End is nigh for sloppy series
Fifteen years on from its first instalment, the franchise many thought would never die is finally shuffling into a not-so-early grave.
Returning to direct his fourth of the zombie series’ six entries is much maligned Geordie Paul W.S. Anderson.
While his Resident Evil movies have been savaged by critics across the globe, Anderson had the last laugh by marrying his leading lady, Milla Jovovich.
Jovovich is back to play heroine Alice for the sixth time as Anderson’s script picks up right after the events of 2012’s Retribution for humanity’s last stand against the undead.
The Final Chapter marks the biggest gap between Resident Evil flicks and I’d love to tell you that this results in a more coherent story – but that would make me a bigger liar than Pinocchio.
I’ve actually remained a begrudging fan of the series – sure, I recognised it’s many flaws, but the films always worked as dumb entertainment with cool imagery and set pieces.
And one of the best visuals in the franchise was Retribution’s closing scene of enormous hordes of creatures – including a dragon – descending on the White House.
Alas, Anderson fails to develop this memorable start-off point into a satisfying conclusion for the Resident Evil cinematic saga.
As ever, Jovovich is a gutsy, a**-kicking force of nature with enough pathos about her for Alice’s more emotional beats.
But the Ukrainian is let down by a sloppy script from her husband and an array of bland supporting characters.
Ali Larter (Claire Redfield) and Iain Glen (Dr Isaacs) return for their third appearances in the series and neither is given much to work with, while Australian model Ruby Rose (Abigail) is a long way from the catwalk in her listless first big movie role.
Anderson does deserve credit, however, for tying up many of the loose ends from the previous instalments, including an intense return to the first film’s Hive location.
There are some neat, gloopy kills too and Anderson also serves up a few of the series’ greatest hits with an array of mutated antagonists.
It’s a long way from the shuffling zombies associated with the original and much of the video game franchise, though, and if you like your undead a little more traditional then stick to The Walking Dead.
While the race-against-the-clock story and breakneck pace means developments are rarely dull, several key plot points and twists come and go in shambolic, loud and occasionally incomprehensible fashion.
Fans of the previous flicks get a few decent bangs for the bucks as they see this journey through to the end.
But for everyone else, this bog-standard Final Chapter will make for some painful viewing.