Extinction of the series

Rating: 4/10 (24 September 2007)

POSSIBLE SPOILERS
I usually write about films that really stand out to me, good or bad. I wouldn't usually write about big releases as hundreds do that but I had to throw my pennies worth in on this.
I like the RE games, not an avid fan but do enjoy them. I've seen the other 2 RE films and whilst disappointed that they turned into just action flicks, take them for what they are. After all, it's Paul WS Anderson who got his mitts on them. Mortal Kombat was fun, RE1 & 2 were fun and kept nice elements from the game. AVP....urgh.
All those people saying 'Wow, this was great' or 'Such a roller coaster of action' or 'Best RE film' are missing the point. If this was a stand alone film then maybe, yeah, bit of mindless action to keep you going....but it's not. It's part of a series and it's not stayed within the same vein as the first 2 films. This is why I for one was rather bored as I watched this.
Gone are the elements from the first 2 that relate to the games. Gone is any form of character development (I know there wasn't lots in the first 2 but there was some). Gone (and I felt the most important) is the dark element from the first 2. Yes, I do mean as in lighting but more so that sense of hopeless foreboding. After all, these films are zombie films and any good zombie film has that underlying hopelessness as let's face it, a zombie outbreak begins....you're pretty screwed once it's out no matter what you do.
Bravo to Mr Anderson for actually wanting to have more daytime settings this time around but it just didn't work.....and what's with the virus making everything baron wasteland? It's dull to look at. there is one city shot near the end and this is what I wanted more of. Where was the harm in continuing the story from where number 2 left off?
What we end up with is the makers of the film saying 'you know the premise, we're just going to try and dazzle you with action set pieces and hope you're all in your teens in order not to notice that all we've done is make a poor film but robbed you of the entrance fee'
I'm not in my teens and therefore not fooled. They still managed to fail in the action areas for so many reasons.
Paul WS Andreson said after the first film he would like to make a trilogy. He should have stuck to that and used this as the opportunity to find a fine balance between the first 2 films to have the series go out on a bang....but he didn't and now we are faced with the prospect of a 4th film.
PS To the guy who did the mock up conversation of Paul and the studio...excellent. You covered so many films that are ripped in this.