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- Ronald Epstein
What can I say? I love 3D! From the moment I began watching 3D content in my home I quickly discovered that I needed more content. I suspect that those of you just purchasing your first 3D hardware will acquire the same ferocious appetite. That's why I became the HTF 3D ADDICT. I personally love images that pop off the screen and come inches away from your face without becoming overly gimmicky. However, I certainly appreciate the nature documentaries that offer beautiful depth and separation. These are not necessarily reviews of the film themselves. I am not going to concentrate on story or supplements -- you can find the 2D reviews elsewhere on this forum. My job is to let you know exactly what kind of 3D experience to expect from the titles that are being released. As I will be receiving a handful of new product from the studios expect to see more title coverage.
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Studio: Sony
Product Release: December 28, 2010
Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English; French & Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Running Time: 96 Minutes
Rating: R
ON A SCALE 0-5
Overall 3D Presentation Rating: 5
3D Separation: 5
3D In Yo' Face Factor: 3
Right out of the gate I have to say that I am no
fan of the Resident Evil franchise. I have only
watched one of the films, Resident Evil: Degeneration,
and it wasn't by choice. It actually was screened for
us at Sony Studios a few years back and as much
as we were appreciative of the screening, I think most
felt that perhaps its subject matter wasn't appropriate
for the diverse audience in attendance.
So, you can imagine the apprehension I had going
into this review. Fortunately, within the first few
minutes of the film, my fears greatly resided.
Thank God! Here was a live action film instead
of one that was animated. Furthermore, there
seemed to be some encouragement early on that
this might actually turn out to be somewhat entertaining.
From the film's opening moments we quickly learn
that a worldwide epidemic has turned everyone into
zombies thanks to a virus unleashed by the Umbrella
Corporation. There are few untouched survivors left
on the Earth who spend their days running from the
mobs of undead who are waiting for their next human
meal.
Enter our hero Alice (Milla Jovovich), who has been
hunting down those at the Umbrella Corporation, the
same company responsible for inoculating her with a
virus that provides elevated levels of strength and agility.
In the first few minutes of the film, Alice is able to infiltrate
and destroy Umbrella, but not before losing all her super
powers in the process.
As Alice treks up the northwestern coast she comes upon
a survivor named Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) whose memory
has been completely erased but is slowly revealing the events
leading up to the present. Now, on their own, Alice and
Claire seek to find the last survivors holding out in the ruins
of Los Angeles against hordes of flesh-eaters who are becoming
more impatient by the minute.
It seems that Resident Evil: Afterlife falls somewhere
between a horror and action movie though it never really
exceeds as either. As a horror film, there's certainly not
a lot of scare factor here other than a few "gotcha" zombie
scares. The effects are very reminiscent of John Carpenter's
The Thing, so really nothing groundbreaking almost 30 years
later. And if that's not bad enough, it seems the filmmakers
felt the need to rip-off The Matrix with a lot of the stop-motion
action sequences. What I also found offsetting was the inclusion
of Wentworth Miller of Prison Break who's character here is
no stretch from that of what he played on the television series.
So, for me, sometimes this film seemed like an episode of
that show.
All this being said, I felt somewhat entertained throughout.
The film essentially works as a B-rated action flick with the
usual assortment of clichéd characters and action sequences.
You have seen it all before and if not for the 3D, there would
be nothing inspiring about it.
Speaking of the 3D, I had heard a lot of fans praising the
quality of this disc when it came to donning the glasses.
I have to agree that this is assuredly one of the best live
action 3D titles on the market as of this date -- though that's
not saying much when you consider there are probably just
two others (Avatar and Step Up 3D). There is a well defined
sense of depth perception here though sometimes the process
gets lost in the darker indoor sequences that include basement
rooms and underground tunnels.
Thanks to its remarkably crisp, unflawed and stable image
quality the 3D really comes across most effectively. Since
the same camera equipment developed for shooting Avatar
was used here, it should come as no surprise that the level
of detail and separation is as good as it gets.
19 minutes into the film there are breathtaking shots of a plane
tbaio
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2010
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- Real Name
- Thomas
- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
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- Ronald Epstein
I found this film to be very good at convincingly throwing things into the audience.
Hi Thomas!
I was hoping for all that, but found that most of it remained
within the screen instead of leaping out.
tbaio
Stunt Coordinator
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- Dec 21, 2010
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- Real Name
- Thomas