sometimes the formula works

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2002)

"Resident Evil" is true to both the spirit of zombie movies and to the console game it was based on. If either of these criteria drew you to the film, chances are you were not expecting a profound exploration of the human condition anyway. The film delivers precisely what it promises. This movie is a bloody exposition of special effects and super-models with fire axes. If neither appeals to you, stay at home and read Dickens.
Beyond this, "Resident Evil" relies heavily on tried-and-true formulae for the horror and action genres. Things jump out. There are loud noises. Blood gushes. We have close ups. We have slow-motion. The plot twists aren't exactly the end of "Usual Suspects."
If any of these things bother you, then the volume is too low and it isn't dark enough in the theatre. Subjecting "Resident Evil" to a cynical criticism of its stock elements is like drinking your beer warm and then complaining because it tastes bad. Accept that this is not Hamlet, and enjoy "Resident Evil" for its loud and expensive applications of horror/action traditions. It's sleek for a zombie movie and very good for a movie made from a video game. 8/10.