RESIDENT EVIL

Fangoria Fodder
Guest Review by Mike Flores

Although mainstream critics are being merciless in their reviews of this film, when Psychotronic fans hear phrases like “sensationalistic violence and gore” and “It’s like one of those zombie films ala Dawn Of The Dead” with a bit of condescension in their tone, we hope that this film just might deliver the goods.  I have yet to read one review by someone who actually plays the game; trust me, the fans of the game want to know if the film stays true to the game’s violence and probably little else.  Me, I love zombie movies.  From the humorless Italian versions of the genre to the Romero films, the slouching, slow-moving zombie holds a special place in my heart. Zombie films have a nihilism to them that comes from their good news/bad news approach. The good news is that the dead will walk again. The bad news is that they will feed on people.

 The good news for fans of the game and fans of magazines like Fangoria, is that Resident Evil kicks butt.  We all know what has been lacking in Psychotronic films for quite awhile -- gore. What plot there is, is borrowed liberally from The Andromeda Strain.  A virus that turns the dead into zombies is let loose in a fortress-like underground lab (shades of Day Of The Dead, which I’m betting was director Paul Anderson’s fave zombie film).  Luckily there is only about twenty minutes of exposition, and once the action starts it does not let up.  Some people need to get away, yadda yadda, but the effects sequences are what carry the film.

 There is a terrific laser security system that slices and dices.  There is an elevator hell ride that gives new meaning to double-entendre “head” jokes.  We have infected dogs in really gross makeup thrown in for shits and grins.  Zombie fu, things popping up everywhere and a really kick-ass acting job by Michelle Rodriguez propel this film.  The impossibly beautiful Milla Jovovich doesn’t really have a lot to do but walk around and be hot, but who cares?  She shows nipple and lots of skin. (Besides, she already showed she could act in The Messenger.)  All the while music from Marilyn Manson and other metal maniacs provide the ideal time-waster for kids who aren’t already wasting enough time playing video games. (Someday when you get older you’ll find out about slot machines. You can actually win money off those!)

 And if there is a bit of the teenager in you, you’ll like this film too. Director Paul Anderson clearly loves zombie movies, but he also seems to like the game. This film would not work if it wasn’t paced like the game, and it is.

 But the story?  OK, I’ll try again.  See, there is a corporation called The Umbrella Corporation, that has apparently made loads of money from all the umbrellas I’ve lost over the years.  So now they are making viral weapons, and seem to be able to simultaneously work on the antidote. Well, someone tries to bring them down, but the virus gets out of control. . .who am I kidding, the kids reading Fangoria could care less about the plot, and the action comes at us relentlessly.  Is it another Dawn Of The Dead?  Hey, a film like that comes along once in a lifetime. This will do until then.

 It is the first non-war film with gore I have seen in a while.  The teenage boys this film is aimed at may have seen the classic gore films over and over on video, but for at least some of them, this will be the first time they have seen gore of this magnitude on the big screen.  It is worth noting that when we get into conflicts and war, Hollywood does more splatter and more lone-avenger vigilante-type films.  Could this be the first gore film of many?  Fingers crossed.

 I saw the trailer for the new Spiderman movie with it.  Holy cow. I ’m actually excited about this film!  The trailer looks great!  2002 is quite the year for us.  One of our own, Jennifer Connelly of Phenomena, is up for an Academy Award.  Did any of us ever imagine this when we saw her in Dario Argento’s film?  And did I mention that I think Lord Of The Rings is all that and a bag of potato chips?  (If you haven’t seen it and are waiting for it to come out on DVD, I guarantee you will regret it.  Go see it!).  Gore may just have made a comeback, and wrestler turned action hero The Rock is being hailed by preview audiences in The Scorpion King.  We are going to bury those critics, my friend.  I taught film history at the Art Institute, for heavens’ sake, I know how to watch a film.  But I also know how to watch a movie.

Monsters; blood; gore; this film has so many I can’t list them all; elevator hell ride;  flesh munching; crazed killer dogs on a rampage; zombie fu; slice and dice security system; things popping up everywhere!; zombies shot in the head; zombies everywhere!; nihilistic ending leaves the door wide open for a sequel.  Did I mention a kick-ass monster with a long tongue that shows up to raise hell in the end?

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