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Resident Evil: Retribution (2012 film)

The 4th sequel to the franchise directed by Paul W.S. Anderson

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Cool 3D, Latest Sequel is More a Stunt Show and a Display of CGI-Visual Effects!

Sep 15, 2012

by woopak_the_thrill
posted in Movie Hype

Exclusive to the Lunch Network

Rating:

The “Resident Evil” movie franchise may be considered as one of those things that I can call ‘guilty pleasure’. I mean, I never expect much from the films, and yet, for some reason I just cannot help watching them. Ok, perhaps it is because I really liked the popular video game series that had inspired the films, but then the movie franchise weren’t at all faithful to the tempo, the story and the mood of the video games. Perhaps it is because the movie franchise is all about style that emanates the feel of a ‘shoot them up’ and ‘rock them and sock them’ video game that has creatures and zombies in them. Well, it also helps when you have Milla Jovovich in the lead…

Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

The film begins right after the events of “Resident Evil: Afterlife” (with some fancy play back effect), with the Arcadia freighter being attacked by a fleet of Umbrella airships led by a mind-controlled Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory). Alice (Mila Jovovich) ends up captured and kept in a secret Umbrella facility where experiments were being held to further the development of the T-Virus as a weapon of war. Somehow, a security breach ends up freeing Alice, she escapes into the complex and finds several Umbrella operatives shot dead. Ada Wong (Li Bingbing, The Message) had arrived to free her and enlist her aid. Set to rendezvous with a team that includes Alice’s old friend Luther (Boris Kodjoe), Leon (Johnny Urb) and Barry Burton (Kevin Durand), they must fight their way through both the Red Queen’s human and monstrous forces.

Li Bing Bing as Ada Wong and Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Li Bing Bing as Ada Wong and Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Milla Jovovich in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

The “Resident Evil” movie franchise have never had that intricate a script, they were made for “easy to digest” entertainment whose focus was visuals and action that revolves around a woman named Alice. Anderson made his return as director to the franchise in the recent movie “Afterlife”, and so he makes this latest film (that he also writes) a direct sequel to the recent one. One can see that the original film was closely followed by “Apocalypse” as a direct sequel, “Extinction” serves almost as an epilogue and a prologue to bond the series into episodes while “Afterlife” and “Retribution” are directly related. The script never did elaborate how much time had passed between the last three movies, and are all dependent on Alice’s point of view. Typical to Anderson’s writing, he opens up questions to several plot devices and opens up pockets, while finally explaining some things from “Afterlife”, he does open up some new things in the script that lacks development.

Previous characters make a return in the film, Rain (Michelle Rodriguez), Jill (Sienna Guillory), Carlos (Oded Fehr), Luther, J-Pop Girl (Mika Nakashima) and Wesker (Shawn Roberts) while some new ones are introduced in the form of Ada Wong (Li Bingbing who really looked the part as a homage to the video game) and Becky (Aryana Engineer). There is nothing really inventive to the screenplay, it is meant to emulate a video game--not the “Resident Evil” games exactly but rather something that is more like the ‘shoot them up’ and fight your way out video game that goes play by play in different locations. The threats get more dangerous and monstrous the more our heroes get deeper into the complex, all for the build up of the final act. Anderson who also wrote the screenplay also pitches a subtle homage to “Dead Snow” while I am assuming tribute shots to the video game (I cannot 100 % be certain since my playing days of the game stopped after Resident Evil 4). He keeps things simple in his film; no puzzles or shocking developments, it is all about action and visuals as our heroes fight their way to reach some kind of ‘boss level’ threat.

Michelle Rodriguez as Rain in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Michelle Rodriguez as Rain in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Li Bing Bing as Ada Wong, Michelle Rodriquez as Rain, Sienna Guillory as Jill Valentine, Colin Salmon as One and Oded Fehr as Carlos in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

The visuals were all made to capitalze on the 3D gimmick and is really a stunt show. I mean, the movie looked fantastic in 3D. The action was real good with the added effects, explosions were more powerful and shots packed more punch. Mila Jovovich still looked as great doing the action scenes as in the previous movies. She never loses a step which makes her one of the Hollywood’s bankable female action heroes. Alice is up against monsters (the souped-up, juggernaut Hunter monster was intimidating) , soldiers and her friends; she gets into a jam and somehow, you’ll know she will pull through. The script misses with what is called ‘emotional and dramatic’ content in the action scenes, which makes the scenes a little empty and predictable. The encounters while decent were not a cut above other action movies. Much as the story of “RE: Apocalypse” was standard, it packed a lot of punch when it came to the action scenes. “Retribution” tries but fails, as it tries to add an emotional device with Becky, but really, they were more made to set up the action than actually having a emotional connection in the script. Even when Alice confronted Jill and Rain; it was all so very predictable, but yet, somehow Anderson manages to make some good moments of action.

Sienna Guillory as Jill Valentine in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Sienna Guillory as Jill Valentine in "Resident Evil: Retribution."

Paul W.S. Anderson had always been more of a director whose best attributes are all around delivering visual flair, and this film is no different. The creature designs (inspired by the video game) looked quite good, the film being a stunt show had that massive visual appeal. “Retribution” is the kind of movie that you ‘watch’ not for its plot or characters, but rather something that you can pass the time. It is a film that requires so little use of your brain and is better than "Afterlife". You can just relax and celebrate in all the monster-zombie action mayhem. Sometimes, we need movies like “Retribution”....again, 'sometimes'.

RENTAL [2 ½ Out of 5 Stars]

Poster art for "Resident Evil: Retribution 3D."

Poster art for "Resident Evil: Retribution 3D."

File:Resident evil retribution poster.jpg

Cool 3D, Latest Sequel is More a Stunt Show and a Display of CGI-Visual Effects!

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JSMaresca September 21, 2012

Good detailed review with action pictures!

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FM_ALEX September 19, 2012

I'll wait on this one, "Extinction" is still my fav.

woopak_the_thrill September 25, 2012

My fave has got to be the first sequel--Apocalypse with Extinction coming a close second tied with the first movie.

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Madpenguin September 16, 2012

I'm in the theatre right now waiting for this to start. I hope I enjoy it more than the last batch.

woopak_the_thrill September 16, 2012

hey--where's your review? How come it went missing? I was ready to read it now.

Madpenguin September 18, 2012

I'll go ahead and bring it back. I just wish there was more folks here to chat with on these things. I miss the old days on ammie man.

woopak_the_thrill September 18, 2012

Me too. Seems like most of our friends have taken a long hiatus because of personal reasons. Nick hardly reviews anymore, Chris hangs around in FB and the others are occupied with either work or personal issues. Have you been in ammie lately? They got rid of the friend thing.

Madpenguin September 18, 2012

Yeah, I noticed Nick rarely reviews other than dropping vine products. Adri at one point invited me to the Fb discussions but I just don't care for the site really. I noticed a while ago ammie ditched that as well as the interesting person list which doesn't make any sense. I barely bother with that site now, not even to buy things.

woopak_the_thrill September 18, 2012

I tell yah, one day, I won't be as active in reviewing anymore but may just drop the occasional write up on Epinions and read other reviews. Sometimes I amaze myself that considering my busy schedule, as to how I can find time to write.

Madpenguin September 18, 2012

I can understand the part with time being an issue. If I wasn't working for myself and would sometimes have a lot of free time, I probably wouldn't have time for it either. But the thing that irritates me is how some folks just blatantly ignore comments, and just don't give a damn about others work. It's that me, me, me personality that really gets on my nerves. I was actually offended when someone who has made it a habit to ignore comments and other people's work, had the audacity to ask me to read and rate his work. I ignored him completely.

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More Resident Evil: Retribution (20... reviews

review by Madpenguin. September 18, 2012

posted in Movie Hype

Pretty, oh so pretty, but brainless as can be.

A very large corporation by the name of Umbrella, who specializes in creating home appliances and everyday usable products for people also has a darker secret. They perform experiments concerning genetic mutations. One of their experiments which happens to be an airborne agent called the T-Virus is released on its staff in their underground complex called the Hive. The people are unable to get out and they're all killed. Umbrella responds by sending a commando team to investigate, and they later … more

Comments (4) Compliments (60)

see all Resident Evil: Retribution (20... reviews (2)

About the reviewer

William (woopak_the_thrill)
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Please "Like" Film and Movies and Keep the Economy strong....LOL!! My Interests: Movies, Anime, History, Martial … more