'Resident Evil' better than most video game adaptations

Julien R. Fielding

With her childlike form and innocent eyes, Milla Jovovich seems the unlikeliest of heroes.

And yet, "Resident Evil" gives this Ukrainian-born actress another chance to kick Evil's posterior.

In "The Fifth Element," Jovovich played Leeloo, the perfect savior, and in "Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc," she played the warrior saint who helped rid France of its oppressors.

Now she plays Alice, an amnesiac -' caught in a hive of flesh-eating zombies, mutant dogs and a long-tongued creature called the Licker -' with an uncanny flair for automatic weaponry and a lethal jump and kick.

Based on the popular video game, "Resident Evil" begins with the Red Queen, the Umbrella Corp.'s artificial intelligence, gassing, mashing and drowning all of its employees.

You see, the Umbrella Corp. isn't like our modern day companies that possess a genuine regard for human life -' people over profit -' this one conducts secret genetic and viral research in its underground bunker known as the Hive.

Knowing that he can get rich by selling bioweaponry, a thief makes off with several vials of the corporation's lethal virus, but not before he breaks and releases some of it into the Hive.

The Red Queen has no choice but to leave her scientists gasping and sputtering. So much for that 401K plan.

Entering stage left is an elite team of commandos whose job it is to infiltrate the Hive, find out what happened and shut down the computer.

The Red Queen appears to the commandos as a young girl and warns them that dire consequences will follow if they carry out their task.

You're all going to die down here, she tells them.

It's not long before the soldiers discover the verity of this statement. One of the soldiers, Rain (Michelle Rodriguez), soon comes upon one of the survivors only to find this hand-chomping woman won't die. (You have to snap their necks or shoot them in the head.) And, naturally, the flesh-craving, foot-dragging legion isn't far behind. (Think George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead.")

What happens next? A lot of chomping, chewing, shooting, killing ... that sort of thing. This isn't something you'll need your intellect for, so leave the brain at home.

Paul W.S. Anderson directs, which is why I went to see this film in the first place; I've never played the game. Although Anderson's films generally derive from painfully bad screenplays, and this one is no exception, Anderson does possess a visually interesting style, even if he frequently lapses into gore mode.

For those not used to convoluted back stories or circuitous plot lines, you might get a bit lost in all the flashbacks, but never mind. You don't have to understand the film. It's more about the body count and mutants, the special effects and gross out deaths. Even if English isn't your first language, you'll get along just fine with "Resident Evil."

Yes, yes, so Anderson was responsible for "Mortal Kombat" but he also directed the sometimes stunning and hypnotic "Event Horizon" and the mildly interesting "Soldier."

What I appreciate most about Anderson's films, though, is the fact that he typically casts his acting pals, the engaging Sean Pertwee and Jason Isaacs. (You can see Isaacs at the very end of "Resident Evil" behind a surgeon's mask.) For trivia fans, Pertwee is none other than Dr. Who's son and Isaacs was the baddie in "The Patriot." Love those blue eyes.

Apart from Anderson, I also sat through this admission-for-free film for Jovovich. She isn't the world's greatest actress but there's something strangely mesmerizing about her and she always gets my "e" for effort.

Even though she's a tiny little thing, she makes you believe she could very well save the world with her strong neck-twisting legs and powerful boot kick. Thwack.

As the lead character, Jovovich gets plenty of screen time -' during some of which she is bereft of clothing. Again.

Rodriguez gets to play a surly, kick-ass type, which isn't a stretch from her previous roles in "Girlfight" and "The Fast and the Furious." Personally, I think she's about exhausted that cold and smoldering pissed off stare that she believes characterizes a "tough chick." I wish she'd retire it soon and move on.

The only other notable in the film is Colin Salmon, who gets dispatched early on in the style of "The Cube." (Great sci-fi from the Canadians.) You might recognize this British actor from the James Bond films. It's only a shame he doesn't stick around very long.

For the most part, the actors, most of whom are British simply because Anderson is a Geordie, are forgettable. But as everyone gets killed quickly, you don't have much time to care. James Purefoy, who plays Spence, injects a bit of venom as the delectable bad guy. He should cause a few hearts to race.

Compared with other video to celluloid efforts, such as "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," "Mortal Kombat" and "Super Mario Bros.," "Resident Evil" gets some things right. It relies on scare tactics, so there are plenty of jumps. Anderson also gives the film that necessary claustrophobic feel, as if there's no escape. The visual effects are better than average considering the budget was $33 million. For this price I expected something akin to Ray Harryhausen.

While largely derivative, it borrows liberally from "Alien" and "Night of the Living Dead;" "Resident Evil" isn't the worst offering at the local cinemaplex.

Watch out because here comes "Sorority Boys."

As the doomed say in "Event Horizon," "Save me."

'Resident Evil' better than most video game adaptations was originally published in Daily Nonpareil on 28 March, 2002. © Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil LLC