by Daniel Chiam
Let's do a quick recap of the previous 4 installment of the
Resident Evil series to get a better pictures before we get to
Resident Evil: Retribution. Lets go!
Resident Evil (2002) ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson.
Alice is working with Umbrella Corporation, the organization that secretly created the T-Virus (a genetically constructed mutating virus) for the purpose of biological weapon. Alice was trying to expose the conspiracy but ended up trying to contain the outbreak of the T-Virus at a secret underground facility called The Hive with a band of Umbrella Corporation commandos. The virus infected all the people who work in the facility and turned them into a flesh eating undead. Later they found out the T-Virus has an anti-virus to reverse the mutation in early stage. Alice managed to escape from The Hive to the surface. She was captured and knocked unconscious afterwards. When Alice woke up, the virus already spread to the surface of Raccoon City after Umbrella reopened The Hive.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ 4/10
Directed by Alexander Witt.
Alice was being experimented by the Umbrella. She now posses superhuman strength, speed and agility. The character Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera was introduced. Alice's mission along with other survivors is to evacuate from Raccoon City before a nuclear missile completely destroyed the city. In order to do that, they need to help save a little girl named Angela whose father is the scientist that created the T-Virus to get the location of the helicopter. At the end, Nemesis appeared and fought with Alice. Alice and few of the survivors managed to escape with the helicopter, but it was caught in the blast wave and crashes. Umbrella employees found Alice's body, badly burned. Three weeks later, Alice awakens in a water tank. Appeared to be experimented by Umbrella scientist Dr. Isaacs. She attacks him, and fights her way out of the facility. Finally, Alice was taken away by Carlos who disguise as Umbrella employee. Alice was let escaped on purpose and then Program Alice was activated.
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 5/10
Directed by Russell Mulcahy.
Umbrella is cloning Alice to produce a cure for the T-Virus but was failed many time. The T-Virus was unable to be quarantine back in Raccoon City and is now spread to all around the world. After 5 years, the rest of the world eventually turned into deserted wastelands. Alice was separated from her previous group and is now travelling alone, she encountered Claire Redfield's convoy who was in trouble of being attacked by infected crows. Alice uses her psionic powers to defeat the crows. Alice shared with Claire that there is a 'safe zone' in Alaska which is free from infection and became the new direction for the convoy. They were ambush and attacked by the Umbrella and zombies at Las Vegas. Alice was almost being shut down remotely by the Umbrella but failed. They tracked down the Umbrella secret location and went there to get the helicopter to get to Alaska. Alice decided to deal with the Umbrella instead and letting Claire and the remaining survivors to take off with the helicopter. Alice fought with Dr. Isaacs who has mutated into a powerful Tyrant, and she was saved by her own clone at the end. Alice send out a warning declaring that she is coming for the new Umbrella chairman, Albert Wesker in Japan.
Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ 4/10
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson.
The film start with Alice clones attempt to kill Wesker at his base in Tokyo. Wesker escapes and destroys all of the clones with the base. The real Alice boarded his aircraft beforehand and Wesker uses a serum to remove all of Alice's powers before the aircraft crash. Alice travels to Alaska to find the survivors from previous film and only found Claire who suffers from amnesia. Both travel to LA and found a group of survivors living in a prison surrounded by zombies. Alice found out that Arcadia (or the safe haven in Alaska) is actually a tanker ship and is close to the LA's shore. Majini zombies was being introduced, a zombie that can dug tunnel and also Axeman, a huge zombie that carrying an axe. Zombies managed to break into the prison and Alice along with everyone escaped using the sewers to reach Arcadia. Claire suddenly regains her memory, and reveals Arcadia was an Umbrella trap to gather survivors to be used as test subjects. Wesker appeared and was infected by the T-Virus. Alice is able to defeat both Bennett and Wesker with help from K-Mart. Alice resolves to turn Arcadia into a real safe haven and broadcasts a new message for any other survivors. The final scene, Alice see an approaching Umbrella assault helicopter squadron.
I've managed to do a marathon in a day for all the 4 movies, and I find that aside from the zombies and the actions, Resident Evil's plot and story line is a little bit too straight forward and uninteresting at all (aside from the first one which I still think is the best one among all so far).
"Seize the day, Caper Diem"
