"Resident Evil: Afterlife" (Sony Pictures)
The Evil Remains
Milla Jovovich returns to play superwoman Alice one more time in the "Resident Evil" series. This is Jovovich’s fourth turn at the role since it all started back in 2002. In the latest installment "Resident Evil: Afterlife" the plot is still basically the same. The time is the future and there has been a viral outbreak that turns humans into flesh-eating monsters. It is up to Alice to find any survivors who have not been tainted and to rescue them.
In this latest movie that is exactly what she tries to do. She has heard there is a place called Arcadia in Alaska where there is an outpost of survivors. She goes there and finds her friend Claire (Ali Larter) but no one else. She and Claire hop into a small plane and head down the coast of California to Los Angeles where they find a small band of survivors.
The survivors include among others a movie producer named Bennett (Kim Coates), a celebrity athlete named Luther West (Boris Kodjoe), and a mysterious man named Chris (Wentworth Miller). Working together they try to formulate a plan to get to safety.
Jovovich is completely believable as Alice. She appears totally capable of all the athletic stunts and the ways in which she is required to handle weapons. There is not much acting ability required of her so the film won’t promote her career in that way. Still she is a formidable presence on screen and that is what will stick in audiences’ minds.
It is great to see Wentworth Miller in a new role. He made quite an impact when he starred in "Prison Break." Now he finally gets a movie role and where is he first spotted – in a prison of course.
Ali Larter of "Heroes" fame has a lot more talent than the role of Claire requires, still it is good to see her on screen. Like Jovovich, she is required to handle the physical parts without any strain put on her to emote. Kodjoe, who will star in the TV series "Undercovers" this fall, is a another welcome addition to the cast.
The movie is rated R for profanity and violence.
"Resident Evil: Afterlife" has no real surprises in the plot and the ending sets up another sequel which should arrive in 2012. In the meantime this movie has enough action, along with some beautiful people at the top of the cast, to pull in an audience. It won’t break any records but it should have a decent run.
I scored "Resident Evil: Afterlife" a born again 5 out of 10.
