Today’s quick review: Resident Evil: Afterlife. After a raid on the Umbrella Corporation’s headquarters and a costly confrontation with Chairman Wesker (Shawn Roberts), Alice (Milla Jovovich) sets out to reunite with Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) and her band of survivors. Finding only an amnesiac Claire and no sign of the others, Alice travels to Los Angeles in search of answers, where she joins forces with another group of survivors trapped in a prison.
Resident Evil: Afterlife is an action horror movie, the fourth in the series. Afterlife picks up months after the events of Extinction, following up on what happened to Claire and the others while Alice was tracking down Wesker. The movie doubles down on the series’ focus on action and features some interesting additions to the overarching plot. However, its oddly structured story and weak supporting cast keep it from having the impact it should.
Resident Evil: Afterlife aims for even more stylized action than its predecessors. Slow motion, liberal use of CGI, and fights designed for 3D all put a coat of polish on the movie’s action. However, they also draw attention to weak spots in the movie’s special effects and stunt choreography, especially when compared to movies like The Matrix that use a similar style. As such, the movie is flashy but uneven, with lots of spectacle but imperfect execution.
Resident Evil: Afterlife also suffers from a bizarre plot structure. The opening takes the action to new extremes, followed by a hard shift to the prison subplot and another abrupt change in focus for the finale. The plot does come full circle, but just barely. Between the dangling plot threads from Extinction, a new mystery to set up and resolve, and a lengthy digression in Los Angeles, Afterlife feels like it’s stitched from odds and ends.
The sum total is a movie that runs hot and cold. Fans who have enjoyed the series through Extinction will appreciate the extra effort that Afterlife puts into its action. Though not quite top-of-the-line, the action is enough to make the movie a fun popcorn watch and keep the series feeling fresh. However, Resident Evil: Afterlife fares worse with its story. Fans hoping for a level-headed continuation of the series should approach with caution.
For sci-fi action in a similar style, try The Matrix Revolutions or Equilibrium. For high-flying action with a more even-keeled story, try Brotherhood of the Wolf.
5.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for flashy action let down by a jumbled plot.