Resident Evil: Retribution

While the Resident Evil series is based on a videogame, this, the fifth installment in the sci-fi series, doesn’t even bother to present anything resembling a plot. Rather, the film feels like an extended video game sequence as Alice (Milla Jovovich) tries to escape an underwater detention center with the help of a few of her mercenary friends. Essentially a training ground for the bad guys, the detention center consists of a series of simulated realities resembling the world’s biggest cities. As Alice runs from city to city, she encounters a new, more challenging opponent in each quadrant. While the computer-generated effects are quite spectacular (particularly in 3-D), the lack of a compelling story is a real detriment. While that might suggest the series might be reaching its conclusion, the movie’s ending clearly sets everything up for yet another sequel. Ugh.