Story
The story in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is a chaotic, action-packed mess with little regard for continuity or character development. Alice (Milla Jovovich) returns to Raccoon City for a final showdown with the Umbrella Corporation, but the plot lacks any real depth or emotional stakes. The film glosses over important character arcs and struggles, especially with the absence of characters introduced in the previous films, like Ada, Leon, Jill, and Chris. Plot holes abound, including a baffling moment where a group of characters is sucked into a giant fan, and one dies—then the fan inexplicably turns off, saving the others. Why? The movie never explains, and it’s a perfect example of the nonsensical storytelling present throughout. The White House attack, involving an army of monsters, is mentioned but never shown. There are numerous gaps in the plot that leave audiences scratching their heads, making it hard to invest in the story’s supposed stakes. The film offers a chaotic conclusion to the series that fails to honor its predecessors.
Rating: 2 out of 4Production
On the production side, The Final Chapter excels in some areas but falters in others. The special effects, while not groundbreaking, are impressive, particularly in the action sequences and the mutants that are featured throughout the film. The visual effects, including the giant fan scene, provide a spectacle, though their impact is undermined by the nonsensical nature of the plot. The music is appropriately intense, setting the tone for high-octane action, but it lacks the atmospheric dread that made earlier Resident Evil entries stand out as horror. The pacing feels too quick, which adds to the overall feeling of disjointedness in the production. The reliance on action sequences and special effects leaves little room for the horror elements that originally made the Resident Evil franchise unique, reducing the film’s overall impact.
Rating: 3 out of 5Casting
The casting in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is undoubtedly one of its strengths. Milla Jovovich continues to embody Alice with conviction, delivering a physically demanding performance that still manages to capture Alice’s vulnerability amid the carnage. Despite the script’s limitations, Jovovich proves yet again that she is the heart and soul of this franchise. Ali Larter as Claire Redfield provides a solid, grounded performance, bringing a sense of emotional depth to her character even when the material doesn’t do her justice. Ian Glen was definitely having fun with his role as Isaacs just as easily a standout. The supporting cast are good, but they are given nothing to do.
Unfortunately, the direction is so muddled that even their strong performances can’t rise above the film's flaws. There's one scene that stands out. Alice and her group are trapped inside a tower, fighting off a horde of zombies. In a desperate attempt to stop the oncoming wave, they knock over several barrels of gasoline at the top of the structure, causing the fluid to pour down in a cascading waterfall-like flow. The ignited gasoline sets the zombies below on fire, creating a visually impressive spectacle.
While the scene is thrilling and looks absolutely cool, it’s wildly impractical and highly dangerous from a real-world perspective. Gasoline, when poured in such large amounts, would create an immense fire hazard, but the real issue lies in the sheer proximity of everyone involved. Given how the gasoline would have spread downwards, the survivors would likely have been caught in the flames, too. The fire would have expanded rapidly, fueled by the gasoline’s high flammability. At that height and with the rapid spread of fire, it’s hard to imagine anyone surviving without being caught in the inferno. The fire would consume all available oxygen, and with the survivors so close to the cascading flames, they would likely have suffocated or been burned alive. While the scene is undeniably an exciting moment, it's a prime example of the movie's preference for spectacle over realism, choosing to create a visually stunning scene even if it defies logic and endangers the very characters it's trying to save.
The action is at its peak, but the film’s lack of solid direction, weak dialogue, and missed character moments limit what the actors can truly achieve. The direction of Paul W.S. Anderson feels chaotic, further contributing to the film’s inability to offer any significant payoff for the characters’ arcs. The lack of returning characters from previous films leaves a gaping hole, making the world feel emptier than it should have been in its final chapter.
Rating: 3 out of 5The Verdict
In the end, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter delivers in action and has great performances from Jovovich and Larter, but it fails to live up to its potential as a satisfying conclusion to the series. With poor writing, plot holes, and missed opportunities for character development, it ultimately leaves much to be desired. Fans may appreciate the action and special effects, but the lack of horror and overall incoherence makes it a forgettable entry in the Resident Evil saga. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter gets 3 out of 5.
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