Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)

“Decent, Action Packed & Over The Top Part 6 of a Franchise”

         You can’t really ask any more of this sequel to ‘the highest grossing video game franchise of all time”, now getting a release from Sony on every available platform - digital download, 4K Ultra HD, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD.

         For the uninitiated, or if - like me - you watched the original RESIDENT EVIL at the cinema in 2002 and decided to avoid all the sequels but thought this might be worth a look because after all it got a decent write up in The Observer of all places when it came out in the cinema - we get a recap of the entire franchise at the beginning of this one. Or at least I assume we do because I only watched the original back in 2002 etc etc etc.

         We are post apocalypse. There are only around 4000 normal people left in the world after the T-Virus created by the evil (naturally) Umbrella Corporation has turned everyone into zombies. Quite how this explains the big flying dragon-things or that fat grey bloke with tentacles on his face I’m not sure but I expect it got mentioned somewhere in one of the other films.

         Milla Jovovich is Alice, and very good she is too. I don’t know how much to say about Alice because some of it may actually be spoilers, but anyway, the computer that runs the Umbrella Corporation is in the shape of a little girl and wants to help Alice put the world to rights again. Very much against this is evil Dr Isaac (Iain Glen) and his enormous motorised tank filled with people and crucifixes. He wants to finish ‘cleansing’ the world while Alice and her friends (including Ali Larter) head for the Hive to destroy the baddies, save the world etc etc while getting into lots of action-packed scrapes along the way.

         There have been widely mixed reviews for this one. If you’re an obsessive fan of the series it sounds as if there are elements that might upset you. If, however, you’re like me and just want some rip-roaring action and spectacle with razor sharp editing, a superbly over the top music score, and all the elements that suggest you’re watching the final episode of a TV series that actually you wouldn’t mind going back and watching properly from the beginning, RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER is actually buckets of undemanding fun. 

         Sony’s presentation give you two discs, one with the film and two featurettes - ‘Explore the Hive’ and ‘The Women of RESIDENT EVIL’. Disc two has more featurettes including a making of, from script to screen, and a piece on directing the movie. Exclusive to Blu-ray are a sneak peek at RESIDENT EVIL: VENDETTA, a piece on stunts and weaponry, and something called Retaliation Mode (the Blu-ray was not provided for review).

         A benchmark setter for Part Sixes everywhere, RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER proves that sequels don’t have to be tired, dull and unimaginative and is definitely worth a look. 

RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER is out on Digital Download on 29th May 2017 and on every currently available  disc format on Monday 12th June 2017