Average survival horror in a prison and on a tanker

Rating: 6/10 (4 July 2020)

Resident Evil: Afterlife is the fourth entry in the live action franchise based upon the Japanese video game series that started in the mid-nineties. The story revolves around the urban legend of a safe haven called Arcadia that seems to be located in Alaska. Former private security operative Alice attacks the headquarters of her former employer in Tokyo before heading for Alaska where she expects to join the group of survivors she had met eighteen months earlier. However, there is no safe haven to be found and Alice even gets attacked by a former companion who seems to have lost her memory and acts erratically. Alice manages to calm her former friend down and they travel south to Los Angeles to find out what happened to the group of survivors and unveil the secret behind the urban legend. The duo meets a group of survivors hiding in a maximum security prison that is surrounded by undead victims of the infamous T-Virus. Alice learns that Arcadia isn't a fixed place but a cargo tanker that is now situated in the port of Los Angeles. She tries to get on board to find out what happened to the survivors but realizes too late that the ship is a trap.
On the positive side, the new characters Alice encounters in Los Angeles are overall quite diversified, quirky and unique which leads to a few emotional scenes. The locations in and around the abandoned prison are quite haunting. The action scenes are particularly intense and are truly impressive in the film's middle section and ending. The special effects are fluidly crafted and blend in very well. The showdown on the ship is truly gripping but also ends on a cliffhanger leading to the fifth installment.
On the negative side, the transition between the third film and the fourth movie isn't exactly fluid as there is a gap of twelve months between the third film's last scene and the fourth movie's first scene. Furthermore, there is another gap of six months after the opening sequence. The scenes in Alaska are rather disappointing and basically only consist of a fight between Alice and the lone survivor who attacks her. The story is simplistic and unrealistic, even by the franchise's low standards. Some side characters such as the one played by Norman Yeung are rather exchangeable while former intriguing characters such as the one played by Spencer Locke only have cameo appearances here.
In the end, Resident Evil: Afterlife is pretty much on the same level as its predecessor. It's a slightly above average science-fiction movie with impressive effects and stunts, a healthy dose of creepy atmosphere and intriguing lead characters while it's suffering from a lack of fluidity, a ridiculous plot and boring side characters. Fans of the live action franchise can watch this film without any regrets but this is neither a good movie to discover the franchise nor a film that will change your mind if you have never managed to get into this particular franchise in the first place. At the end of the day, this movie is solid and entertaining but fails to innovate or leave a lasting impression.