Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) Movie Review

The movie starts with a replay of some scenes in the previous Resident Evil movies, with Alice explaining what they are. Then, we are taken to a fight scene between the Umbrella Corporation’s soldiers and Alice and her friends. But Alice falls into the ocean when she tries to escape the debris of an exploding helicopter.

Then, the director takes us back to when Alice and a girl named Becky were trying to flee from a hoard of zombies. While Alice managed to save Becky by asking her to hide in the closet, Alice’s husband / partner who turned to a zombie caught up with her and kills her.  

When she wakes up, Alice finds herself towel-clothed at a security holding cell. While seeking a way out, a woman appears asking her why she turned away against Umbrella. Alice recognizes the woman as Jill Valentine, a former Special Operations Agent who became friends with Alice as seen in Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Jill asks her again, but when she Alice responds by asking where her other friends in the ship are, Jill vanishes and a loud, shrill sound is let out, torturing Alice. This continues for one or two more scenes.

Then, a computer generated voice informs everyone of an unauthorized access to the main computer. The security system is disabled, so the central computer needs to re-boot, which will take exactly one minute. In Alice’s cell, two blocks open, one containing a suit and the other serves as an exit passage. Then, we see Alice clad in a “badass” suit.

When the computer is back on, Jill realizes that Alice has escaped. So she orders all soldiers to be alert and commands the laser killing machine activated. Alice heads towards the exit, and when she’s out, she finds herself in a city that appears to be Tokyo.

Then, we see Alice at what she does best.

1. The return of Jill Valentine
I can still remember Jill in Resident Evil: Apocalypse. She was strong, arrogant, and had short hair. But now, she’s back with a vengeance. In Retribution, Jill is bolder, has a smashing outfit, and BLONDE! For a split second there, I thought she stole the show -- sorry, Alice.

2. Girl power to the max
Sorry boys, but in this movie, girls rule. Alice, Jill Valentine, Rain, and Ada -- what more can you ask for?

There’s something lacking about this movie. I’ve seen all Resident Evil films, but the plot is the same, and the characters keep coming back from the dead without or with little explanation, and somehow, my craving for fight scenes with great choreography was not satisfied.

That said, I suggest that you watch Resident Evil: Retribution only if you run out of good movies.