After the release of Resident Evil: Afterlife and the massive critical failure it went on to become; most people assumed that Resident Evil as a film franchise was going to be over. The story was concluded in a way that was suitable for this series, and the characters had nothing more to tell. For all means and purposes, this world was genuinely over and nothing more could have been expanded into it.
However, we know how greedy studios get when a film does well commercially, and of course, they wanted to test themselves even further. It turns out that it was a particularly good idea to go even further with this franchise, as Resident Evil: Retribution felt more like a return to form than anything else.
How to Download Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
Resident Evil: Retribution – the Movie Review
The story follows directly after the story of Resident Evil: Afterlife, it showcases Alice once again returning to form as the T Virus gets closer and closer to becoming the deadliest thing to ever threaten mankind’s existence. In an effort to try and salvage what’s remaining, Alice decides to hunt down the Umbrella Corporation once again.
She also starts hunting down the mysterious organization which is managing the current outbreak, pushing it further and dooming humanity in the process.
Action
It’s not that this film does anything better in terms of story content, or even drama or character development, but rather that this film understands what this franchise is. This is a pure-action franchise, made to sell tickets on the fact that people get excited when zombies are on screen and they get shot. So, smartly, the director Paul W. S. Anderson decided that this film was going to be a full-out action film dedicated to doing what this franchise does best.
There is so much action, such long sequences of combat that it is mind-boggling how it was even filmed. It is going to be one sequence of dialogue, that lasts very shortly. Right afterward, there is a 10-minute-long action sequence where people are just firing straight at each other, or battling monsters that are meant to terrify audiences. There’s not a lot of dialogue here, so all of the budget definitely went into the action, and it is visible for the most part.
The action choreography is absolutely fantastic, the sequences are tight and well balanced, and the gunfights feel heavy to watch. However, the actors are just as bad in the gunfights as they are in the dialogues. It is the curse of the Resident Evil film franchise, every single actor in this film is just as uninterested as they have been in the previous installations.
The Characters
Milla Jovovich tries her best in this particular movie though, and it does show for a little bit but she doesn’t have the range required. The standout performer here is Li Bingbing as Ada Wong, which is saying something because her range isn’t particularly too high either.
I really dislike the way this film handles the characters, it doesn’t develop them and it genuinely does not even give them enough screen time. Most of the story focuses on Alice, who is one of the most boring protagonists in any film. I love the visual fidelity of this film, the CGI is great, the choreography is fantastic and the visual effects are stunning. So they don’t match up with films such as The Avengers which also came out in 2012.
The Soundtrack
The music is bland again though, after one good step in the right direction with the music, the franchise pivots right back to the boring soundtracks they were known for it. It is quite disappointing as well, especially because the soundtrack was the one thing that I expected them to get right since I assumed they figured it out already.
The Verdict
Resident Evil: Retribution is a fun film, filled with action set pieces that will make your jaw drop. A lot of good CGI and visual effects work has gone into this film, yet somehow the characters and the story remain just as bland as ever. At times, it feels as if these films should not have been made. Yet, when you look at the box office revenue, you completely understand why they were produced.
