Rating 4 / 10

When a movie franchise is lucky enough to produce a third installment, there seems to be an undeniable trend that occurs; the movie isn’t good.

“Spider-Man 3,” “Scream 3,” “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” and “Austin Powers in Goldmember” are all prime examples of series that have crashed and burned when filmmakers get the green light to make a third installment.

“Resident Evil: Extinction” is no exception to the rule.

In “Extinction,” the fatal T-Virus has virtually wiped out the entire world. What once was America is now a desolate wasteland with zombies running rampant, craving human flesh. Those lucky enough to have survived the T-Virus epidemic are doing so by the skin of their teeth. However, they are running out of gasoline and food, and their fellow comrades are dropping like flies to infection. Soon enough, these survivors come across their old leader from the last film.

Alice (Milla Jovovich) is still killing zombies in slow motion and tearing up the Southwest with her BMW motorcycle. She is traveling alone because she knows her presence could put the lives of others in danger. Once again, she is also continuing her infinite plot to bring down the sinister Umbrella Corporation.

Once Alice and the group of survivors meet up half-way through the movie, nothing really happens during the second and third act. Their main objective turns toward getting to Alaska, where they believe The T-Virus is not a factor, in hopes of finding solace. Ironically, the basis of the film deteriorates almost immediately.

Being a fan of the first two films in the series, I was hoping for a logical and pleasing conclusion to Alice’s story. However, the hour and a half course of the movie was very slow-moving. What the viewer is left with is a pure cop-out. If I knew I was going to pay $9.50 to sit through a movie that sets the groundwork for another movie that may or may not come out, I would have spent my money elsewhere.

But the most dissatisfying element of this film is not the laughable performance of Ashanti, or the lack of amusing one-liners, it was the total disregard for the viewers appetite of zombies getting killed. The movie treats us to only one amazing scene, in a barely recognizable Las Vegas, in which my lust for zombie blood is met. Dialogue about ridiculous back stories and the political workings of the Umbrella Corporation don’t get me nearly as interested when seeing Milla Jovovich do back-flips while pumping zombies full of lead is much more entertaining.

The movie’s conclusion does not make up for the disappointing overall product, but it does instill some hope. If maybe, just maybe, the fourth “Resident Evil” film goes back to it’s innovative zombie killing origins, America can collectively forgive, but not forget, “Resident Evil: Extinction.”