Resident Evil: Retribution

The fifth and quite possibly the most epic of the "Resident Evil" film anthology, "Retribution" is all flash and little substance. Yet, that's pretty much what this entire film series is hinged upon so I suppose it gets the job done.

"Retribution" picks up right where "Afterlife" left off, there's even a little bit of overlap and backstory thrown into the intro for those who aren't all caught up yet. In this fifth installment, Alice (Milla Jovovich) finds herself captured by the Umbrella Corp. once again and imprisoned in an icy underground bunker in the Arctic Circle. The underground base is used to test out the T-virus in multiple experimental sites. The sites of which include: Tokyo, Moscow, New York City, and a suburban neighborhood setting. Of course, these sites are merely role-playing recreations infused with life-like simulators.

Alice eventually meets up with Albert Wesker's right-hand woman Ada Wong as the two try to escape the underground bunker. Alice's former best friend Jill who is now controlled by the "Red Queen" is in hot pursuit with a legion of strapped militia men in tow. Wesker has sent a rescue team to help infiltrate the base and bring Alice back to safety. The team consists of Luther West played by Boris Kodjoe from "Afterlife" in addition to Leon Washington and Barry Burton who are recurring characters from the video game anthology.

Unlike its predecessors, "Retribution" benefits from a multifaceted setting. My personal favorite being the zombie riddled streets of a suburban neighborhood in which Alice is reminded of her past life with her husband and child. The entire suburbia sequence was very reminiscent of the "Dawn of the Dead" remake, almost bordering on an exact duplication of the opening scene of that film. The bustling streets of NYC and Tokyo were far too underutilized, although Alice and and Ada have a pretty killer fight scene in Time Square, unfortunately that was the only memorable scene from either setting. The Moscow simulation was short-lived as well, where the rescue team is cornered in a building with a legion of infantry zombies raining heavy fire down upon them.

Overall, "Retribution" is a full on sensory overload. I don't think any of us foresaw the whole "Matrix" trend still being relevant today and yet the entire "Resident Evil" series is heavily influenced by it. Backwards flips and slow motion bullet-riddled gun fights abound in nearly every sequence. The fight choreography and overall cinematography is top notch while the acting and writing remains subpar (just the way I like it). The film itself is really a modern marvel of CGI, especially when compared to the shoddy looking effects of the original movie. This anthology has come a long way, and has single-handedly given Milla Jovovich a long-standing career even though she's been typecast since "The Fifth Element". It's junky and schlocky and one-dimensional, but at the very least these movies are aesthetically a rip-roaring goodtime.

The blu ray release of "Retribution" comes equipped with loads of special features. To be expected, there's a director's commentary and a slew of deleted scenes, but also included is a 6-part behind the scenes featurette and special look at the making of the various creatures in the film.

Film: 3.5 Yaps Extras: 5 Yaps

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fetL5JuKGv4]