Biohazard: Damnation |
  • Japan • 2012 • 100m •    • Directed by: Makoto Kamiya. • Starring: Matthew Mercer, Dave Wittenberg, Wendee Lee, Val Tasso, Robin Sachs, Courtenay Taylor, Salli Saffioti, David Vincent, Patrick Seitz, Michael McConnohie, Kevin Dorman, Melinda Lee, Kirk Thornton. • Music by: Rei Kondoh, Shusaku Uchiyama.     United States Special Agent Leon S. Kennedy sneaks into a small Eastern European country to verify rumors that Bio Organic Weapons (B.O.W.s) are being used in war. Right after his infiltration, the U.S. government orders him to leave immediately. Determined to uncover the truth, Leon ignores the order and enters the battlefield to end the chain of tragedies caused by the B.O.W.s.
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Review:
If you have seen the trailer then you are already sold as it simply looks awesome. The animation is fantastic if you like video games which is what this is, a glorified video game with POV camera angles and the exact same characters as the latest game and many of the locations and monsters are the same...exactly which is clearly a tie in of sorts to help cross promote each other. This is no Pixar but it is pretty sweet to look at from beginning to end which in itself will sell the film to many but.....BIG BUT the story, plot, script, dialogue etc. is simply not there or what is in its place is truly DUMB and makes little to no sense and anyone who has any type of understanding how the world works or even basic law enforcement or even small communities or hell human nature will be constantly saying 'Okkkkkk, mmmmm but what about...um...okkkk this makes zero sense...what the hell???!!!???'. I think the appalling them tune says it all....'I am broken like a marrow...' or maybe Leon Kennedy says it best when he says, 'we need to go on even without any limbs!'. So from the latter maybe you get an idea of the quality of the writing and why this films falls flat on it's face.
The film has all the ingredients to be as good or superior to the last one which I thoroughly enjoyed as an airport is a fantastic place to have a zombie outbreak. Though Damnation is literally damned from the outset due to the incredibly naive and childish writing. You would think if you put LEON S MOST POPULAR RES> CHARACTER EVER KENNEDY and ADA HOT AS HELL WONG you would it would equal instant cult status but sadly even with these fan favs. the film plods along with cliché lines and predictable twist, if any, and every scene looks like a new location in a game but this is a film and ironically the game is being heavily criticized for the opposite reasons.
The music sound doesn't help either as the soundtrack ranges from non existent to boring to awful USA rock tracks by Japanese singers who do no understand what they are singing etc. and the sound is just uninteresting and creates little to no tension or scares as this may be a horror franchise which became an action horror franchise and ended in just action which then became a talky drama.
The above is another serious issue which undermines all the beautiful animation and wonderfully deep pool of resources the franchise has built for itself over the last ten plus years. What type of film is this and who is the audience as the intelligence level would presume it was for 12 year olds but the occasional blood letting (zero sex and little gore) would suggest at least 15+. Of course both female characters (there are only two, maybe three) get their clothes off and reveal a boob and the third girl is literally a sexy zombie cheerleader with a nasty case of the Zombies...actually there is one more and she stays fully clothed at all times but she is only on screen for maybe 1 min?. While the male leads (which are plentiful) keep fully dressed and kick ass and save everyone though Ada does her bit...with her boob out.
Now I don't have an issue with sexism in a film aimed at male teen fan boys but still it is kind of lame and offensive and actually very Japanese and there is a feeling of misogyny throughout the film in my opinion. Overall it was utterly forgettable and horribly predictable and ultimately irrelevant and should have never been made except to cross promote the new game which I would recommend as I am loving it though it is more action evil then resident.
If you need a Res fix rent or buy the previous installment or play the new game as it is practically a film anyway. Avoid this mess if possible but if you actually need to see it just make sure you don not pay for it and if you do then make sure you send a written letter of complaint to the makers to prevent this travesty from reoccurring! 510 - 5 for the animation and the franchise.
Review by winzentween from the Internet Movie Database.
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