FILM REVIEW: RESIDENT EVIL THE FINAL CHAPTER (15)

Goodbye and good riddance…

Firstly, let me start by saying that I have been a huge fan of the Resident Evil games since the first was released in 1996 – yes, it was that long ago! Other than a small handful of the games (mostly spin-offs), the quality has remained high. The recent release of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard also received rave reviews, so it’s good to see the standards don’t appear to be slipping any time soon.

When it comes to the Resident Evil movies however, things are very different.

Neither of the first five films of the series have received more than 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. We’re now on the sixth and (supposedly) final instalment of the franchise. Have the filmmakers learnt from their previous mistakes? Have they been listening to the fans who have been pretty verbal as to where the issues lie?

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter sees writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson behind the camera for the fourth time in this zombie series. The story picks up where the previous film, Retribution, ends – though fear not if you didn’t see it as this one begins with a lengthy prologue narrated by the protagonist, Alice (Milla Jovovich), who reiterates everything that’s happened before.

The Final Chapter is your typical Point A to Point B storyline – a formula we’ve seen in films such as Mad Max: Fury Road and The Wizard of Oz – with Point B being where an antivirus to the zombie plague is rumoured to have been created.

Unfortunately, with so much distance for Alice to cover to reach her destination, her encounters are often too brief. By the time your brain has processed one action sequence, it’s straight onto the next. Sounds exciting, right? No, it’s exhausting and messy.

With sloppy editing, a simple plot and terrible effects, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter offers nothing new to the franchise. But hey, maybe you’ll see that as a good thing? Despite every film being panned by both critics and audiences alike, they clearly have a fan base. After all, copious amounts of tickets are sold every time.

Simply put, if you enjoyed the previous movies, you should definitely head to the cinema to catch The Final Chapter on the big screen as it mostly follows the same formula.

But most of you should avoid it.

Mikey Clarke [youtube id=”79Sd4GtOXuI” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Genre: Action & Sci-fi

Cast: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Ruby Rose & Iain Glen

Running Time: 1hr 46mins

Written & Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

Watch Resident Evil: The Final Chapter and much more at Showcase Cinema, Peterborough. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas’.