Resident
Evil: The Final Chapter 4K
(2017/Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)
Picture:
A-/B+ Sound: A- Extras: B Film: B
It
is hard to believe that there have been six entries to Milla
Jovovich, Paul W.S. Anderson (Event
Horizon)
and Sony's Resident
Evil
franchise, but here we are at the final entry. Resident
Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)
follows the formula created by earlier installments and sews together
some loose plot hole ends that makes the whole saga a much stronger
piece as a whole. While watching this film, one in which I had
little expectations for initially, I couldn't help but be impressed
by some of the visual effects (a weak spot for older entries) and
even found myself jumping at a few startling moments. It seems like
this time Anderson and his team finally got it right.
Thanks
to this gorgeous 4K presentation, this film could be a great demo
disc as it features interesting cinematography and very nice sound
design that gave my home entertainment system a workout. (Also be
sure to check out our other 4K UHD review for Resident
Evil: Retribution).
The
Final Chapter
stars Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Shawn Roberts, Ruby Rose, Iain
Glen, and William Levy.
Alice
(Jovovich) is back one final time to finish her relentless war with
the tyrannical corporate entity known as The Umbrella Corporation,
which admittedly are responsible for the fall of modern civilization
and the rise of the zombie apocalypse. At first alone, Alice ends up
meeting up with one of her adversaries - Umbrella's realistic
security software - that gives her a tip of an airborne T-Virus that
could reverse the effects of the masses and save the planet. The
only problem is that she has to go back to The Hive, the secret
underground base of operations in the center of Raccoon City, where
the outbreak initially began in the first installment. Soon aided by
some old and new human faces that are struggling to survive, Alice
goes head to head with the masterminds behind the operation that
costed the lives of billions and puts her life on the line once
again.
The
film starts out with a bang as the first act is pretty action packed
and includes some very well done sequences, including one with a
bioweapon that is similar to a dragon that chases Alice down in a
post apocalyptic landscape. Many moments in this entry also retread
back to the first film, with some of its iconic locations (such as
the laser hallway) and some other plot holes in that installment
filled. Also worth noting is Ali Larter's character, who makes a
comeback and lights up the scenes that she is in. (I feel that she
is a solid yet underused actress in many of the films that she is
in.) One gripe is the ending, which feels a bit open ended and feels
like another installment could be made if demanded. Other than that,
this film is surprisingly a lot of fun and miles better than some of
the previous entries (namely the second and third ones).
The
presentation here is pretty stunning as well in 2160p on 4K UHD with
HDR (high dynamic range 10-bit color) and a widescreen aspect ratio
of 2.40:1. The new format lends itself to a film of this type, which
has so many desolate and detailed locations and visual effects,
similar in some regards to Mad
Max: Fury Road.
The outside tones are mostly bright, while underground sequences are
rich with dark blacks and details on the sets, making it seem more
real in 4K. The previous films in the series are all due for 4K
reissues, so check back with us on those.
Also
included is a lesser but fine looking Blu-ray copy of the film in
1080p with the same widescreen specs. The audio mixes are great
sounding and intricate as well, captured in Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD
Master Audio 7.1 lossless mixes with theater quality sound that is
pretty stunning and is pretty much the same on both discs. A digital
UV copy is also included for your digital library.
Special
Features...
Two
Featurettes:
''Explore
the Hive''
''The
Badass Trinity & The Women of Resident Evil''
Retaliation
Mode
Sneak
Peek for the animated Resident
Evil: Vendetta
''Stunts
& Weaponry'' Featurette
Sure,
the Resident
Evil
franchise isn't winning any Oscars or anything (even technical ones),
but for what it is, I feel that this final entry is a lot better than
it could have been. Before the franchise is inevitably rebooted in a
few years with a new cast and director, I think Milla and Mr.
Anderson should be pretty proud they went out with a bang, even if
the box office returns were stronger in foreign markets than American
ones.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
