Directed by Paul WS Anderson. Starring Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Wentworth Miller, Spencer Locke 15A cert, gen release, 97 min
HE MAY NOT be as respectable as his near namesake Paul Thomas Anderson, but it's hard not to admire Paul WS Anderson, purveyor of such popular videogame adaptations as Mortal Kombatand the Resident Evilseries. The hardworking director and producer has worked his way up from humble indie origins to carve out his own pulpy milieu.
Critics may scoff at Anderson's brash, trashy flicks ( Alien vs Predator, Death Race) but the bona fide auteur behind these titles has done much to define a sub-genre. Utilising a cinematic grammar that mirrors the first-person shoot-'em- up may seem like an obvious innovation, but the notion failed to strike the makers of say, Super Mario Brothersor Street Fighter.
Resident Evil: Afterlife, the fourth film spawned by the gaming franchise, sees Mrs Paul WS Anderson (Milla Jovovich) once again slip into a selection of skintight body suits. The post- apocalyptic future might be blighted by a zombie plague and overseen by a nefarious corporation, but there is, thankfully, no shortage of such essentials as lip-gloss and kinky boots.
The plot, we're informed, sees our impossibly sultry heroine lose her superhuman powers just as she's about to face down her arch-nemesis. Sadly, we can't confirm this. Presented in ludicrously dark 3D, Resident Evil: Afterlifeis seldom intelligible. Was that a ninja star or a cat onscreen just now? Has Milla just hooked up with another isolated band of survivors, or is she just throwing her voice so it sounds like bad acting?
These and other questions will not be answered over the course of 97 minutes. Somewhere under all the darkness that comes with using James Cameron’s Fusion Camera System, we’re sure there’s a big, puerile fantasy flick awaiting the attentions of teenage boys. But, as things stand, we’re left wondering if the entire production isn’t, in fact, an avant-garde prank.
On the plus side, those seeking recession-busting housekeeping tips should note that the admission price works out cheaper than a visit to an actual floatation tank.
