Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fourth film in gory, video game-based series is now in 3-D.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
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Where to Watch
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Resident Evil: Afterlife
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Parents say that the film delivers the typical tropes of its franchise, featuring hordes of zombies and intense action, appealing mainly to mature sci-fi and action fans. However, there are mixed opinions on its overall quality, with some praising the 3D effects and action scenes, while others criticize it for weak storytelling and excessive violence, making it more suitable for older teens and adults.
- violence warning
- mixed reviews
- action-focused
- not for kids
- 3D effects praised
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 29 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE, Alice (Milla Jovovich) manages to infiltrate the secret underground headquarters of the Corporation. The man in charge, Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts), escapes and blows up the entire compound. He also manages to inject Alice with a serum that will destroy her superpowers and make her human again. She resolves to find more survivors, following a rescue signal. She runs into her old friend, Claire (Ali Larter), and then finds a bunch of humans trapped inside an empty prison building in Los Angeles. They discover that the signal is coming from a ship just off the coast, but how can eight humans get out of a building totally surrounded by hordes of the undead? And even if they do, how do they know the ship is really safe?
Is It Any Good?
Written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson -- who returns to the series for the first time since the original film -- this movie has an interesting look and some good, streamlined action sequences. It also has an interesting element in which several humans with opposing points of view come together to battle a greater evil.
Anderson also sets up some interesting potential sub-themes -- such as a collection of Hollywood people hiding out from the zombies, as well as the idea of the evil corporation -- but he fails to really take these anywhere. Any emotional involvement or intelligence is cut down for the benefit of keeping things moving, which, in this kind of movie, is actually a good thing. All in all, Resident Evil: Afterlife is not particularly smart or original, but it's also not all that bad.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Resident Evil: Afterlife. How did it make you feel? Were you scared? Were you grossed out?
Is Alice a strong female role model, or is she a stereotype?
How do the Resident Evil movies compare to the video games they're based on? Which is more entertaining -- the interactive zombie-killing experience, or the passive one?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 10, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : December 28, 2010
- Cast : Ali Larter , Milla Jovovich , Wentworth Miller
- Director : Paul W.S. Anderson
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Screen Gems
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sequences of strong violence and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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