Resident Evil - Apocalypse

Although Resident Evil was not particularly good, it had several things going for it. The claustrophobic feel to the entire picture was quite appealing and the wry 'Alice in Wonderland' implications were amusing and entertaining. Unfortunately, both of these aspects are lost in the sequel, however it succeeds in having a slightly stronger plot and cooler characters.

The characters of Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera, although quite limited, are quite entertaining and fans of the video game saga will be pleased that some of game faces have made it to the big screen. Although not entirely faithful to the games the adaptations of character from small to big screen are for the most-part well done. The fact that the film has many more options - with the entire city to roam - does it some favours making this movie perhaps more gripping than the original. The film also manages to generate some genuine chills, perhaps the children in the school being the most noticeable.

However, the film's successes are equalled by its weaknesses, unfortunately. The action scenes are at times quite shoddy with a general feeling of motion sickness. The dialogue is quite weak at times and there are some characters who you really couldn't care about if you tried. It is quite refreshing that the sequel veers away from the zombie menace for the entrance of a 'big bad' but when the villain looks like it has been in an accident in an industrial-sized vat of plasticine, you're in trouble.

In spite of its flaws, this film is for the most-part enjoyable and is solid popcorn entertainment, but nothing more. The sequel-friendly ending also means that the third movie in the saga - Resident Evil: Afterlife - is an increasing possibility. Those who weren't completely put off by the original should certainly give this a try although this definitely won't be for everybody.

(May I also point out that the reviewer who rated the film as poor due to a character's incorrect hair colour should get a slap)