Best Movie of the Year (If you don't count Spider-Man 2)!

Rating: Null/10 (13 September 2004)

This review is primarily written for someone who has at least played some of the games, and uses that context. It's not very useful for someone just going cold into this film (or with only the first film as a base). I'm a huge Resident Evil fan, and have been since the first game released on PSX, I've kept up with almost all of them. I really enjoyed the first movie, and was actually happy that it diverged from the game because I knew the game's storyline already, and was happy to see what a new character would do. I went into the first movie expecting it to really suck, and was surprised when I liked it. When I saw the full trailer for the second, I got very hyped, and then was afraid it wouldn't live up to my feelings, it did. It too diverges from game storyline (though not to the extent the first one did). I was very taken with Milla and her performance in the first film, it's even better here. For game fans though, Sienna Guillory is a near perfect Jill Valentine. I felt that Oded Fehr was a better Carlos than the Carlos from RE3. There were things I'd change for sure, and I'm in the process of trying to work the events into official RE chronology, and that's going to be a nightmare. There are moves pulled off in the film that put some of the ones in the later "Matrix" films to shame (one or two in particular). I like the way Nemesis was handled, sure he should have been bigger, but believe me, he's big enough! I only hope Anderson does RE3 and gives us Leon and Claire (just setting it at the same time as this film, and/or a hybrid with the events from "Code Veronica"). This certainly makes up for Anderson's mistakes with "Alien Vs. Predator" Perhaps Anderson is simply a better writer than a director (he did not direct this film, it was excellently directed by Alexander Witt. The pacing is very good, much improved from the first film. Some scenes look dead on (pun intended) from the games. I won't tell you specifics, I don't want to spoil anything. Suffice to say, if you've played RE 2, RE 3, and/or Code Veronica, you'll see some key moments. There are two or three "new" characters besides Alice here, and they were welcome additions. If you've never played the games, and never seen the first film, you'll still be alright, and probably enjoy yourself. If you've seen the first film, you'll find this one much improved. Considering the cliffhanger Anderson and Witt left us on at the end of this film, I can only hope it does well enough to merit a sequel, but I think it will. The problem with "Alien Vs. Predator" is that Anderson tried to use the same scare thrills that worked for him in Resident Evil, and they don't fit in that film, but believe me, they work here at 110%! I can remember walking out of the first film thinking "Wow that was violent and loud, very cool!" I left this film thinking "So loud!" But more from the sheer effects, as opposed to Manson's grinding musical score (from the first film). While I felt that music worked well in the first film, I was pleased that it didn't overpower the more plot-rich sequel, and the loudness came from the actual events. I felt like I had a pleasant little mind-fog over my brain, I was so numb. This film, like the two games it is based on (more the third than the second) ratchet up everything by huge amounts. Is it always believable? No, it's not, just like the games it's based on. Was "Matrix" always believable? Nope. That's what we go to see science fiction and horror films for. Take your friends, and have a hell of a ride!