Resident Evil: Apocalypse

directed by Alexander Witt
written by Paul W.S. Anderson
 
starring Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory,
Oded Fehr, Thomas Kretschmann,
Sophie Vavasseur, Razaaq Adoti, Jared Harris, and Mike Epps

             There have been other movies with a virtual representation of video games but the subterranean plot of the original Resident Evil worked best in setting up difficulty levels as chapters in the plot among other ingenious correspondences. If you don’t remember the ending of that film, Alice had awoken to find her city in chaos, the streets empty of people but full of wreckage. Apocalypse, its ineffectual sequel, begins about 12 hours before that final sequence as the city becomes exposed to the zombifiying infection. Officials abandon then quarantine the metropolis leaving thousands of healthy civilians and soldiers for dead, or, undead as the case may be. This opening setup works very well as long as you don’t question the city’s surrounding walls and single bridge outlet. Okay, I’ll allow for one question: who would want to live in such a place?
            One answer is Dr. Ashford (Harris), an evacuated biochemist who works for Umbrella, the corporation not only responsible for the epidemic but, I’m assuming, also the design, construction and population of the city. Ashford’s young daughter Angie (Vavasseur) happens to be one of those left behind and so, using the city’s extensive surveillance and networking, he compiles a group of survivors by assuring their own safety if they help to locate and rescue her. This is where the film catches up to its predecessor. Included in the team is Alice and since the last movie, she’s acquired some new strengths and senses. Like a web-less Spider-girl, she can now jump far and high. Plus she’s got special infection radar.
            “What if he’s just watching us on those cameras like this is some sick game?” asks a member of the search party. Well, it is somewhat like a game as Ashford monitors and controls their actions, functioning as delegate player for the audience.  The sick part, though, comes with another more paramount individual playing the game in opposition: Major Cain (Kretschmann), an Umbrella Corp. representative, in charge of the quarantine and planned nuking of the city, decides to use the same control, to experiment with a super-soldier called Nemesis. After programming the mutant commando to wipe out a whole squad of policemen ala The Terminator, he pits the creature against Alice, because the poor girl doesn’t have enough to deal with between zombies and long-tongued monsters and a little girl’s protection and all. Imagine just before Ripley and Newt escape in Aliens, they have to take on the Toxic Avenger.
      The voyeuristic battleground recalls The Running Man (itself reminscent of Marvel Comics' Mojoverse from the "X-Men" series) without the social examination into entertainment violence.  While that movie also showed the mortality of sports heroes, Apocalypse suffers from a continued favoring towards everlasting if not eternal characters (Freddy Vs. Jason; The Matrix trilogy). 
      With a screenplay by Paul W.S. Anderson, writer-director of the first film as well as Mortal Kombat and last month’s dreadfully disappointing Alien Vs. Predator, there are signs that the guy is maybe too obsessed with video games, extravagant duels and Beauty and the Beast romanticism. Maybe in Milla Jovovich’s attempt at becoming the next Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton, she’s willing to display affection towards a being somewhere between a gorilla and a feline Ron Perlman.
         Yet even as rehashed as the script gets at times, it could have been a lot more fun had there been a better crew to host it. Most of the time I thought cool stuff was happening but the direction by Alexander Witt is so rambling that it was hard to tell. In addition, the fight scenes exhibit the least fluid editing since Daredevil and the cinematography could be considered even too shaky, streaky and blurry for MTV standards.
        Like the first Resident Evil, Apocalypse just keeps on going, about ten minutes later than you think it was going to end, and confuses the hell out of you. This epilogue is likely a segue to another sequel and if you’ve remained willingly for reason other than the promise of Jovovich’s nudity, a third movie could be something you look forward to. All I can optimistically say on your behalf is that it couldn’t get much worse.

Here are some movies I recommend instead:

Network (1976):   Paddy Chayefsky's satirical script about the increasing acceptance and exploitation of violence on television was very much ahead of its time. 

Superman II (1980):  The last movie to pit equally superior beings (Superman and three fellow Kryptonians) against each other with enough wit and playful style to hold interest.  I also enjoy the match-up of Mina Harker and Dorian Gray but the rest of League of Exraordinary Gentleman might be a waste of your time.

The Running Man (1987):  This Schwarzenegger sci-fi actioner would be easily forgotten if humanity wasn't still on the path towards televised execution. 

Gladiator (2000):  Ridley Scott's epic metaphor could be more incisive but at least the tigers weren't invincible mutants. 

Series 7: The Contenders (2001):  Daniel Minahan's exaggeration of reality television is often awkward and amateurishly acted but when it seems real the film will have a most disturbing effect on you.