Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

The sixth movie in this violent sci-fi/horror series feels cursory and carelessly made. The cluttered, clunky footage is nearly unwatchable, and it's difficult to care about the flat, lifeless characters. The title of part six, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, sounds like a promise, but don't be fooled: If this one does well, there will most certainly be more. Writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson clearly doesn't care much anymore; he uses some of the laziest plot devices known to man, starting with the totally unexplained "48 hour" time limit. (If the time limit, and the movie, could have been shorter, that might have helped.)

Jovovich, still looking fierce, throws herself physically into her role, but she endures quite a beating this time around, and -- as tough as she is -- it's hard to watch. The other characters barely appear to have memorized their lines, and they look rather glazed as they recite the inane dialogue. The footage is constantly shaking; it's edited with jackhammer speed and finesse, and the sound design is loud and jumpy. It's like being trapped in a washing machine filled with gray clothes, and occasionally someone bangs on the side. And there are explosions. All of that said, fans of the series will no doubt be happy.