Resident Evil

A plotless wonder of unmitigated noise, cheap scares and endless rounds of ammunition, this sci-fi zombies-and-gore cinematic calamity takes place after an unexplained biological weapons accident in a secret underground lab turns hundreds of workers into the undead. Sexy amnesiac Milla Jovovich is dragged along by a heavily armed assault force as it infiltrates the complex to shut down the mainframe and fight off the George Romero-quality ghoulies (chomp, chomp!). Entirely dependent on movie theaters' 150-decible sound systems for its thrills and jolts, Resident Evil on home video has nothing to offer beyond gross-out effects and slick production values. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include commentary from director Paul W.S. Anderson, producer Jeremy Bolt, and cast members Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez; a 10-minute "Scoring Resident Evil" featurette with composers Marco Beltrami and Marilyn Manson; a 27-minute making-of featurette; brief featurettes on costumes, set design and zombie make-up tests; filmographies; and the music video "My Plague" by Slipknot from the soundtrack. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a cinematic dud.] (R. Blackwelder)[DVD Review--September 21, 2004--Columbia TriStar, 101 min., R, $19.95--Making its third appearance on DVD--after the original and Superbit releases--Resident Evil: Deluxe Edition retains the original audio commentary while also adding a visual effects-themed commentary with Anderson and visual effects supervisor Richard Yuricich. Also included are 11 production featurettes (about 60 min. total--eight new, three old, with two of the originals dumped), a three-minute alternate ending with an intro by Anderson, cast/crew filmographies, and--the real reason for this "Deluxe Edition"--a three-minute “Lab Sequence” Fangoria clip meant to pump up interest for the 2004 sequel Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Bottom line: if you own either of the first two DVD releases, you don't need this one, especially as the film stinks on ice in the first place.]