An Excellent Follow-Up

Rating: 7/10 (21 September 2007)

I am happy to say that Resident Evil: Extinction was a great entry into the franchise. Being a fan of the games since their original inception, I was very skeptical seeing the series turned into a movie, as the trend for video game movies is to be completely terrible. I didn't hate the first two movies, but I definitely left the theater disappointed. The first film tried to invent an original story line revolving around similar events which didn't work that well because it just felt like the connections to the game were tacked on. Apocalypse delivered on the fan service by adding characters Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera, and tying in the movie to the third game in the series. And now with Extinction, Resident Evil has finally found a good balance. With characters from the games making appearances, nice comedic moments, and a gritty style of action I was not disappointed in the slightest bit. I also feel like with the third film in the series, it could finally open up into a more mainstream audience. The characters from the game give nice feelings of nostalgia for those that have been playing for a while, but their stories from the games are not necessary for any one coming to see this movie without any prior knowledge of the game series. My only two complaints with this film is that it doesn't over view the last two films (which doesn't bother me, but I can see how it would for any one who is just coming to see the movie without seeing the others. Although, it might spark their interest to check out one and two), and the film ends on a cliffhanger. With Milla Jovovich stating that the film is written as a trilogy, it makes me wonder whether or not there will be another entry. Overall I couldn't recommend this movie more for some one who is looking for an enjoyable time at the theatre.