In this episode of Sci-Fi Graveyard, Joseph, Jeremy, and Josh return to the Umbrella Corporation's testing grounds to review the fifth installment of the franchise, Resident Evil: Retribution. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this 2012 sequel brings Alice (Milla Jovovich) to an underwater facility in Russia where she must fight her way through simulations of various cities to escape.
The discussion centers on the film's "Greatest Hits" approach, bringing back dead characters like Rain (Michelle Rodriguez) and One (Colin Salmon) as clones, alongside the live-action debuts of fan-favorite game characters Leon S. Kennedy, Barry Burton, and Ada Wong. The hosts have mixed feelings about the casting, with Josh criticizing the look of Leon and Barry while praising Bingbing Li's accurate portrayal of Ada. They debate the logic of the simulation plot, the introduction of the Las Plagas parasites, and the "daughter" subplot involving a deaf clone child. The crew also expresses their fatigue with the series' repetitive nature and the constant resetting of Alice's powers. Ultimately, the group agrees that while it has some fun action beats, the story is a mess, leading them to vote "Let It Die."
Key Highlights [02:37] Casting Game Characters: The hosts discuss the introduction of Leon S. Kennedy (Johann Urb) and Barry Burton (Kevin Durand), criticizing their look and lack of faithful characterization compared to the games.
[05:03] Simulation Plot: A breakdown of the movie's setting—a massive underwater Umbrella facility that simulates Tokyo, New York, and suburbia for bioweapon testing—which allows for the return of dead characters as clones.
[08:12] Ada Wong: The crew praises the casting of Bingbing Li as Ada Wong, noting that she looks the most like her video game counterpart, even if her evening gown isn't the most practical combat attire.
[15:59] Las Plagas: Joseph explains the introduction of the Las Plagas parasite (from
Resident Evil 4), which allows the Undead to use weapons and ride motorcycles, deviating further from traditional zombies.
[30:04] The Clone Reveal: A discussion on the deleted subplot that would have revealed the entire strike team from the first movie were clones, foreshadowing the twist in the final film.
[36:41] China Censorship: Joseph shares trivia about the film having to digitally remove all Soviet and Communist symbols from the Russian zombies and vehicles to secure a release in China.