Cheap fanboy/fangirl fodder

Rating: 4/10 (22 April 2019)

In contrast to the previous film, this second installment of the series inspired by the survival horror video game series, Resident Evil, feels intended for a built-in audience of the franchise's existing fans. Characters from the games not present in the previous film appear with little introduction, exposition is delivered through a series of choppily edited recaps and distracting subtitles identifying people and locations, and many elements of the production feel like cheap cop-outs, including its laughable swooshy sound effects, its combination-horror-strings-and-indusrial-synth score, and its nonsensical ending. Although the action-horror sequences are fun, especially for fans, the most interesting aspect of Resident Evil: Apocalypse is probably its international casting, which not only reflects its status as a multi-national production but also emphasizes the pervasive influence of the flagrantly immoral Umbrella Corporation.