Braaaaaaains!

Rating: 8/10 (16 March 2002)

**POTENTIAL SPOILERS**
Being a big fan of the video game series, I went into the theater hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. (I think we all know how well video-game-to-movie translations typically fare.) The previews I'd seen for the movie did nothing to bolster my expectations, nor did the early reviews I'd read. Imagine my surprise when it actually turned out to be GOOD.
Granted, it has its flaws; namely, poor CG effects, and fairly lame acting, but, overall its a very enjoyable experience, provided you can turn your brain off and just enjoy the ride.
Before seeing it, I knew that the movie would have virtually nothing to do with the games' existing story-line, or its existing characters, and that kind of irritated me. (Why would you turn an existing franchise into a movie and eliminate its most basic of components?) But, as it turns out, this actually works in the movie's favor. They crafted an original, albeit basic, story using elements from the game that help to define it stylistically: story progression from creepy, Gothic mansion to high-tech research center, broken-down and flooded environments, the train sequences that just shout "Resident Evil 2", and a high quantity of "shock moments" involving creatures shattering windows, and arms flying through walls.

There were also a number of homages to the game series that I found rather appealing, such as the use of certain static camera angles that look like they were ripped directly from the game, and the fact that bodies had a tendency to "magically disappear" when the characters weren't looking (which they did in fact notice.)
I was rather surprised by the lack of gore present in the film, though, on the other hand, I was taken aback by the level of gruesomeness present. Very nasty things happen to a few of the characters, and the director lets your imagination do the work in some of the films most hideous moments, which is refreshing. (You probably wouldn't really want to see the results of these things, anyhow.)
Overall, "Resident Evil" is a satisfying movie experience that should definitely be checked out by fans of the games and horror fans in general. It's been far too long since a decent horror flick has been released theatrically, and an especially deplorable lack in the amount of zombie movies released. I hope this movie does well, such that we see more zombie movies made in the future, potentially enabling George Romero to create the fourth installment of his "Dead" series.
Heck, I'd even settle for a sequel to this movie. The movie's final image is fabulous, and I would love to see a movie taking place in the environment shown. The movies may even turn out to be like the games, where the sequel improves upon the original by leaps and bounds. How cool would that be?