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      Resident Evil

      2002, Horror/Action, 1h 40m

      131 Reviews 250,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      Like other video game adapations, Resident Evil is loud, violent, formulaic, and cheesy. Read critic reviews

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      Movie Info

      Based on the popular video game, Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez star as the leaders of a commando team who must break into "the hive," a vast underground genetics laboratory operated by the powerful Umbrella Corporation. There, a deadly virus has been unleashed, killing the lab's personnel and resurrecting them as the evil Un-dead. The team has just three hours to shut down the lab's supercomputer and close the facility before the virus threatens to overrun the Earth.

      • Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality|Strong Horror Violence|Strong Sci-Fi Violence)

      • Genre: Horror, Action

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

      • Producer: Jeremy Bolt, Bernd Eichinger, Samuel Hadida, Paul W.S. Anderson

      • Writer: Alan B. McElroy

      • Release Date (Theaters):  wide

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $39.5M

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Columbia Pictures

      • Production Co: New Legacy, Impact Pictures, Metropolitan, Davis Films

      • Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR

      • Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

      • View the collection: Resident Evil

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      Critic Reviews for Resident Evil

      Audience Reviews for Resident Evil

      • Nov 08, 2020

        I originally watched "Resident Evil" at a movie theater when it was first released in 2002. I hadn't played the games. There was no Rotten Tomatoes and I didn't read reviews back then so I went in blind. And I utterly enjoyed the movie: the story, the action sequences, the underground "Hive," Mila Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez kicking serious ass, and more. Panned by critics (36% RT) but liked by users (67% RT), Resident Evil was one of the first examples of how mainstream critics just don't "get" horror. Movies that try to be artsy get great reviews even as key elements fall flat for the rest of us. The recent "Beach House" is a perfect example of this -- it was loved by critics (81% RT) and panned by users (28%). Unfortunately, the rest of the "Resident Evil" sequels except for a few moments, rarely captured that first movie's originality and allure. Instead, check out the writer/director's excellent previous outing "Event Horizon."

        mark b Super Reviewer
      • Jan 19, 2017

        Video game movies have been awful for decades now. Resident Evil isn't necessarily the exception to that rule, but it's nowhere near as awful as the genre has been. Resident Evil is at its best when it pushes aside the politics of this "secret military group" named The Umbrella, and instead is an homage to the original Alien. When the film takes twists and turns that are supposed to surprise you, when in fact, they feel like a weak attempt at shock, it becomes overwhelmingly convoluted. But in the instances that the survivors, led by Alice (Milla Jovovich), are scrambling through rooms doing anything to survive CGI creatures and flesh eating zombies, Resident Evil is pure guilty pleasure. Much like the Underworld franchise, I honestly don't care about any of the supporting characters. Knowing where most zombie flicks go, there's really no use to getting attached to secondary characters when you know their deaths are all but guaranteed. I did, however, find Alice to be compelling, as long as the sequels do more to expand her history and explain how she became an absolute bada**. In fact, one can make the argument that Alice is a more likable character than Selene is in Underworld. As I've said a lot recently, there's nothing wrong with a mindless action adventure if it doesn't take itself too seriously. Resident Evil is actually a pretty serious film, people are dying left and right, and the world is on the brink of an apocalypse. But there's something to be said about a throwback action-horror taking place in one confined space. In this case, it gives the viewer a sense of what a first person shooter game with this story would feel like. I've never played any of the games, but I can certainly see where this story lends itself to the video game medium. Now, is there an excuse for a horrendous looking creature via CGI? Or maybe some truly useless characters with weak (at best) dialogue? No, I can't say there is. But hey, it's a solid cable watch. +Action that doesn't pull punches +Alice is likable -Dated CGI -Inexcusably bad dialogue 5.8/10

        Super Reviewer
      • Jun 18, 2013

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        Super Reviewer
      • Aug 27, 2012

        Ok, first and foremost, I don't play video games(other than some on my phone). I've never really played "Resident Evil", so I don't know how well this stacks up to the games, and I don't really care. I love zombie movies, and will watch just about anything that features them. So, when this came out I had to check it out. It's about a corporation that pretty much runs the world called Umbrella. They have a lab underground called The Hive, and one day a deadly virus is unleashed turning everyone down there into zombies. So a team of special ops, lead by Alice(Milla Jovovich) head down to find out what happened, and see if they can prevent it from spreading. Overall, this is a bad movie. The effects are bad, the acting is worse, and the movie doesn't really have a good pace. It slows down, speeds up, slows down, and speeds up. Just never settles into a good rhythm. There are a few really good scenes(the lazer scene is still awesome), but not enough to make this a classic worthy 4 sequels. It's an interesting concept, with poor execution. Worth a watch? Sure, just keep expectations in check,and maybe a better zombie movie handy in case you get bored.

        Super Reviewer

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