Resident Evil (2002)

Directed by Paul Anderson

Movie Review by Al Fleshrot

Summary
The "Hive", Umbrella Corp's underground secret lab is locked down by the AI super computer after it detects traces of the T virus loose in the ventilation system. It then mercilessly kills all of the lab's work force to prevent anyone infected from escaping. Later, the heroine Alice awakens in a mansion without her memory and soon is joined by a special forces unit who's mission is to investigate why the computer went seemingly "mad" and clean up the mess (the mansion is actually a secret entrance to the hive). Alice's confused state was a result of the hive computer's defense system when it locked down the lab. Coincidentally Matt, an activist posing as a Raccoon City police officer, shows up in the mansion and is forced to tag along with the unit in handcuffs. Inside the hive they find Spence, who turns out to be Alice's fake husband and is also suffering acute memory loss. The duo resided in the mansion as a cover - their real job as special agents was to protect the hive entrance. The group eventually reaches the super computer core and shuts it down, but not before it mercilessly kills four of the soldiers with deadly lasers. However, shutting down the computer means zombie mania as all the safeguards that were in place were removed. The survivors try to fight their way back to the surface, encountering a swarm of zombies, some zombified guard dogs, and worst of all the super mutant licker zombie. During the movie Alice and Spence slowly regain their memories. Finally it becomes clear that both of them were trying to steal a sample of the virus, but Alice's motive was to expose the lab, whereas Spence's motive was money. He turns on them and leaves them for dead, but meets his doom when the mutant zombie attacks. Alice and the last three survivors escape the lab and get on the train that will take them to safety back in the mansion, but the mutant zombie is close on their trail. Ultimately only Alice and Matt make it out alive, but just when they think all is safe the umbrella science goons show up and take them away. Alice wakes up all alone in a hospital bed and stumbles outside to see a deserted city that has clearly been through a disaster - clearly the virus was not contained!

Review
The critics are mixed on this one - as are the fans of the Resident Evil games. I found this movie extremely compelling because of its unique atmosphere. The acting isn't top notch and the special effects won't blow you way, but there's just a feel about this movie that's hard to explain. The humans have to face enemies on two fronts - the zombies and the hive's super computer. The computer's ultimate motive is to protect humanity from the virus, but in order to do that it must kill the humans trying to shut it down. And ironically it's the people in the lab's desire to survive at all costs that kills the only thing protecting them and unleashes the deadly virus to the world outside!

Best Zombie Kill
Unfortunately there weren't any really awesome zombie kills, but the most chilling is when soldier J.D. punches in the right access code to a sealed door and turns to his buddy to gloat. When the doors open a mass of zombies is waiting and they grab poor J.D., pulling him into the room. His buddies try to help, but the zombies number too many and J.D. is overwhelmed.

Best Zombie Death
Alice, Matt, and the last two surviving soldiers Rain and Chad make it to the train that will take them back to the mansion, but the mutated super zombie attacks with a fury. It rips off a door and rips Chad out of the train. Then it busts through the back door and grabs Alice by the ankle with its tongue. Interestingly, a net filled with metal pipes just happens to be hanging from the center of the train car and Matt smashes them into the zombie and away from Alice. She then uses one of the small pipes to pint the zombie's tongue to a grate in the floor. Even more convenient, a section of the train floor is a trap door with a big red button that opens it! During the fight poor Rain has died and become a zombie, attacking Matt as he tries to open the trapdoor. He finally shoots her in the head, and she falls back into the button. The floor opens up, dropping the the super zombie onto the tracks while the train is speeding toward the mansion. Anchored by it's pierced tongue, the zombie is shredded by the friction of the train track, and immediately starts to burn. The trapdoor is then closed again, severing the tongue and leaving the smoldering remains behind.

Memorable Scene
When the special forces unit finally reaches the hive's computer four of them enter a corridor that leads to the computer's core. But the AI knows their plan, so it traps them in the hall and creates a deadly laser using the corridor's walls. In the first pass three of the soldiers duck, but the fourth is too slow and is decapitated. Another soldier loses his fingers and screams in shock. A second laser comes at them low, and a soldier tries to jump over it, but the crafty AI moves the laser up and cuts him in half. The leader and last survivor is able to grasp a bar overhead and lever his body above the beam. He then stands ready for a third beam, which changes to a lattice spanning the entire hall and slices him up like a tomato!

Al Fleshrot wants your brains