Traditional flesh-munching zombies make a return to the Resident Evil universe in the first time since Resident Evil Zero.
I have to admit that when I first heard that a feature-length CG film based on the Resident Evil video game series was being made, I was pretty skeptical. I mean, the last three live action Resident Evil movies by Paul W. S. Anderson weren't exactly spectacular (forgive me Milla). Plus, I couldn't help but remember what happened when they made the Final Fantasy video game franchise into that abhorrent CG movie that cost a bazillion dollars to make. I was wrong though. Resident Evil: Degeneration is not only a highly-enjoyable zombie flick with some great CG, it's the most faithful film adaptation of the RE series to date and is sure to please fans of Capcom's survival-horror series.
Air Zombie
Degeneration takes place one year after the events of the last game in the series, Resident Evil 4, filling the gap in between RE4 and the upcoming Resident Evil 5.
The movie takes place inside an airport that soon becomes overrun by zombies (and if you're wondering, they're the traditional version of zombies--think Resident Evil 0-3, rather than 4). This happens because a passenger on a plane that lands is infected with the T-virus. He gets off the plane, the person who asks him if he's alright gets bitten and infected, and well... you can see where it's going. Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield are reunited for the first time since battling the undead in Resident Evil 2, and become the protagonists in Degeneration.
A Resident Evil Movie Made for Resident Evil Fans?
One of the biggest reasons why Resident Evil: Degeneration worked so well for me as a diehard fan of the series is because it's fully aware of its audience. This is a Resident Evil movie for Resident Evil fans and it's refreshing to see a celebrated franchise like RE get some good treatment. That said, the film not entirely without some shortcomings. If I had to summarize Degeneration for someone in a sentence, I'd say that it's like watching one very long, but well-directed cutscene with graphics as impressive as Resident Evil 5.
But unlike most cutscenes from video games, including Resident Evil, this one doesn't have a bunch of drawn-out scenes in it where a character rambles on about some back story crap that fills you in on what's going on. Yet, just like your average cutscene, Resident Evil: Degeneration has mediocre voice-acting and while the visuals are superb, CG is still not at the point yet where professional acting can be replace by computer modeled characters moving around on screen..
Resident Evil: Degeneration is a must-see for fans of the series. There's a heaping ton of action, most of which is made up of zombies being annihilated. You've seen crowded airports before--imagine what would happen if a zombie outbreak occurred. It also fits in nicely in the RE universe almost as Resident Evil 4.5, preparing fans for the forthcoming fifth next-gen installment. If you like Resident Evil, see the movie. It probably won't blow your mind, but you'll likely have a good time during its 97 minutes of running time. You can now buy or rent the film on DVD and Blu-ray.
Terror Rating: 3 out of 5
Originality: 3 out of 5
Level of Gore: 3.5 out of 5
Overall Rating 3.5 out of 5
Other Recommendations: Dawn of the Dead (Original and Remake), Resident Evil 4 (video game)
Leon and Claire perforate the rotting flesh of zombies with bullets once again.
That's the nicest sweater I've ever seen on a zombie.
