Resident Evil R1 DVD

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Traveta reviews

Resident Evil
Distributed by
Columbia TriStar

    Cover

  • Cert: R
  • Cat.no: 008291
  • Running time: 101 minutes
  • Year: 2002
  • Pressing: 2002
  • Region(s): 1, NTSC
  • Chapters: 28
  • Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Languages: English, French
  • Subtitles: English, French
  • Widescreen: 1.85:1
  • 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
  • Macrovision: Yes
  • Disc Format: DVD 9
  • Price: $27.96
  • Extras: Talent and Filmmakers’ Commentary, Slipknot music video,filmographies, production notes, theatrical trailers.

    Director:

      Paul W.S. Anderson

Screenplay:

    Paul W.S. Anderson

Cast:

    Alice: Milla Jovovich
    Rain: Michelle Rodriguez
    Matt Addison: Eric Mabius
    Chad Kaplan: Martin Crewes
    Spencer Parks: James Purefoy
    J.D.: Pasquale Aleardi
    Red Queen: Michaela Dicker

Resident Evilwas one of the movies I waited for. I’m a fan of thegame series, who the movie was made for. So if you want to read a reviewfrom a more cynical type source (which I usually am) then this isn’t thereview for you. I’ll say this right now, if you do not like the games orany of the Romero flicks like: Night of the Living Dead,Dawn of the Deador Day of the Dead, then you have no place to be here. Or ifyou’re just looking for fun and some zombies to boot then your welcometo read.

Resident Evil is actually a prequel to the first video game. It tellsthe story of a secret lab founded by a pharmacuetical company namedUmbrella. Underground in a lab called The Hive, they conduct viralexperiments on animals and such. One virus is found that has the abilityto regenerate dead tissue and turn them into flesh eating zombies. Atthe start of the film, a man is seen taking the virus and breaking asample by the ducts. This triggers a lock down and everyone is quicklyinfected.

Meanwhile, a woman named Alice wakes up in the mansion above.She cannot remember a thing and begins to look around when she isconfronted by Umbrella’s cleaning crew. The crew was sent to disarm TheHive by destroying the main computer operated by a hologram called RedQueen. Throughout the rest of the movie, they run into tons of zombies,mutant dogs and a monster called the Licker (you’ll see why). The plotsounds kind of cheesy from just reading that little blurb, huh? Butthat’s what makes it good, the fun factor.

Fun movie (notice how I have a soft spot for the movies most peoplerefer to as turkeys?). This is mindless fun at it’s best. Tons ofaction, decent effects. This is easily one of the best video gameadaptations (besides Mortal Kombat, it’s slim pickings) and easy for newviewers to like. But like I said if you’re not a fan of these typemovies you probably won’t find much here. It also helps to like directorPaul Anderson‘s style. He often films the scenes at breakneck pace andgives little time to breathe. Good and all but not great if you like toabsorb the action.

The only thing I didn’t really care for was that theynever showed the zombies, you know, do what they’re notorious for, theyjust kind of act like they’re gnawing at the people. The scene thatattempts it is when JD is dragged down by the zombies. They gnaw at himand everything and then they drag him down where we can’t see himand… cue the munching sound effects. I mean I’m not expecting a hugegraphic scene or anything, it just kind of comes off as unbelievable.They’re zombies right? They don’t just bite people. I’m a fan of Dawn ofthe Dead so I hold it to that standard which I should not do and I knowit’s R-rated. Columbia is releasing a “special” special edition nextyear with all the cut out gore and everything added in.

Into the disc. The video on this disc pretty good considering how darkthe movie is. The majority of it takes place in a dark underground labso it’s hard to get vista like shots. Occasional grain pops in from timeto time but it’s VERY hard to notice. I had to use my reviewer eyeagainst the screen practically just to see it. Just don’t go inexpecting the movie to be bright and colorful on you screen since theonly shot you might get that from is the last scene. Good transfer fromColumbia nonetheless.

The sound is awesome though. It’s presented in 5.1 surround and soundsgreat. I would go even as far to say that it sounds better than it didin the theater. Guns and explosions are very booming and everything isaudible throughout.

The extras are kind of disapointing. Just a little bit though.Columbia smells the money and they decided to release a “special”special edition (funny since this release says special edition on thecover) with two discs next year. That release will include the goryscenes cut out, deleted scenes, alternate endings, all the stuff specialeditions are known for. But I liked this movie so much I bought thisrelease and I’ll probably buy the next edition as well.

Anyway, for the extras on THIS release. 5 interesting featurettes are included, asuprisingly funny commentary featuring Paul Anderson, Jeremy Bolt, MillaJovovich, and Michelle Rodriguez. A Slipknot music video is alsoincluded. Then trailers for Resident Evil, Final Fantasy: The SpiritsWithin, Spider-Man, Men in Black II (which had to be the worst sequelI’ve seen in a long time), xXx, and Formula 51 are there as well.Production notes and filmographies round out the bunch. Overall, notbare bones but you can tell they’re holding out until the real specialedition.

Overall, I liked this movie a lot. Maybe it’s because I’m a fan of theseries (I recently got a Gamecube just so I could play Resident Evil 4and 0) or maybe it’s because I’m a fan of zombie movies as well. Give ita chance and you won’t be disapointed. Be aware that it does have it’sflaws (name a movie that doesn’t) but they’re easily overcome.

FILM CONTENT
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS


OVERALL
Review copyright © Traveta, 2002.

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