Milla Jovovich + kicking zombie butt one more time, with feeling + fun companions + a dash of Mad Max = alright by me
I can agree with my co-writer that Resident Evil: Extinction (or RE3) was not quite as good as the other two films, but it was good enough. I would even raise that to pretty darn good for what it was (a videogame movie). Don't get me wrong; I am particularly amused by comics-to-screen- and game-to-screen translations, but they are never going to be included in the film cannon, and we all know that, even as we get excited about a movie's release. I don't actually play most of these games before I go to the films, but I think the medium is interesting, and the storytelling opportunities are pretty intriguing. (Maybe someday I will actually do an analysis of the transmutation of myths into videogame storylines, but that is geekdom that I will save for another day). It's a valid genre, in my opinion.
I like the Mad Max series; there is even a gawky-looking man who has a useful talent (here, adding a light moment while shaking label-less cans of "mystery food" to determine their contents (Joe Hursley, playing Otto), while Mad Max had the pilot (Bruce Spence, who has made quite a niche for himself in Sci-Fi, whether we recognize him or not). I love post-apocalyptic stories (even though I am pretty sure I would not be one of the survivors). Most of all, I love Milla Jovovich, and the types of projects that she has come to inhabit (yep, even UltraViolet), baring all for our amusement, if not for "art". I love seeing Oded Fehr; he is a manly-man, without being a chavanistic Rambo. (More about the gender-equity later.) I really do like his character in these films, and I like the affection for Alice's character that is revealed. I suppose in a world like this, anyone who you can stand, and who is willing to help you survive, is a friend.
If you check out the IMDB page for the references this movie makes to others, that is pretty amusing:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432021/movieconnections
I would like to add one: Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Was anyone else creeped out by the demented "family" broadcasting for survivors? I suppose if the world has ended, I will be too busy trying to survive, finding food and gas, to be worried about amusing myself by further whittling away at the number of people left. Still, I suppose it could count as "hunting", in a sadistic-sort of way.
I think the thing that I liked best about RE3 is that it was much more 'realistic' than the second movie; more like the first. Yes, I am aware that the previous statement is not without a touch of irony, but if you look at the "universe" created by the plot, the 3rd movie returns the scale of suspension of disbelief to more manageable levels, similar to RE1. (I mean, seriously, who was going to believe Sienna Guillory as a brunette cop? She manages to be almost as pathetically hideous as Asia Argento.)
I also liked the character of the White Queen; the idea is amusing. She could have had a bit of a larger role, but then again, too many ingredients can further unbalance an already-percarious recipe.
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I would like to take time out to say "Come on!?!" to the idea that one helicopter loaded with innumerable kids will make it from Las Vegas to Alaska; that's at least 2,000 miles, if you are flying over the Pacific Ocean and not taking a land-route with convenient gas stops. (Props to Mapquest; I love looking up distances on your ever-improving site). It's not like helicopter fuel grows on trees, but at least very few people would have a need for it, theoretically there might be some left in fly-speck airports along the way.
I hear from IMDB FAQ's that they are contemplating a 4th movie, with Claire as the hero. That is fine, I suppose, except that the end of RE3 doesn't really leave open the possibility of a movie without Milla Jovovich. Plus, we really didn't get to see much of Ali Larter (with a very grim set of expressions and anti-Heroes/Nikki brown hair) in this movie, which I would have preferred if she is to be the action-heiress. I will say no more at this point about the end of the movie, so as not to spoil what will become pretty obvious while watching the it, but I don't know how they can deny that there will be a 4th one.
Having said that, I would also like to register my protest at the ending. I think that it is almost an un-called for ramp-up in the stakes that lobs the plot back into the "yeah right" category. (Keep in mind that I have a high tolerance for suspending my disbelief). If they make RE4, however, I will see it-eventually. (If you are into trivia, you might notice that I am writing this up 5 weeks after the film was released.) The forecast for another movie is pretty murky though, as the film has barely turned a profit at this point.
Lastly, (and as promised), I would like to discuss the balance of power (because "kick-@$_-ery" isn't a real word, except maybe in Joss Whedon's lexicon) as it was distributed to the genders in this movie. Obviously, the balance is going to tip toward the females, as the main character (and the first actor to carry a video-game inspired trilogy, which even Angelina Jolie didn't do) is one. The characters of Claire (oddly capable; who knew that she could pilot a helicopter?) and her heir-apparent, K-Mart, are also extraordinarily capable. Of course, you have to look at the types of people who have survived this long (5 years out): the people who rock (see above, and below), the people who hide (everyone else on the bus) and the psychotic (Dr. Isaacs/Umbrella Corp. and the TCM-family). The first group is a lot more interesting. To be fair, Carlos and even LJ both kick a lot of zombie-behind. They are worthy counter-balances to the really strong female characters (who are not very feminine); they deserve to survive, even if LJ is only around for comic relief. I kind of admire the way they have set up the characters and their stake in the (physical and mental) battle against Umbrella Corp. and the zombies-neither gender trumps the other out-right because both hold their own. It's nice to see, but I wish that the 'message' would go out in movies that are more widely regarded. I also think it's about time to stop making all of our female heroes with softer feminine sides who just want to be cuddled; not all women are motherly, but not all female action-heroes should should be over-testosteroned women either. Alice strikes a nice balance and she never has time to ponder her emotional side.
So, in sum, I liked the movie more than I expected, and I would see more if they made a 4th film. I think some of the criticisms are valid, but not all of them. Face it, the people who are going into this movie aren't looking for high art, but it was better than The Transporter 2, at least. I predict that the legions of fan-boys (and girls, so that I get to be included too) will make this a more than averagely-successful rental.
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