User reviews

I had to sift long and deep for a good comment on this. Why all the hostility? I think there was great chemistry on this production and it shows; the actors and crew involved loved the game and had a good time making this. This movie successfully recreated the feel of the game, and because it kept exposition to a minimum of what you needed to know for this particular story and didn't borrow from or revise any of the original characters or settings, it supported and strengthened the franchise. No story is retold here, no words are wasted, the setting, feel and pace is familiar to fans of Resident Evil and yet it's perfectly accessible to those unfamiliar with the broader storyline. Not giving the fan-boys their favorite characters was a good choice since characters tend to get mangled in adaptation, and yet the fan-boys still complain. With this film you have a good, watchable story that can partake of the Resident Evil cosmology, showing it due respect.

It did an excellent job establishing characters without too much unnecessary background, developing them just enough to make you want to know what they'll do next, to make you care before the sudden and gruesome happens to them. The acting was above par for a Resident Evil, certainly much better than the first game. The plot was no more comic bookish than any of the games. My one complaint was that the characters were too battle-trained, too slick, too good at fighting for them to be sympathetic horror subjects. This could've been balanced out with more reaction shots showing the soldiers wetting themselves. But Alice's over-the-top commando-style action made her too much of a super heroine to really make anyone concerned about her survival; characters made of Teflon make good action but apathetic horror subjects.

I originally watched "Resident Evil" at a movie theater when it was first released in 2002. I hadn't played the games. There was no Rotten Tomatoes and I didn't read reviews back then so I went in blind. And I utterly enjoyed the movie: the story, the action sequences, the underground "Hive," Mila Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez kicking serious ass, and more.

Panned by critics (36% RT) but liked by users (67% RT), Resident Evil was one of the first examples of how mainstream critics just don't "get" horror. Movies that try to be artsy get great reviews even as key elements fall flat for the rest of us. The recent "Beach House" is a perfect example of this -- it was loved by critics (81% RT) and panned by users (28%).

Unfortunately, the rest of the "Resident Evil" sequels except for a few moments, rarely captured that first movie's originality and allure. Instead, check out the writer/director's excellent previous outing "Event Horizon."

Exactly the right movie at exactly the right time. The music and atmosphere, the sets and costume design, the special effects, the cast. Everything lined up perfectly for a young shaggy. That kid was a gothy nerd with love for video-games, horror, industrial music and Mila Jovovich. This movie managed to check all the boxes. Watching it now, it still pretty much holds up. Maybe a little cheesy but stylish and entertaining. 6 stars for watchability, one for nostalgia.

This movie means business. Quick disaster with a mystery to it, jarring deaths, naked Milla, all in the first few minutes. It keeps up the pace throughout. In terms of critical comments, yes, you don't really care about the characters, but so what? How often do you really care about the monster fodder in horror films? And true, it wasn't a literal working of the movie, it didn't take place in a mansion and it didn't involve exploring lots of rooms and solving puzzles. That's because it's a movie. A literal translation of Resident Evil would probably be really dull. Games and movies are very different mediums. I don't think some people here understand that. One guy said he thought the movie rocked but after repeated viewings he thought it sucked, and that's a video game player attitude - movies don't have to have good replay value, it's okay to enjoy them once. I only enjoyed Star Wars once, but I don't think it sucked, it just didn't have a lot of depth. Not every movie has to be Citizen Kane.

It was an engaging story, moved like lightning and had some excellent scares.

I was generally surprised that I liked this movie, not being a fan of either of it's stars. I decided to give the movie a try since it does deal with one of my favorite horror topics...zombies!

As a horror movie Resident Evil fails miserably, it's not scary and contains only small amounts of suspense. It is much better as an action film although much of the action is chaotic, accompanied by lame heavy metal/thrash music. But seeing as it is based on a video game and made primarily for teenage boy video game addicts it is quite good in and of itself.

The movie plays well, even though it is apparent that some scenes have been cut to achieve an R-rating. The characters do what they need to do in order to survive.

One small problem with the movie is the relative lack of zombie screen time. They do appear in two major scenes but most of the time the hallways are clear. This hive was supposed to employ thousands of people but you only ever see 100 zombies at the most. Also, the humans seem to be able to travel easily wherever they have to go until it is time for another action sequence. It would have been better if they constantly ran into single zombies which they were able to easily dispose of, but this is nit-picking on my part.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and I have never seen, let alone played, the video game. I'm not sure if this movie will have the staying power over multiple viewings for me (like Aliens) but it's a very good single viewing action picture. Easily the best movie I have seen based on a video game. Despite it's flaws Resident Evil rates a 7 out of 10, if taken more seriously this could have been a really good movie. It would have been nice to see a George Romero version.

Recently I saw the theatrical trailer for Resident Evil: Extinction and it occurred to me, I have never seen the first two Resident Evil films, and I always wanted to see them. So I rented the first two Resident Evil films and watched them last night. I had a lot of fun watching Resident Evil, it was very high action and kept my heart racing on what would happen next. This is a great movie based on a video game, this is the kind of movie that we need if we are talking about basing it on a video game. I haven't seen a good one since Mortal Kombat. The action and effects were so awesome not to mention that there are some very awesome scares in here. Very cool make up for the zombies; and the story was excellent.

A virus breaks out in a lab called the Hive where everyone is held in captivity and dies. All of a sudden we see a woman passed out in a shower, she has no idea who she is, she meets two other men who have no idea who they are, but they are taken by soldiers who take them underground to the Hive. There the three learn that they are fighters for this out break and that also they might be part of what happened. The main thing is that they control the Hive, but that gets more difficult when the virus has turned the people it killed into the living dead, zombies. The woman, Alice, turns into the leader and must find out why this happened and also how they can get out alive without contaminating the world.

Resident Evil was an awesome movie to watch and I would highly recommend this movie for anyone who loves action movies. If you loved Mortal Kombat I'm sure you'll love Resident Evil. There are so many great scenes, but my favorite was when Alice saw the evil dogs and they chased her throughout the lab, it was really scary but so awesome to watch. Well, you'll just have to see what I mean. Milla Jovovich was just a perfect choice for Alice, she is such a cool character and now I'm really looking forward to seeing Extinction.

7/10

I remembered seeing this movie back in the theater, and hadn't watched it since so I thought I would watch it again since I wanted to watch all the RE movies and hadn't seen the last few (or any after the second one). The movie holds up surprisingly well after all these years - I mean the overall tone of the movie is clearly dated - it *feels* like a late 90's movie - not that that is bad per se. The acting is mediocre, but I never really care too much about that anyway. I just rate stuff on if I am entertained or not and I can say that I was indeed with this movie. It also helps that it is about 90 minutes. I don't think this style of movie could go on for much more than that - the jarring soundtrack I think would get a little too over the top if I had to keep hearing it for another 30 minutes. Overall the movie still hold up and is entertaining all these years later. Still worth a watch.

I wasn't waiting to see anything amazing when I started watching for this movie, since almost all the license movies have been terrible... Fortunately, my opinion was to change! Movie was great, actors were good enough, and there was actually a plot (whoa!). Director has done a great job by having that videogame atmosphere by use of light, but still keeping the movie tense. Marilyn Manson has also made a great job by composing some of his greatest soundtrack titles which really fit for this movie. I have played both Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2, and recognized many of the scenes which were kind of similar to games. What can I say? For the people who have played games, this one gives good vibes and they are going to love it. For regular people the movie might be above the average. This was one hell-of-a-movie, and I'm waiting for the sequel.

I first seen this back in 2004 on a VHS copy that my buddy owned, he myself and another buddy watch it together.

Since It was my first experience seeing the movie I totally loved it, which was surprising because at the time I wasn't sure about it, since it was a horror movie, I stayed away from them a lot as a little kid. The suspense is quite creepy but not too creepy because it's also an action movie blended in to one, however this first installment is more suspense with good jump scares and small action scenes. The pace is fast and the movie is kinda edgy in music and action sequences, I've seen the remake of the original game which my one buddy owns on Game Cube, it's good but also really creepy and I like that the movie captured that essence. Alice played by MIlla Jovovich is the heroine of the film, who has amnesia, as we met her she comes to the shower, which looks like she hit her head, she is oblivious to things as the audience is, we lean what's going on as she does. Which I feel is fresh for as zombie movie.

The movie is 100 minutes but fairly fast paced and has an engaging story, so you met characters as the movie goes. Alice is joined by special forces-like operatives that inform her and a couple other characters about what's going on. Video game purists will not like this movie but casual audiences will probubly enjoy it, it's made to be popcorn fun that's all, it should not be looked at as anything else but a fun movie however haters will hate so each there own I guess.

Overall I enjoy the film to this day, for me it's a guilty pleasure. I give it a 7/10. If you want a fun but suspenseful action film with fun action scenes and great scares look no further. Give it a look. It's fun.

I suppose having not played the game, the movie was less than exciting for me. It was interesting, though I did note a few places where the characters seemed to act illogically or out of character. Overall an acceptable movie, though I would hesitate to put it in the Horror category.. more like Gory with waay too many jump scenes. There is a big difference twixt being scared (which I was looking forward to) and being startled (which is just a waste of time)!

As a big fan of splatter and horror films i was gladly surprised when i watched this. I haven't played the game so i had no idea what to expect and had nothing to compare with. I really feel that this pays homage to the old zombie films at least to an extent. The zombies here are a little bit faster though.

It begins with a nice back story and then builds slowly in pace to a climactic frenzy. The effects are top notch, solid directing, a really imaginative and eerie production design and great acting.

Yes, i may be a little biased but i really like Milla Jovovich. I think this is the kind of role that fits her best, strong kick ass attitude with an odd personality wrapped in a seemingly fragile shell. Her performance here reminds me a bit of the character she played in "The fifth element" and also the character in the later "Ultraviolet" The other actors did a good job as well so she's not the only one to get credit although the movie revolves around her character. The child AI is a very nice and creepy addition to the atmosphere.

The RE theme could have ended up as a nice trilogy but the sequel unfortunately lacks nearly everything(except Milla) that this film delivers. Not that RE2 is a complete mess but nowhere near this. I haven't seen the third installment yet but even if that one holds true in quality to this one number two becomes the odd one out.

If you like zombie and action films you'll certainly like this one.

The Umbrella Corporation is a top secret company operating from a massive underground facility known as The Hive. After a deadly virus is released into the air, resulting in the deaths of all who work there, an elite squad of soldiers is sent in to shut down The Hive before the virus has a chance to escape into general population of the city above. It's here that they come across Alice (Mila Jovovich) who has no memory of who or where she is. As they continue down into The Hive, Alice starts to regain her memory bit by bit, but they all soon discover that shutting down the The Hive is the least of their worries when they learn that the human population have returned to life as vicious zombies.

Resident Evil is one of the much more enjoyable game-to-movie adaptations as usually these are pretty mediocre or just plain awful (Street Fighter, Double Dragon, Super Mario Bros. etc), and fans of the game should be pretty pleased with this movie version as well, especially as the makers of the movie have brought in the formidable creature known as Licker who features in the game also.

The action for the movie is really good, which is accompanied by a pumping soundtrack to get the adrenalin going that wee bit more as well. A good few special effects are really well done also, especially in the scene that involves the Red Queen using a laser as a defence system, and the effects for Licker was impressive making it just as scary in the film as it was in the game.

Just one thing - this isn't a gore-fest of a zombie movie either and concentrates more toward the story, so if you're expecting (or hoping for) lots of splatter then you'll be highly disappointed.

Resident Evil is an enjoyable film to watch. It's not a thinker of a movie, obviously, but it's not supposed to be and doesn't pretend to be either. Also, don't expect an exact game-to-movie film. It's an adaptation OF the game, so enjoy it for what it is - a good zombie horror/sci-fi action film.

This one's been in development for quite some time and I was disappointed when George Romero left the project.First off,the trailer for this movie made me sweat,because it wasn't very good.Thankfully the movie rocked.By far the best game-inspired flick to date and a heck of a good ride.All the way across the board:good acting,good f/x,awesome soundtrack and score(Marilyn Manson-who'd a thought),excellent production design and top-notch direction.All-in-all a very satisfying dark run through the bowls of the Unbrella corporation....Watch out for the Red Queen and bring on RE#2.Come Get Some(sorry Duke).ENJOY!

Altho not following the game in every aspect, which is a GOOD THING, it still manages to relate to the game in a lot of ways, all while keeping it's identity. Greatly chosen cast, all worth the while, with pretty solid visuals for the period of time, including CGI of course. Great costumes also by the way!

Video game adaptation which stands the test of time. If anything it gets better with age. Considering the subject matter it has surprisingly few plot holes. Gradually becoming a horror classic.

'Resident Evil' is very different to most zombie films out there. The film revolves around a very powerful company, the Umbrella Corporation, which - unbeknownst to most of their employees - also designs and manufactures warfare weapons. The Hive is an impressively designed underground mega structure which houses over 500 scientists. We soon learn the company is being sabotaged, and it is this very sabotage that would ultimately lead to devastating consequences, as we discover in later installments in the franchise. Spence (James Purefoy) is the man responsible for this sabotage.

We really don't know much about Alice (Milla Jovovich) during the first half of the movie. This is a very clever and interesting set-up for a character that is to lead six films. Her beauty is utilized by sensual photography and poses - very well integrated in the situations she finds herself in, and most unusual for a film of this genre, yet it works so well. The mystery surrounding her lingers for quite a while. In fact, we keep guessing and speculating almost until the very end.

What starts as a rescue operation ends in a fight for survival in an excellent display of fantastic visuals and make-up effects, and lots of action. The film grows more intense as it progresses, and all the more awesome - if you have the stomach for it, that is. It is thrilling from beginning to end, with nail-biting suspense from the opening scene until the closing finale. It is so fast-paced, it hardly allows the viewer time to catch its breath. Be warned, there are highly effective jump scares! I loved this.

This really does seem like it was a movie intended for fans of the "Resident Evil" game. I've seen some of the sequels and they're not as good. I'm not familiar with the games, but as far as I know, this was pretty faithful to them. There was, however this one major problem that kept me from liking it. The CGI was simply terrible! I'm sorry, but while the practical effects were fairly nice to look at, a lot of this movie was just plain ugly! Now, I know that it's not meant to be Shakespeare. It does seem a lot like a video game.

I appreciate it when people are loyal to the fanbase. The pacing is this film is kind of on and off. It gets a bit too fast into it, but then again, a lot of the film is well put together. I actually do feel for some of these characters even though I'm not familiar with the games. I also like how this does set up a story that is used for more movies, even if they're not that great of a product. It probably helps that I'm into zombies. While I found it to be okay, the creators definitely tried. **1/2

First things first, I really like "Resident Evil". While I can't comment on the success of the conversion to a movie as I've never played any of the numerous video games, the film is beautifully shot and has an urgent pace. It also has a great looking cast, a thumping soundtrack and plenty of boys' toys.

Milla Jovovich is stunning as the heroine, Alice. Whoever thought of casting Jovovich in this role deserves a bonus. Watching this beautiful star kick various forms of zombie butt while wearing a short red dress is a wonderful experience.

Anderson's movies may be accused of being style over substance but there's no doubting that "Shopping", "Event Horizon" and "Resident Evil" are fantastic examples of eye candy. Every shot is beautifully composed and the film has a high-budget sheen.

8 out of 10. Casio G-Shock fans will be in their element watching this movie.

I would have to say that this goes well in the same category like Plan nine from outer space, basicly a neat idea with horrible execution. This movie must be cool if you are like 13 years old and enjoy the games, for all others, dont bother. The plot has more loopholes than swiss cheese, acting is so-so, I counted at least five encounters in the movie where the microphone used in production is clearly visible ... shame shame ... Good idea, terrible movie, dont waste your money.

I am going to keep this short and sweet, and without spoilers.

The video game, Resident Evil, changed my life. It was the first video game that I had ever played that brought the experience of "living a horror movie" home on my Playstation. The game is exciting, dark, unnerving, original, and generates incredible atmosphere with it's blend of sound effects, eerie music, engaging storyline and characters, and innovative game play. The game succeeds in every way, and this movie fails in every attempt it makes to recreate the experience.

The movie retains about 30% of the original premise of the video game, and fills the void with a bunch of characters, events and locations that have nothing to do with, and never appeared in, any of the games. This is pretty much "Resident Evil" in name only: there are a few monsters that appeared in the game, and the film merges some of the aspects of the Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2 games.

The sequels in the Resident Evil video game series that followed, and continue to follow, range from fantastic to mediocre, but ALL of them are better than this movie.

First of all, I agree with my brother when he says that "Anderson is a hack". If you need proof of that fact that Anderson is NOT a good director, just observe how can take wonderful, engaging stories and turn them into lifeless, generic, Hollywood-friendly steaming piles of crap that he can peddle to the masses who need only a an action-packed, brainless film to lure them, salivating, to the box office.

If you are a huge fan of the games, and have followed their story lines closely, you will most likely HATE what Anderson has done to this series. As it stands by itself, this movie is OK at best. As a part of the Resident Evil phenomenon, it's pretty much just crap.

As a fan of the horror genre and of the Resident Evil video game series I was looking forward to the theatrical adaption. However after viewing the movie I can only mourn what could have been. The majority of the movie is seen without the presence of any monsters and the ones that show up are few in number. One Licker a single pack of Cerberus zombie dogs and a few dozen Zombies, does little to impress this viewer. There is little character development and the performances themselves are hardly commendable. As for the amount of gore or in this case the lack there of it greatly hinders the movie itself. For an R rated horror movie this film had a serious lack in carnage and bloodshed. And if the title of Resident Evil is to be used the movie using it needs to have a certain quotient of violence and gore this film does not. In the end we have a movie with a big budget and fancy special effects that fail to cover up the fact that this is one lightweight horror movie. Not recomended at all