game addicts it is quite good in and of itself.

The movie plays well, even though it is apparent that some scenes have been cut to achieve an R-rating. The characters do what they need to do in order to survive.

One small problem with the movie is the relative lack of zombie screen time. They do appear in two major scenes but most of the time the hallways are clear. This hive was supposed to employ thousands of people but you only ever see 100 zombies at the most. Also, the humans seem to be able to travel easily wherever they have to go until it is time for another action sequence. It would have been better if they constantly ran into single zombies which they were able to easily dispose of, but this is nit-picking on my part.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and I have never seen, let alone played, the video game. I'm not sure if this movie will have the staying power over multiple viewings for me (like Aliens) but it's a very good single viewing action picture. Easily the best movie I have seen based on a video game. Despite it's flaws Resident Evil rates a 7 out of 10, if taken more seriously this could have been a really good movie. It would have been nice to see a George Romero version.

One of my favourite films, I have seen this movie a long time ago, as a kid, and I feel a very strong attachment to it. Therefore, my love of it probably affects my objectivity as a critic of it.

That being said - I know that this may...
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One of my favourite films, I have seen this movie a long time ago, as a kid, and I feel a very strong attachment to it. Therefore, my love of it probably affects my objectivity as a critic of it.

That being said - I know that this may not be an entirely perfect film, but I have yet to see one that will invoke in me the feelings of such magnitude. The wonderfully paced story, slowly rising from the heartbeat-tempo of the opening music into the apocalyptic feeding frenzy at the end, the flawless lighting, angles and camera work, all make the atmosphere absolutely involving, almost hypnotizing.

When I saw this movie for the first time (and many times subsequently), there came a point when I felt entirely drawn into the story...watching it , fearing for the protagonists, feeling as though I was actually right there with them, completely unaware of my surroundings. Now, a movie that can do that is surely a masterpiece.

I still have not found a single movie in any genre that can rival it in the sheer scope of atmosphere it creates.

Hollywood can learn a lot from movies like this one. Its strongest point lies in its realism, even I would say - modesty of presentation, deceptive simplicity...there are no overdone special effects or flashy characters...just a presentation of everyday world, ever so subtly kicked askew. And that's wherein its wonder lies. This story is a fantasy. Over-the-top grizzly. Absurd. And you WILL believe it.

Watch this movie. You may like it, you may not. But I am sure that it will enrich you in some way. It's just to powerful a vision to experience with indifference.

Even so many years after my first viewing, I am still left with the echoes of that world that's gone mellow, slow and lethargic, where our civilization is only a memory and the dead walk the earth as a reminder to the living.