MOVIE REVIEW – Resident Evil: Death Island is the latest action-horror animated movie set in the world of the Resident Evil video games. This film is the fifth installment in the Resident Evil animated movie series following the 2017 release of Resident Evil: Vendetta and the 2021 Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness miniseries.

According to the developers at Capcom, Resident Evil: Death Island is set in 2015, positioning it chronologically after the 2013 Resident Evil 6 and the 2014 Resident Evil: Vendetta, and directly before the 2017 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.

A Quick Look at Resident Evil: Death Island

The story, set in San Francisco, sees Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield face another zombie outbreak and a fresh T-virus while DSO agent Leon S. Kennedy tries to rescue a key figure in the plot, a doctor named Antonio Taylor, from his captors. However, the mission falls apart when a mysterious woman interrupts the operation.

Meanwhile, Claire Redfield is tracking a mysterious creature killing whales in the San Francisco Bay for unknown reasons. During her investigation, Rebecca discovers that the virus killing the fish bears similarities to other viruses that have recently appeared.

Leon and Claire soon team up with Jill, Chris, and their scientist friend, Rebecca Chambers. It turns out that all the survivors have one thing in common: they’ve recently visited Alcatraz Island.

Leon, Claire, Jill, and Chris arrive at the island on a tourist boat, with Rebecca joining them later to develop an antivirus.

Much to their shock, they find that the infamous prison is serving as a testing ground for a new biological weapon they’ve never seen before. Will the four of them be able to escape the prison? And who will be their main adversary?

Everyone’s Here

This is the first time that all the main characters appear together in one film. Typically, they are each given individual focus. Jill Valentine and Leon S. Kennedy are seen together on screen after a long time, as are Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine.

Every Resident Evil fan will be thrilled to see these five characters in one film. Each character has their own fanbase, and it’s exciting to see them together on the screen.

According to the press, this film is like the Avengers meeting the Resident Evil universe to undertake a very difficult mission. Is the stake really that high that all five of them need to come together in one film?

The Main Plot is Easy to Guess

It’s already evident regarding the story that the film’s plot is quite predictable. From the title and the trailer, it’s clear that everything leads to the former Alcatraz prison, which is now a tourist attraction.

However, what’s interesting is who’s behind all this. It’s not Umbrella this time, but a former member of an Umbrella team who becomes the main villain. He has become depressed and nihilistic after seeing his friends killed by the virus and wants revenge by kidnapping Dr. Antonio Taylor to develop a new, more lethal and never-seen-before variant.

The main villain’s character development and portrayal is very well set up and it ties in with his character from the previous film, Resident Evil: Vendetta.

The Action Sequences are More Intense and the Story is Not Boring

Death Island not only focuses on the fight against zombies and other big monsters, but also boasts exciting action sequences. Leon’s motorcycle chase scene, where he pursues robbers, is very well executed, although it strongly reminds one of The Matrix Reloaded, so it can also be seen as a kind of “nostalgia” – with excellent animation.

In addition, the scenes set in the prison are extremely powerful, with tense, spectacular “over-the-top” action. All these scenes are complemented by much better developed music pieces than in Resident Evil: Vendetta.

Jill and Chris’ characters get more screen time than the others, because at the beginning of the movie Jill is a bit depressed due to past traumas when she was brainwashed. Because of this, Chris helped Jill a lot and we often see them together on screen.

Is this Island Deadly?

Resident Evil: Death Island can be said to be the best in the Resident Evil animated franchise to date – admittedly, the bar wasn’t set too high in terms of “film art experience”, as these are still reminiscent of video game cutscenes. The plot is quite simple, so it won’t change the world, but it is easy to follow and never boring.

The depth of the characters is also more detailed, especially on the enemy’s side. There are lots of action sequences, where the sets are also among the best in the entire franchise, especially in terms of film music, which is much more elaborated than in the previous film.

For the first time in the franchise’s history, Resident Evil: Death Island brings together the most famous characters in a common struggle, adding new depth and dynamics to the series. The new location, Alcatraz, presents unusual challenges for our heroes while reimagining the familiar zombie apocalypse.

While the film delivers old clichés, it also presents a more serious approach, and raises the bar in terms of music, character development, and action sequences. While the plot may be predictable, the dynamics between characters, the visual design, and the momentum of the action scenes provide ample reason for the viewer to stick around until the end. Resident Evil: Death Island is a memorable addition to the franchise that could give a significant boost to future installments.

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