After the third-rate sequel to the original film, “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” there was little hope the series could be salvaged. Bringing in an actual director for “Resident Evil: Extinction” was a good start in reclaiming lost ground. Russell Mulcahy, most famously known for directing the original “Highlander,” is able to give this third film a foreboding feel, legitimate scares, great action sequences and a good reconnection with story elements from the successful first movie.
Mulcahy should be applauded for resurrecting a series that was given up for lost.
The star of the original film, Alice (Milla Jovovich), continues her journey evading the Umbrella Corporation, the evil organization that created the T-virus causing the zombie outbreak. Alice was genetically manipulated in the second film, making her stronger, faster and more capable of killing the zombies. Hiding within her blood may be a potential cure to the outbreak.
By now, the virus has spread throughout the world and infected humans have destroyed civilization as we know it. Small bands of surviving humans must remain on the move to avoid attracting the attention of the living dead. Claire Redfield (Ali Larter, TV’s “Heroes”) leads one of these groups, with the help of Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr, “The Mummy Returns“), a survivor of the destruction of Raccoon City and former comrade to Alice.
The change in scenery of “Resident Evil: Extinction” is refreshing and different, with most of the film taking place out west in the desert. Being surrounded by zombies in a desolate sandy wasteland under the bright sun is a new terror that works surprisingly well. This film is a shocking contrast to prior zombie films – it’s more reminiscent of “The Road Warrior” than “Dawn of the Dead.” Mulcahy knows how to scare his audience in this new environment, whether investigating abandoned gas stations and motels or having virus-infected birds circling overhead.
In a post-apocalyptic landscape, the surviving humans can sometimes be as bad as the monsters.
What separates this series from other zombie films is the action movie component, as these heroes can usually hold their own against the shambling hordes. Jovovich is especially athletic in her role as Alice, flipping and high kicking around undead dogs and humans. Her new look as a Wild West gunslinger with a pair of matching machetes makes her a force to be reckoned with. There are some story elements that don’t work, such as giving Alice additional abilities, but they don’t distract from the central plot.
While Alice does seem nearly unstoppable, those she surrounds herself with are vulnerable, and these new supporting characters are well defined by interesting personalities that differentiate them - Larter’s new tough female lead is able to share the screen with Jovovich’s uber-heroine without being overshadowed.
Overall, “Resident Evil: Extinction” reminds me of the original film while introducing new environments, threats and characters. Though stretching the limits of believability through Alice, it never derails the emotion or creepiness created by the new director.
It’s a worthy addition to the first “Resident Evil,” which may leave you wondering if it’s too late to re-make the middle chapter.
