Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Plenty of gore -- and more 3-D -- in fifth RE installment.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Resident Evil: Retribution
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 17 kid reviews
Kids say that this movie features intense action, violence, and gore, making it suitable for viewers aged 15 and up, with some suggesting a minimum age of 16. While some enjoyed the film's execution and story, others found it disappointing due to plot inconsistencies and excessive violence, though many appreciated the action sequences.
- action packed
- age recommendations
- mixed reviews
- plot issues
- visual effects
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Following the events of Resident Evil: Afterlife -- and a recap of all the movies so far -- Alice (Milla Jovovich) finds herself a prisoner of the Red Queen (a computer program bent on wiping out humankind) at the start of RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION. Unexpectedly, she's freed, aided by a tough, gun-toting beauty (Li Bingbing) and a crack rescue team. Unfortunately, to escape, they must make their way past a series of "test environments," arenas designed to look like Moscow, Tokyo, and New York, all full of zombies. And they only have two hours. To add to the trouble, Alice decides to rescue the clone of a little girl, and the mind-controlled Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) is hot on their trail. But the question remains: Why was Alice freed, and what's the master plan behind it all?
Is It Any Good?
As horror, this movie's not very spooky, except for a couple of typical jump-scares; and as sci-fi, it's not very brainy. Writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson once again returns to the helm of this series, as he did for the first and fourth entries. And, like Afterlife, Resident Evil: Retribution is also presented in 3-D. But while the last movie felt clean and more character-focused, this one seems a good deal lazier, both in the writing and directing departments. For instance, Anderson comes up with a couple of potentially great martial arts fight scenes but edits them too quickly and lowers the emotional stakes.
Though several characters band together here, the movie doesn't seem to care about any of them, and none of them gets much more than a couple of tough-guy line readings. They never develop any personalities. Indeed, when characters start dying, it's hard to remember who's gone. The 3-D isn't used quite as well this time, either, and it often goes unnoticed. The visual effects are pretty much business as usual.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Resident Evil: Retribution's violence. 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?
Do you feel the need to see the latest Resident Evil movie just because you've seen the others? How does the latest one compare?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 14, 2012
- On DVD or streaming : December 21, 2012
- Cast : Michelle Rodriguez , Milla Jovovich , Sienna Guillory
- Director : Paul W.S. Anderson
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 117 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sequences of strong violence throughout
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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