Resident Evil [Blu-ray]

Resident Evil [Blu-ray]
by Paul W.S. Anderson

Resident Evil [Blu-ray]

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Blu-ray details

Actor: Eric Mabius, James Purefoy, Martin Crewes, Michelle Rodriguez, Milla Jovovich
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Brand: JOVOVICH,MILLA
Writer: Paul W.S. Anderson
Blu-ray: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Italian (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); Italian (Original Language); French (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language); Portuguese (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Italian (Dubbed); Portuguese (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: 2008-01-01
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product features:

Condition: New
Format: Blu-ray
Anamorphic; Color; Dolby; Subtitled; Widescreen

Blu-ray Reviews of Resident Evil [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray Review: this is not the game
Summary: 3 Stars

7.1 THE FILM ITSELF
8.2 VISUALS
8.0 SOUND
7.5 PACKAGING
9.0 EXTRAS

When I first heard that there was going to be a Resident Evil film I was extremely excited. I've played all the games (like most reviewers on here probably) and I love the franchise for what it is and how it has suddenly seemed to actually grow and get better. But before the smash hit of the gamecube / PS2 / Wii game Resident Evil 4, there was the original of the film franchise: Resident Evil starring Milla Jovovich. And after numerous viewings, all I can say is that the film is decent, but nothing spectacular.

The bad part is that Resident Evil doesn't do one single thing exceptionally well. To be blunt, it tries to do very little in terms of what the games do. That's fine with me. I'm glad they didn't make a scene by scene rehash of the game, because what would be the point? So instead the creators made a more "action-focused" film. The problem is, the film lacks any good action sequences. There's dozens of better action movies out there.

The characters and the zombies are the other two major flaws. You don't really feel connected to any of the characters (except maybe Alice until she remembers who exactly she is) and the zombies are not frightening at all - because they just walk. So claustrophobic settings are needed. But it doesn't help all that much.

The general "mystery" of the film is good and the ending obviously leaves room for a sequel (Apocalypse), but it's the little things in between that make it a frustrating viewing. Loud pounding music one minute, bland dialogue from extraction team the next. I could easily see fans of the game franchise hating everything about this film. And if I had to choose between "love and hate" for the film, I'd personally choose hate.

8.2 VISUALS
This is not an impressive blu-ray by any means. Sure there are bright clean images, but it's nothing you'll stare in amazement at. It also doesn't help that we pretty much have 3 different set pieces for the entire film and most of the 94 minutes is spent in a white laboratory.

8.0 SOUND
I generally hate the soundtrack (score) of Resident Evil. At some points it's loud and blistering and at other times there is an eerie calm around the characters. At times it works, at tims it feels smothering. But even though I hate most of the soundtrack, it does fit well with the film for the most part.

7.5 PACKAGING
Packaging is good and nothing else. A decent menu screen - but gives away alot of the "jump scares" in the film. The cover is good as well, but as the film is, it prepares you for more of an action flick than a zombie horror movie, which I guess is good so no one gets confused about what they're watching.

9.0 EXTRAS
There are a plethora of extras here. From behind the scene segments to an alternate ending to a Slipknot music video (oh yeah! *sarcasm*), if you love the movie, you'll love the special features - most of them. But even if you were unhappy with the film it's hard not to be impressed with what the studio has thrown together here.

There are two commentaries, and let me be the first to say that the commentary with Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriquez is one of the worst I have ever heard. It's shocking to see how girly these two non-girly acting girls are when the camera isn't rolling (visually). The talk constantly and never let director Paul Anderson talk. It's annoying, mildly amusing, but overall you barely learn anything about the film. The second commentary is more detail oriented since it's Anderson and the main special effects guy talking. It's more concentrated, but extremely detailed, which will bore some people.

"Playing Dead" is the next feature where different people talk about the classic status of the videogame series and how it has changed videogames. If you know the history of the game series, you'll know everything here.

"The Making of Resident Evil" is exactly what most 'making ofs' are, a look at some behind the scenes and talking to the cast and crew. Nothing memorable or exciting, but a fun look at the production of the film.

"Scoring Resident Evil" contains quite the shock about who helped make the score for the film. It's these nice discoveries that make extra features worthwhile.

"Storyboarding Resident Evil" is the standard watching of scenes while we see what the storyboards show and the slight (or major) difference between the final product and first idea.

The next 8 features are detailed looks at a specific item or area from the film. Most are between 2-4 minutes. Some are worthwile ("The Laser") while some are cmpletely useless (" The Elevator").
1. Costumes
2. Set Design
3. The Creature
4. The Elevator
5. The Laser
6. The Train
7. Zombie Dogs
8. Zombies

The Alternate Ending comes with an introduction by Paul Anderson. It's a terrible ending to be honest, so I'm glad they kept with the "doom and gloom" ending otherwise this ending would've made the film probably worse than I already thought it was. But still fun to see what it may have been.

The last feature is the music video by Slipknot. The video is footage of Slipknot live in concert intertwined with scenes from the film. The sound is not from the live performance however. If you like Slipknot, you'll love this. If you don't like metal, you'll have no urge to watch this.

IN CLOSING
The film was disappointing for me personally not because it changed from the game series, but because it never seems to do any one thing great and it fails to make you feel scared or panicked. Luckily the special features make the blu-ray set worthwhile for collectors and for extra features fans alike. It's not a terrible film by any means, but for what it tries to be, dozens of other films do better.

7.4/10 "DECENT"

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Description of Resident Evil [Blu-ray]

No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Release Date: 1-JAN-2008
Media Type: Blu-Ray

Marilyn Manson worked on the soundtrack, so it's no surprise that Resident Evil is best enjoyed by headbangers, goth guys, and PlayStation junkies. Like the interactive game it's based on, this horror hybrid pits a small band of SWAT-like commandos (including Milla Jovovich and Girlfight's Michelle Rodriguez) against a ravenous hoard of zombies, resulting in a gorefest that only sociopaths could love. The tenacious heroes are trapped inside the Hive--an underground complex where an evil corporation conducts illegal research with a deadly virus--and the zombies (reanimated corpses of sacrificed employees) are fodder for endless rounds of gunfire. It's utter nonsense (not unlike director Paul W.S. Anderson's previous Event Horizon), so your best defense is to wallow in it or avoid this trash altogether. A few cool sequences are borrowed from better films (that slice-and-dice laser is cribbed from the 1998 Canadian shocker Cube), but if you're in the mood for heavy-metal carnage, this movie's for you. --Jeff Shannon

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