The Thrills and Flaws of Resident Evil: Death Island
The Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance’s familiar faces are back in action in Resident Evil: Death Island. Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Rebecca Chambers team up with Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy to combat a terrifying viral outbreak. Set in San Francisco in Capcom’s expansive Resident Evil universe, Death Island delivers impressive CG animation and creature effects during intense action sequences. However, the film lacks momentum during slower moments where it fails to captivate the audience.
While Jill and Chris investigate mysterious infections in San Francisco, Leon tracks down a shady engineer named Dr. Antonio Taylor. Additionally, Claire examines the carcass of a dead orca, stunned by the size of the bite that caused its demise.
Alcatraz becomes the convergence point for all the leads, as they uncover the villainous plans of Dylan Blake. Surviving a previous mission in Raccoon City, Blake’s revenge plot involves using T-Virus experiments to unleash deadly bio-drones. However, the excessive monologues from Blake become tiresome, hindering the overall pacing of Death Island.
The film also explores the characters’ personal histories. Jill must confront her post-traumatic stress from Resident Evil 5 while Chris initially doubts her determination. Nevertheless, their bond strengthens as they face the impending danger together.
Resident Evil: Death Island shines during the thrilling combat sequences. From Maria’s acrobatic attack on Leon’s motorcycle to Jill’s impressive takedown of a zombie, the action captures the essence of the franchise. The camaraderie between Leon and Jill is evident as they team up to fight relentless bio goons.
The climactic battle takes place in the subterranean levels of Alcatraz, providing the characters with access to a wide array of powerful weapons. With the help of Rebecca and Claire’s computer hacking skills, Jill, Chris, and Leon engage in a high-stakes version of Blake’s signature game of Russian roulette.