The Resident Evil movie franchise is a polarizing facet of the property for fans of the games. Some bemoan their existence and how far they stray from the source materials, while others appreciate them as mindless fun. They are entertaining thrill rides for the most part, though a couple of them certainly lack the same energy as the others.
The following ten memes will deal exclusively with the movie series, only mentioning the games when they are compared to the films. Detractors of the series can take solace knowing it is over, and the next adaptation of the franchise is set to happen on Netflix sometime in the future.
It Checks Out
Except for the fact that The Hunger Games and Final Fantasy XIII came out after the first Resident Evil movie, Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, does kind of look like a combination between Katniss and Lightning. This brings up a new question, too. Who would win in a fight?
They all have impressive combat capabilities, though Katniss would probably lose first. Afterward, however, the other two would tire themselves out in a stalemate. One thing’s for sure; it would certainly be an entertaining bout.
The Resemblance Is Uncanny
As funny as it is to see zombie Jackie Chan, his appearance confirms the movie’s falsity. In a real zombie apocalypse, everyone knows the action star would be able to beat down hordes of the undead without getting bitten. If the crowd became too overwhelming, he could just use his athleticism to scale a building to safety.
Some may say he is older now and unable to do such feats, but his part in 2017’s The Foreigner proves age hasn’t slowed him down one bit.
Be Nice
The movies have not found favor with every Resident Evil fan, causing an uproar when a new entry is announced. If one doesn’t like the movies, no one is twisting their arm or holding their family hostage to get them to see it. The only person who should be complaining is maybe a parent who bemoans them but has kids who beg them to see each release in theaters.
In all other cases, just ignore the ads and never purchase a movie ticket, and the world will go on as if the movies never happened.
Bonding Over Misfortune
Many Sonic fans are worried about the upcoming movie. Resident Evil fans, on the other hand, are used to disappointment after disappointment when it comes to live-action adaptations of their beloved series.
At least Sonic has Jim Carrey. Lovers of the blue video game mascot shouldn’t get too down until they see the final product. Trailers are often misleading, presenting the worst parts of a film while the hidden jewels within are saved for the finished release.
Nemesis Loves Stars
Nemesis loves him some stars. While he usually means members of the elite task force in Raccoon City, he’ll settle for some converse sneakers in the meantime.
It makes one wonder, though - why does a small town like Raccoon City have such a specialized unit? Does the location really have so much crime and villainy that they need to control it with super cops? Most of them died in their first run-in with zombies, so they could not have been so elite in the first place, except for Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield.
They Take It Slow
Everybody loves a little slow motion here and there, but too much of it becomes obnoxious. By all accounts, Resident Evil: Afterlife’s use of the effect is a little heavy-handed. The movie has some solid action, but having it play out in real-time would have been just as satisfying, albeit much shorter.
It does fit in with the film and series’ overall ridiculous tone. No one was making it thinking they were getting an invitation to the Oscars the following year. They just wanted people who watched it to have some fun, and they accomplished their goal, for the most part.
It’s How We Want To Go
If something creepy starts happening, people are generally presented with two options. They can either cower in fear and more than likely meet their fate, or they can get ready for an epic battle which will become the stuff of legend.
Maybe the threat will win in the end, but they’ll have to try. Even if they don’t break a sweat chomping on the victim, it is still more dignified than giving up.
Seriously, Not Cool
A favorite supporting character from Resident Evil: Apocalypse, L.J. gets bitten in the sequel, Extinction, but foolishly decides to hide it from everyone in the group, a decision which results in Carlos’s infection.
It is hard to be judgmental of the character, however. Who knows how any of us would react in a similar situation? A bite is a death sentence, and letting people know about it would get them shot right on the spot. Anyone would like they say they’d fess up for the good of the group, but no one really knows until they are faced with such a decision in real life.
If They’re So Bad, Why Do They Have Five Sequels
It is so easy to decry these films as mindless schlock, but doesn’t schlock also have value? After all, would they have made five sequels to the original if everybody hated it and nobody saw it in theaters?
Not only did it do reasonably at the box office; home movie sales also helped out a lot. Say what you will, but few video game movie adaptations have garnered so many theatrical sequels.
Why Can’t We Love Both?
The games and movies are different beasts. While some characters from the source materials show up in the live-action movies, they really only resemble their original counterparts in name only. Is it so wrong to appreciate both?
The games are slow-paced survival horror masterpieces while the movies are energetic action fare. Perhaps a more direct adaptation would have been better, but what we got is not half bad. Besides, they could have been directed by Uwe Ball, so be thankful that never happened.
