Today’s quick review: Resident Evil: Retribution. Captured by the Umbrella Corporation and taken to a remote facility in Russia, Alice (Milla Jovovich) must fight her way out through the Red Queen’s traps with the guidance of rogue Umbrella operative Ada Wong (Li Bingbing). Standing in their way are Umbrella’s most advanced T-virus zombies, a brainwashed Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory), and Rain (Michelle Rodriguez), a one-time ally from Alice’s past.
Resident Evil: Retribution is an action horror movie, the fifth in the Resident Evil series. Retribution picks up with Afterlife’s cliffhanger ending, showing what happened to Alice after Umbrella’s latest raid. Retribution throws the audience a few curveballs. Claire’s story is dropped altogether, the Red Queen AI has taken over Umbrella, and the setting dips further into science fiction. Still, the focus of the movie remains firmly on its action.
In large part, Resident Evil: Retribution is a tribute to the previous films in the series. The plot is reminiscent of the first Resident Evil, with several characters from that film returning. The zombies include some of the better designs from throughout the series. The story delves even deeper into Umbrella’s shady operations, shedding new light on their past actions. As such, Retribution features an unusual blend of new ideas and nostalgia.
However, not all of its gambles pay off. The abrupt shift in story direction is jarring. The setup comes off as contrived, albeit with the intention of recreating the highlights of the series. More importantly, the main conflict—the escape from the Russian facility—feels like a distraction from the larger conflict yet to come. Even the action has its ups and downs: slick fights with some of the zombies leading up to a sloppier final battle.
Resident Evil: Retribution has plenty to offer for fans of the Resident Evil movies, serving as a modern update to some of the series’ better ideas. But its execution is a mixed bag, making bold story moves that come at the cost of coherence and having a harder time with its fight choreography. Fans who are in it for the ride will still enjoy the big twists and schlocky action. Those hoping for something sensible or consistent will want to steer clear.
For a more measured dark sci-fi movie about a team of warriors in a dire situation, try Predator. For a sequel that offers a similar remix of its predecessors’ ideas, try Terminator Genisys. For similarly far-fetched sci-fi action with a lighter tone, try The Island.
5.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for novel changes with mixed results.