On/off

Rating: 6/10 (28 June 2008)

Now, before I start, I just want to make something clear - I do have the game. I love it. It's frightening in a way that no Resident Evil game has ever managed. Instead of just making you jump every now and then, it taps into your darkest fears, and from experience, the whole series of games has the ability to reduce even the most hardened horror gamers to quivering wrecks. The movie, however, is a little bit of a wet sponge in comparison.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I didn't like it. In fact, I did quite enjoy it. But there was no point in it where I can honestly say I was scared. In a way, it felt like more of a very gory episode of Doctor Who. In fact, there's a few episodes of the revived Doctor Who that have scared me more than this did. For me, it was more like fascination and curiosity. Although, before anyone reads this and then watches the movie expecting to not get scared, don't. I can see very well how people would be disturbed to their very core by this. It just didn't do that for me.
Aside from that, the positives. All of the performances are fantastic. It's very well scripted, and in particular, the different characters from the game work well - I have to agree with another reviewer who said that Harry wouldn't have worked in this. Even better, it's not a direct rip-off from the game, so watching this still won't give you all the answers for getting through the game - in fact, I'd go so far as to say it's almost completely different apart from the concept. As you'd expect, most of the deaths are brilliantly gruesome as well - one, in fact, may actually be my new favourite movie death of all time, even surpassing Erin from Final Destination 3. All I'll say is think of Robbie William's "Rock DJ" video.
So anyway, all things considered, it is a good movie, and definitely worthy of being based on the game. But I think it could easily have been better.