Resident Evil: Damnation – Biohazard: Damnation (2012)

Directed by: Makoto Kamiya | 100 minutes | animation, action, horror, science fiction, thriller | Original voice cast: Courtenay Taylor, Robin Sachs, Carolyn Lawrence, Matthew Mercer, Wendee Lee, Salli Saffioti, Dave Wittenberg, Val Tasso, Patrick Harlan, Dave Wittenburg

The founder of the survival horror genre, ‘Resident Evil’ is not only an incredibly popular video game series, but the game universe is also responsible for a very successful series of live action film adaptations. Five such films have already appeared, starring Milla Jovovich, and now, after ‘Resident Evil: Degeneration’, the second (computer)animated film has appeared, subtitled ‘Damnation’. It is a film that will be especially worthwhile for fans and connoisseurs of the games, partly because references to specific events or characters from the past escape a layman due to a lack of sometimes necessary – or at least very useful – background knowledge. But actually there is plenty to enjoy for anyone who likes spectacular, brutal action and a good dash of science fiction/fantasy.

‘Damnation’ contains quite interesting themes and topics: biological warfare; domination by Russian oligarchs and suppression of freedom fighters by the military; corruption, hostile governments working together to fight a greater evil, the irony of America-haters who secretly love American products. But these situations or elements are usually only referred to in passing, or it remains vague because of the lack of the necessary background knowledge. Yet just the seed planted in the viewer’s mind is enough to spark some interest and create the sense that there is a deeper, more complex world behind it. Although it is a pity that it does not amount to much in the film, all substantive “help” is included. As far as plot is concerned, not much surprising happens. It is quickly clear who the villain is and that initial enemies will become friends after all.

At the end of the film, the makers try to add some weighty drama, which doesn’t quite work, but the effort is appreciable. The characters never really come into their own, and the voice actors remain a bit wooden, but it could have been worse. The wimpy America freak JD is especially annoying in the beginning of the film, but you start to care about him in a strange way, to the point that he even becomes endearing. For the uninitiated, Ada Wong is – or remains – above all a mysterious and sexy femme fatale (or not?) who occasionally appears, and has spicy confrontations with the female president of the East Slavic republic. One of these is visually very reminiscent of the “teasing” virtual sword fighting training session in the animated short ‘Flight of the Osiris’, which was part of the ‘Animatrix’.

The animation itself is of excellent quality. Sometimes it’s like watching a cutscene in a (mediocre) video game, for example when Leon walks through a parking garage and shines his flashlight on several cars. However, the fact that these cars look like biscuit tins may also have been a conscious choice, given the former Soviet country in which the story is set. But as soon as the biological weapons and zombie-like characters come into view, and the action starts, the film turns into an audiovisual feast. Hordes of so-called face lickers – crawling monsters with tongues that are meters long -, practically indestructible and unstoppable hulk-like giants, and mutants with tentacles from their heads – known from the game ‘Resident Evil 5’ – keep ‘Damnation’ constantly interesting . And if the creepy creatures don’t provide the necessary entertainment, Ada Wong, the president or other fighters will do this with a nice game of mats. The animated film also contains a striking number of objects or creatures – a knife, a hand, a beak of a monster – heading straight for the camera, as if the print was actually intended for 3D production. In 2D they are already fun, playful effects, but the experience could have been a little more intense.

The movie could have gone a little further in story or character development than it has now, and it’s a shame at times that that ancient, chilling “Resident Evil” atmosphere – with slow, large numbers of zombies, slowly closing in on the hero, or appear behind every dark corner – usually not seen in the film, but in its own way ‘Resident Evil: Damnation’ offers a nice piece of entertainment, and is at least another nice teaser for the ‘Resident Evil 6 ‘ game (for PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360), which will be released on October 2, 2012. Or the next live action movie, which will undoubtedly come.