2002’s “Resident Evil” introduced us to an original character named Alice, a young woman who suffers from amnesia but gradually discovers the deadly T-virus conspiracy, orchestrated by Umbrella in a lab called the Hive. Although flawed, this entry is the pinnacle of what makes these movies so enjoyable, where fast-paced action perfectly complements the right amount of trope-y post-apocalyptic absurdity, introducing a world rife with survival-horror potential. There are references to the games that serve as callbacks, but the plot is original enough to stand on its own, especially with a well-defined, complex protagonist like Alice at the helm.
Enter “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” with Alice returning to battle the undead while attempting to escape Raccoon City, which is about to be bombed to contain the T-virus. The destruction of Raccoon City is a narrative aspect adapted directly from the games, where the place was nuked after the zombification of more than 100,000 residents who committed heinous crimes and cannibalism after getting infected. Legacy game characters such as Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera make an appearance, granting “Apocalypse” the status of a well-made sequel that pays homage to the original while retaining its own identity.
As Alice’s journey is mapped chronologically, there’s no other choice but to experience these films via order of release date, which brings us to “Resident Evil: Extinction” and “Resident Evil: Afterlife.” Both films focus on Albert Wesker and his complicated motivations concerning Umbrella and attempt to bring back legacy game characters (such as Claire Redfield) with middling results. Although some action set pieces are worth commending, both films act as fillers instead of meaningfully progressing the story, which could have taken interesting turns, considering how every character approaches the apocalypse distinctly in the games.