NEW YORK –– Those pesky zombies, oh, my. They get themselves a virus manufactured by an evil corporation, and the next thing you know, the undead start mobbing around saying “Argh!” a lot, waving their arms and craving people as snacks.
That’s the substance of “Resident Evil: Afterlife” (Screen Gems), the fourth entry in the gory franchise based on the video game. It has only 3-D to commend it this time around, which makes it moderately more interesting, if not less of a completely dull waste of time.
Writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson puts Milla Jovovich as Alice back into the black tights to fight off the zombies and rescue a small band of humans in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. She teams up with lissome pal Claire Redfield (Ali Larter, lately of TV’s “Heroes”) as they help the group of intrepid stereotypes – bossy Hollywood producer Bennett (Kim Coates), aspiring actress Jill (Sienna Guillory reprising the role) and so on.
Much of the film transpires inside the one building the zombies have trouble with – a former maximum-security prison in which the humans take refuge. Hey, what luck! There’s a huge stash of automatic weapons! There’s also a little red airplane that can travel amazing distances without the need to refuel!
All battles, of course, are in slow-motion. Most of the dialogue would have been improved greatly sped up.
The film contains fleeting rough, crude and profane language, flying knives, cartoonish gun violence and, this being in 3-D, abundant splattering zombie heads. The Catholic News Service classification is L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Jensen is a guest reviewer for Catholic News Service. More reviews are available online.
