Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Resident Evil: Extinction seems to suffer the same curse as Resident Evil: Apocalypse although the reviews with this one were a little more balanced. Again, people just don’t seem to know what they want. Resident Evil wasn’t enough like the same. Apocalypse was too much like the game and now we’re back to having Extinction not being close enough. The audience needs to make up its mind.

Naturally, the movies are going to be compared to the games they’re based on. It only makes sense, but at some point, the comparisons need to stop and the movie needs to be taken on its own merit. That seems to be impossible for some fans of the Resident Evil games.

Personally, I’ve never been huge into video games, but I’ll admit, I love the Resident Evil series. They’re great games. The thing is, I didn’t watch these movies wanting a live action rendition of the games. I went into these movies hoping for a scare, some suspense, hot chicks and some decent gore. I got everything I asked for. Milla Jovovich makes an amazing heroine and it’s good to see her sticking with the Resident Evil series. Ali Larter (Final Destination, Final Destination 2, House On Haunted Hill, Heroes) and Ashanti are great additions to the cast. Keep all that in mind and you should be perfectly satisfied with this series. I’m looking forward to Resident Evil: Afterlife.

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slasherella on August 11th, 2009 | File Under Game Adaptations, Series, Viruses, Zombies | No Comments -

Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

I can usually understand bad reviews or can at least see where the critic is coming from. Not so with Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

It seems to me this movie was doomed in many eyes before it even opened in theaters. Milla Jovovich is back as Alice and she kicks just as much ass as ever. People were turned off by the fact that this movie gave Alice mind powers which weren’t present in the first because it took away the believability from the first. I want to know who would see a movie about viruses turning people into zombies for believability. The entire premise is a stretch, but it’s a stretch that works.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse has also been vilified for being too close to the video game. That would be a valid argument had the first not been beaten up on for not being close enough to the game.

Browsing the reviews for this movie reminded me that, in general, the public has absolutely no idea what they want – aside from a chance to bitch and whine.

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slasherella on August 11th, 2009 | File Under Game Adaptations, Series, Viruses, Zombies | No Comments -

Resident Evil (2002)

Resident Evil is one of those movies that will disappoint people who go into it expecting something specific – in this case, an adaptation of one of their favorite video games. While the movie is based on the game, it doesn’t stick as faithfully to it’s namesake as other adaptations (see Silent Hill). There are some of the key elements of the game included in its big screen adaptation, but much of the sequence of events was changed to make the movie more fast paced. I, for one, say it worked well.

Milla Jovovich is a babe. She’s so smokin’ hot in Resident Evil it’s a little painful to look at her. And man, that girl kicks some serious zombie ass. Then there’s Michelle Rodriguez and really, what can you say about Michelle Rodriguez? She is one of the few women who pull off being both scary and sexy. Girl is gorgeous and crazy intimidating. Milla and Michelle are reason alone to watch Resident Evil. Add to that the fact that the movie succeeds in being frightening, suspenseful and action filled (with more than a little good gore) and you have a winner.

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slasherella on August 11th, 2009 | File Under Game Adaptations, Series, Viruses, Zombies | No Comments -

Land of the Dead (2004)

Now this, this, is a zombie movie.

Critics and fans alike are pretty much split down the middle between loving and hating Land of the Dead, but I think what the naysayers fail to understand is that no matter how different it may be from it’s predecessors, Land of the Dead is still at it’s core a zombie movie.

You can’t expect perfection from a movie because if you do, the majority of the time you’ll be disappointed. Land of the Dead does what it’s meant to do. It delivers graphic blood and gore. Who says a zombie movie needs to have a point?

In the end, though, Land of the Dead does have a poiny and it is different than most other zombie movies. Amongst the carnage, there is a message about the class-structures in society. The rich live in comfort in their gated communities, while the poor are left to survive off their scraps in the slums below them. Does Land of the Dead deliver it’s message? I suppose it does, albeit maybe a bit heavy-handedly.

Also in Land of the Dead, we find the zombies are now somewhat sentient – living their lives (in a manner of speaking) much as humans do. They pump gas, play instruments (kind of) and even hold hands. Does this make them more sympathetic? Watch and decide for yourself.

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slasherella on August 3rd, 2009 | File Under Zombies | No Comments -

Day of the Dead (2008)

Although Day of the Dead is technically a remake of George A. Romero’s 1985 classic of the same name, it shares little with the original and that’s likely this movie’s biggest problem.

Day of the Dead shouldn’t be called a remake at all. It’s more of a re-imagining. The zombies aren’t your typical zombie. They move faster, the climb walls and scale buildings, they can listen and understand radio broadcasts and some of them are even vegetarian – okay, there’s only one vegetarian, but its inclusion allows the film to answer the age old question, what do vegetarian zombies eat.

My best advice for anyone preparing to watch Day of the Dead, is this: forget the original completely. While there are a few throwbacks, this is a completely separate movie. If you go into this expecting the original you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you go into this looking for a fun, zombie, bloodbath, you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for.

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slasherella on August 2nd, 2009 | File Under Zombies | No Comments -

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Nothing beats a good zombie movie and this is a good zombie movie. Dawn of the Dead is exactly what a zombie movie should be – blood, guts, brains and everything that goes with it. From the first scene to the very last, there is no shortage of blood splatter.

Dawn of the Dead is full of zombie slaying fun and loaded with sharp wit and memorable, repeatable lines. Among my favorite is the exchange between Kenneth and Steve when discussing the zombie situation. Kenneth: “Is everyone there dead?” Steve: “Well, dead-ish.” I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a more accurate description of zombies.

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slasherella on August 2nd, 2009 | File Under Zombies | No Comments -

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the Dead is what zombie movies are meant to be and, in my humble opinion, one of the best slasher movies ever made. It may not typically be classified as a slasher movie, but as far as I’m concerned, the blood, guts and carnage throughout the entire film entitle it to a spot on this site.

Shaun of the Dead had two of the things I love most in a movie – gore and dry British humor. The fact that these two factors are combined so perfectly in this movie make it one of my all time favorite movies. Simon Pegg (Shaun) is my hero. He makes battling zombies while being hysterical look easy – and even a little fun.

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slasherella on August 1st, 2009 | File Under Laugh While They Hack, Zombies | No Comments -

Planet Terror (2007)

Here we have possible one of the best slasher movies ever made centering around zombies, Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror. I’m not sure this movie could be better. If you’ve seen it, you understand. If you haven’t, what the hell are you waiting for?

All the elements of a perfect zombie movies are in place in Planet Terror. Hot girls in skimpy outfits, comedy, action and buckets of blood and brains. Throw in a few gratuitous shots of herpes riddled genitals and you have a masterpiece.

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slasherella on August 1st, 2009 | File Under Laugh While They Hack, Zombies | No Comments -