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Resident Evil: Extinction (Frank's take)
01/11/2007 . Source: Frank Ochieng 
Well, muses Frank, the Resident Evil movie series finally reached its trilogy status. This is not exactly something worth notifying the American Film Institute about anytime soon. No doubt the action-packed adventures of Milla Jovovich's curvaceous cutthroat zombie-zapping eliminator has its ardent following. Otherwise, there wouldn't be the existence of Russell Mulcahy's sci-fi snoozer Resident Evil: Extinction, a ludicrous and over-extended action-adventure that feasts on its boisterous banality. Buy Resident Evil: Extinction in the USA - or Buy Resident Evil: Extinction in the UK  Clearly, Extinction is basically a robotic and wretched screen-sized visual video game that never challenges or stimulates the audience's rush for genuine outrageous freakiness. Sure, some Resident rogues may revel in the "zombie zero tolerance mode" but Mulcahy's spotty spectacle never rises beyond its redundantly laughable premise.
Over the years, there have been countless showcases about zombie-like domination that has played for campy kicks-some for mere satire or serious consideration. The main problem with Resident Evil: Extinction is that it is never grounded in being smart or savvy about its protruding presentation. Mulcahy seems to think spraying random bullets in the skulls of his walking dead targets inspires an off-kilter, attention-getting energy that sets the thrill-seeking tone. This is quite the contrary as Mulcahy's narrative is relentlessly cliched and empty-headed to boot.
The suspense is about as intriguing as a Mexican mudslide. Needlessly loud, idiotic, predictable and unimaginative, Resident never embellishes properly on the guilty pleasure vibes of the noted zombie genre. Consequently, this is another tiresome, recycled and rambunctious offering that basks in the silliness of this overwrought frightfest franchise. The sad part is that Extinction has its difficulties trying to distinguish itself from the two previous mundane entries. This ham-fisted horror show features atrocious acting, sparse special effects, dim-witted dialogue and preposterous post-apocalypse production values that are about as dusty as the Las Vegas desert the flick's setting takes place in.
As most by now are aware about Resident Evil: Extinction and its predecessors, these movies are based on the popular video game of the same name. Jovovich revisits her bombastic butt-kicking babe Alice, the scantily clad and machete-sporting chick with the no nonsense attitude for eradicating the pesky and creepy cretins that roam ominously in the region. Alice is the only hope for the future and the responsibility rests on her shoulders to off these stiff suckers that threaten the progression of mankind.
The zombies-and the zombified birds that join in the frenzy-are the creation of a corrupt research facility known as the Umbrella Corporation. Thus Alice is justified in shooting up these flesh-eating fiends that supposedly provides the pulsating motivation for the kooky-minded carnage.
There's a nutty revelation regarding Alice's importance in the struggle to contain these zombies. Apparently, the underground scientists think that Alice's tainted blood may be the key to stopping the thriving reproduction of these bone-crunching beasts. The world has come to an end and Alice is the only true hope to battle these menacing misfits as she rides her motorcycle through the tough terrain. Our harried heroine hopes to find some survivors in the desert as she exterminates the blank-faced vermin that crosses her path. Thankfully, Alice bumps into a caravan of zombie ditchers led by Ali Larter. Alice and her newfound zombie fighters join in the common cause to kill approaching zombies as they look to head up north to Alaska in hopes of existing in one distinctive spot where these masticating merchants of raw flesh are extinct.
Overall, Resident Evil: Extinction lacks rhythm as this fettered fable trudges along with Alice ridiculously reacting to every exaggerated movement of zombified people, birds and get this-angry dogs. There's even a "payoff" of sorts when Alice tangles with "a super zombie" which runs on the borderline of the absurd. Naturally, Resident doesn't come close to aping the devilish delights of feisty zombie flicks in the tradition of such flavoured fare as George Romero's Day of the Dead instalment.
Dull and desperately dense in its macabre makeup, Mulcahy's shrieking showcase is another indication that fast-food cinema that aimlessly screams "boo" doesn't do justice to the delirious days when zombie bashing was all the rollicking rage.
Frank Ochieng
© Frank Ochieng 2007
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