When it comes to video game to onscreen adaptions, no other franchise does it better than Resident Evil. Since 2002, the franchise has spawned six movies starring Milla Jovovich (who has already claimed interest in returning) as the zombie-slaying Alice. Created by Paul W.S. Anderson, Resident Evil has become the highest-grossing and longest-running franchise in its genre.
Keeping the franchise-beast alive, the latest installment in the series Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City veers off sharply to the left with an entirely new cast and director/screenwriter Johannes Roberts at the helm. Featuring characters and themes rooted in the original video game, fans get to see more of Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and the dynamic sibling duo Chris and Claire Redfield. As for the O.G. Resident Evil films, each one brings something to the table for audience members.
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6 Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
The final culmination of the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter sits at the bottom of the list. While it does tie up any loose ends, the discovery that Alice has been a clone all along isn’t exactly the kind of ending long-time fans wanted to see. From a narrative standpoint, it doesn’t make much sense, considering the third installment Resident Evil: Extinction had an unsuccessful plot centered around the Alice clones. The movie also brought back to life cloned versions of other characters including the supervillain, Dr. Isaacs. This time around, he is a religious fanatic who believes himself to be the original. It’s a very bizarre approach and left many long-invested fans very disappointed.
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5 Resident Evil: Afterlife
Set exactly one year after the Extinction, Resident Evil: Afterlife brings back one critical character, Claire Redfield. While she is a welcome sight to video game fans, the most exciting element may just be the introduction of other interesting people like Luther West and Claire’s brother, Chris.
The imagery and special effects in Afterlife were stunning, but the goal to make it to Arcadia was too good to be true. Without Dr. Isaacs as the main villain, Albert Wesker had to step up his game by infecting himself with the T-virus. His one-off with Alice was a bit anti-climactic, and the happy ending of freeing all of his captives seemed off for the genre.
4 Resident Evil: Retribution
The fifth installment in the franchise was unlike any other before. Featuring more of a video game set up with levels of difficulty, Resident Evil: Retribution gave fans more zombies and heart-pounding scenes. It also brought back many beloved characters - such as Rain, Carlos, and Jill - but this time around they were not allies.
The introduction of Ada Wong as an agent for the villainous Wesker was confusing, and Leon Kennedy was severely underrepresented by the film. Another issue with the plot was the inclusion of a child - Becky. Although she was technically a clone, this little girl brought out motherly instincts in Alice as she attempted to save her. While it was heart-warming, this storyline seemed out of place in the overall arc of Alice’s story.
3 Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Constantin Film, Davis Films, Impact Pictures, Screen Gems
Although Resident Evil: Apocalpyse gets a bad rep by video game fans, it isn’t as bad as some think. As the second film in the franchise, Alice was still learning about her abilities and power during this phase of her life. This is also the movie that introduces key characters like Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira.
Thanks to a bigger budget, Alice gets to flex her skills against much tougher mutants. As she cuts her way through hordes of zombies and tag-teams of Lickers, she eventually makes her way to a one-on-one battle against Nemesis. The climax here is arguably one of the best in the entire series as Alice discovers that Nemesis is actually her old friend and ally - Matt.
2 Resident Evil: Extinction
Screen Gems, Constantin Film, Davis films, Impact Pictures
Featuring zombie crows and several new characters, Resident Evil: Extinction ranks very high on the list for its out-of-the-box elements. Set in a desert environment, which is not seen before or after this film, it takes fans outside of the claustrophobic Hive and into an open space.
This is also where fans finally get to meet Claire Redfield, who ends up making several appearances in other films later on. exercising her newly discovered power of telekinesis, Alice is on a mission - which she completes - to kill Dr. Isaacs. Along the way, she finds out about the cloning and begins using her own clones to take down the Umbrella Corporation one stronghold at a time. Overall, it is a well-rounded story that sets up the next film perfectly.
1 Resident Evil
Constantin Film, New Legacy Film
No other installment in the franchise can quite outdo the original Resident Evil. Set inside the Hive, which is the headquarters for the Umbrella Corporation, it is where the infectious outbreak begins. As a true horror film, the movie introduces audience members to bio weaponery and genetic experimentation on a level that had never been seen before.
It also played on scare tactics that are both physical and psychological like the decapitated woman in the elevator within the first few minutes. This is a horrifying death scene that has since been used multiple times in other high-ranking horror films such as Final Destination 2. Plus, viewers had no idea what to expect by the end of the movie. This allowed for more suspense and had fans excited for more.
