Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) Movie Review

Resident Evil: Retribution is a 2012 action horror movie written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. It's the fifth film in Anderson's cinematic version of the Resident Evil franchise and follows Afterlife from two years earlier. It stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Kevin Durand, Sienna Guillory, Shawn Roberts, Aryana Engineer and Colin Salmon. It was originally going to be shot back to back with a sixth part but plans were dropped by the director himself. The film was a box office success but not enough to require an immediate sequel so people had to wait four years for the last installment.

After finding the freighter known as Arcadia in the last picture, Alice and the rest of the survivors are attacked by the Umbrella Corporation and escape. She meets with Ada Wong and both encounter a rescue team consisting of Leon S. Kennedy, Barry Burton, and Luther West. They must face up to Umbrella once more as past enemies and friends return. 

The ultra bombastic spectacle comes back in this new entry and the unreal cartoony action set-pieces that characterized the series now have a new life after some lackluster moments in parts three and four. The divisive hyperstylized aesthetic that Paul W.S Anderson is known for is in full form here in a way that we haven't seen since and that we will probably never see again any time soon. Mind-bending and physics-defying stuff is displayed here with grace and self-awareness without descending into absurdity or parody, not in a gratuitous sense anyway.

Anderson's decision to include more and more characters from the game are part of what drags the movie a bit for me personally, this is because the series was doing a pretty good job at separating itself from the games and doing its own thing quite well. Sure, sometimes we would see some characters from the games but they would have their own purpose in the narrative. Here it just feels like the official lore is taking space and exists only for fanservice reasons.

Alice has a wonderful attire in this film and the overall aesthetic is top notch. The videogame costumes are neat but they do look slightly out of place in live action, no matter how stylized and cartoony the film tries to be. The inclusion of Ada and the return of Rain are very good additions that give this one more points as opposed to the last film.

Recommended for all the fans and those who wish to continue watching the franchise. While not my favorite, Retribution is a fun rollercoaster that's totally watchable and enjoyable in its popcorn film ambitions without remorse.  

Underworld: Evolution (2006) Movie Review

Underworld: Evolution is a 2006 action horror film directed by Len Wiseman and written by Danny McBride. It stars Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Tony Curran, Shane Brolly, Steven Mackintosh, Derek Jacobi, and Bill Nighy. Evolution is the second film in the Underworld movie series and follows the events of the 2003 film. The film was a box office success and this opened the door for at least one more sequel, perpetuating the permanence of the Underworld series in the mainstream. Along with the first one, this second entry kept alive the gothic subculture and contributed to those types of aesthetics among the youth of the time.

This time, Selene (a vampiric Death Dealer) travels with a Lycan-Vampire hybrid named Marcus in order to inquire and investigate the origins and hidden information regarding their ancestry and savage lineage involved in a seemingly endless war between the two factions.

Unlike the first movie, this one is more of a journey through several different environments with out protagonists meeting many enemies and foes along the way but it sort of loses a bit of the focus the first film had with its post-expressionistic maximalist setting, opting for slightly more generic places and locations that still look ravishing and highly stylized because of the great technical work by cinematographer Simon Duggan but things look more artificial and less extreme in the expressive department. Still, there are many good aspects in the film when it comes to its visual flair and camera work. 

The characters are sort of disappointing, just like in the first one, since most of them are one-dimensional and have very little in the way of charisma or effective comedic moments. They are all cold and trying to be badass all the time and it works well enough for the most part but it keeps the movie in a one-note wavelength it never really breaks. It would be one thing if the film had more to offer but there really isn't much else there. Speaking of badassery, Beckinsale as Selene looks wonderful and has some outstanding action sequences from time to time. She really elevates the film and makes it a worthwhile experience, again, like in the first film.

Aside from a cool-looking main character we are mostly stuck with monotonous period war scenes, exposition-heavy scenes of characters info-dumping on the audience a lot of lore that is quite easy to forget and there's also a lot of flashy editing that doesn't help when it comes to keeping things clear cut or focused. It's a film made only to be seen and disposed of afterward, you won't really find anything here but a time waster with certain gothic and horror elements that appeal to a certain audience but it does the job as a popcorn flick fairly well for the most part. 

While not breathtaking nor innovative in any meaningful way, this slick sequel is entertaining but flawed and not very memorable. Recommended for fans of the first film and for those who enjoy action and horror mixed with a leather-clad vampiress.

Bloody Mallory (2002) Movie Review

Bloody Mallory is a 2002 action horror film, a Franco-Spanish co-production directed by Julien Magnat, written by Magnat and Stéphane Kazandjian. It stars Olivia Bonamy, Adrià Collado, Jeffrey Ribier, Laurent Spielvogel, Valentina Vargas, Julien Boisselier, and Thylda Barès. The film is also scored by prolific Japanese movie and anime music composer Kenji Kawai. Inspired by the likes of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, Xena: Warrior Princess and the entire underground geek fandom of the late nineties and early two thousands.

Mallory is the leader of an anti-paranormal commando group that consists of a child with telepathic powers, a drag queen explosives expert named Vena Cava and a government agent named Durand. When a group of mysterious vampires kidnap the pope, Mallory is tasked to rescue him in order to save mankind.

This is a highly kinetic filmic experience and with a very playful and juvenile energy that never becomes tiresome. A fun romp from start to finish, a film that has one foot in the anime/manga storytelling and stylistic flourishes and another one in the unleashed music video editing and montage. However, none of this means that the film is empty nor that it has zero substance as the characters are all original and fresh, they have very well defined personalities and roles, and they also have some engaging conflicts as the script takes some very sharp turns that go to some very distinctive places. Aside from the frenetic action, there are a lot of poignant moments that open and close the film to give it more tonalities. This insane storyline actually grabs you and takes itself with enough seriousness to never treat it as disposable nonsense, it's more than a one joke sketch.

I will say they also have some great production values for its low budget. The action itself is very lively and well constructed, it takes more than one trick from both Hong Kong and Japanese action cinema, which helps to make things more dynamic. You end up liking the world they constructed because it's so lighthearted and creative. Its aesthetic incorporates very striking anime-like stylizations and energetic fight choreographies as mentioned before, but some other scenes have that European flavor that achieve a lyrical feeling and look.

Highly recommended for people looking for a delightful horror flick with a female action protagonist. There aren't many of those and this one is a pleasure.