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The pitch for “Resident Evil: Extinction” was probably the easiest sell of all time: “Hey, remember those post-apocalyptic movies with that crazy anti-Semite as Mad Max? Let’s make a movie like those. but throw in lots and lots of zombies… and subtract the anti-Semitic dude.” Boom! The movie would be green lit on premise alone.
The question that remains is – does “Resident Evil: Extinction” live up to the likes of “The Road Warrior” or does it stink up the joint like “Mad Max Beyond Thunder Dome?”
At this point in the series, zombies basically reign supreme. The Umbrella Corporation’s virus has brought the world to its knees. “RE: Extinction” focuses upon a convoy of survivors in the American South West. The series’ heroine, Alice [Milla Jovovich], comes to their aid and attempts to bring the survivors safely to Alaska while simultaneously trying to kick as much undead ass as possible. Alice’s superhuman abilities are now at a level that even Stan Lee would be proud of. She will stop at nothing to bring down the Umbrella Corporation.
For the third installment, Russell Mulcahy takes over for Paul W.S. Anderson in the director’s chair. This replacement adds a much-needed freshness to the series. Mulcahy delivers a frenetic style and somehow turns Anderson’s B-level script into what is easily the best movie of the franchise.
Mulcahy and Anderson, who stays on as producer, have found a way to balance the darker edge of the first movie with the over-the-top action of the second. The result is a zombie movie that would make George Romero proud. Gore-hounds unite in celebration as these action sequences rank among the best in zombie movie history.
By what can only be described as a miracle, most of the lead characters, particularly Alice and Claire Redfield [Ali Larter of "Heroes"] come off as real human beings. The reason this is such an achievement is due to the inane words they are forced to spew out. Somehow, it all rolls off their tongues with ease.
“Resident Evil: Extinction” is not without its faults. The Umbrella Corporation continues to come off as a third rate shadow government a la James Bond’s nemesis, SPECTRE. And the plot is thinner than Lindsay Lohan after a three day coke binge. But let’s face it, no one is going into this movie expecting to see “Citizen Kane.”
Instead, “RE: Extinction” hits you with an all-out assault of awesome. The violence is bloody, the people are hot and… what else is there in a movie like this? If you were able to groove to the first two Resident Evil flicks then you will more than likely love this one.
Grade: B
Bangor Daily News