Trying to make sense of the convoluted mythos of the Resident Evil film franchise is a more
daunting task than attempting to complete the games on the highest difficulty
level. Even the architects of the series, writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson
and his wife/starlet Milla Jovovich, can’t tell what the hell is happening.
That hasn’t stopped them from soldiering on with a fifth film, Resident Evil: Retribution.
Proof that Anderson has sacrificed substance at the altar of
style is found in the opening credits, which play out in reverse, slow-motion
3D. Picking up where Resident Evil:
Afterlife left off, Alice (Jovovich) and the survivors on board a cargo
freighter are attacked by forces of the Umbrella Corporation led by a
brainwashed Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory). From there, Jovovich gives the
audience a recap of the series so far. Next is a prologue out of Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake with Alice as a
suburban housewife married to Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr)
with a deaf daughter named Becky (Aryana Engineer). As the zombies slaughter
everyone, Alice awakens naked (save for a convenient towel) in a holding cell
where she's tortured by Valentine. Suddenly, Alice is freed by Ada Wong (Li
Bingbing) and former archenemy Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts), who has been
usurped from his position as Umbrella boss by the malevolent A.I. from the
first movie, The Red Queen (Megan Charpentier).
Alice learns she is trapped inside a massive research facility
beneath the Arctic where Umbrella has recreated major cities around the world
to test their biological weapons on unsuspecting clones, including good and
evil versions of past characters like Rain Ocampa (Michelle Rodriguez) and
James Shade (Colin Salmon). Meanwhile, an assault team consisting of Leon
Kennedy (Johann Urb), Barry Burton (Kevin Durand), and Luther West (Boris
Kodjoe) is dispatched to rescue Alice and Ada.
Retribution scores
a minor victory in the fact that it comes closest to replicating the video game
experience more than any other game adaptation. The protagonists collect items
and weapons in order to advance from one level to the next with helpful map
graphics to orient the viewer. It's about as thrilling as watching someone play
video games while hogging the controller. The barebones plot shamelessly rips
off Aliens with Becky fulfilling the
role of Newt to Alice's Ripley in a vain effort to inject some heart into this
hollow action flick. The connections between each installment are tenuous with
Anderson hitting the reset button whenever he feels the need. Alice has
superpowers then she doesn't. Not that it matters either way since she has no
problems defeating hordes of the undead with gravity defying flips, all while
dressed in a tightly buckled leather outfit. It still provides more protection
than Ada Wong's combat attire of a slinky evening gown and strappy high heels.
At least, Anderson keeps the pace brisk and action packed so
as not to call attention to the thin plot or the clipped dialogue recited in
increasingly wooden fashion by the cast.
Resident Evil:
Retribution is more visually impressive than its predecessors, but no less
dull or derivative. Only the most hardcore fans of the series will be
entertained, especially by an open ending that threatens us with additional mind-numbing
sequels.
Rating: * (*****)
