Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Review Roundup

The sixth and potentially last Resident Evil movie, The Final Chapter, arrives in theaters today. To help you get an idea for if it's worth your time and money, we've rounded up review excerpts.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson and star Milla Jovovich return--they have directed and starred in every film, respectively--for what Anderson says is the best, scariest movie of the entire series.

The Final Chapter is really (maybe) the last movie, according to Jovovich. It ties up loose ends about her character, Alice, with the story going back to where it all began--Raccoon City. If you need a primer on the story so far, check out this video in which Jovovich recaps the events of the series.

For more on the critical reaction to The Final Chapter, go to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

The newest Resident Evil game, Resident Evil 7, launched this week for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC--read GameSpot's review here.

• Film: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
• Release Date: January 27
• Starring: Mila Jovovich, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ruby Rose, Shawn Roberts, Eoin Macken, Fraser James
• Directed By: Paul W.S. Anderson
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 106 minutes

GameSpot

"Resident Evil: The Last Chapter has numerous flaws, the most significant of which are its frantically-edited action scenes, but Milla Jovovich remains a likeable hero who is enjoyable to follow. When the film eventually settles down and finds a more suitable skin for itself towards the end, it becomes a little more palatable, a little more fun, and at the very least, will leave you with a few memorable moments." -- Edmond Tran [Full review]

IGN

Like most of the previous Resident Evil films, The Final Chapter is a pointless mess from beginning to end, and acts as an unfortunate reminder of why January gets such a bad rap amongst moviegoers. The film breaks its own rules, and undercuts any chance it has at creating anything even remotely close to feeling real. In the end, it’s not all that different from being bitten by a zombie; you hope to God that it never happens, because of how painful it is to endure, but once it starts, you just want it to end as quickly as humanly possible." -- Alex Welch [Full review]

The New York Times

"Among Alice's foes are hordes of flesh-eating undead, and it's to Mr. Anderson's credit that even in a pop culture glutted with postmodern zombies, he can make his creatures startle viewers. But the blindingly fast cuts and the inflated reprises of the franchise’s greatest hits--the startling undead Dobermans of the first film are back--yield diminishing returns. This is, I think, the weakest picture in the franchise. Nevertheless, the movie percolates enough that even when, at its climax, it shamelessly recycles a grisly punch line from 1987's RoboCop, it's kind of endearing, not least because Mr. Anderson and company make it work." -- Glenn Kenny [Full review]

Den Of Geek

"In the end, this film is probably no worse than most of the Resident Evil sequels, which in itself is still a missed opportunity. Indeed, six movies in and the video games on which this series is based have inexplicably continued to have better plotting and characterization in their filler cutscene moments than a single one of these big Hollywood spectacles. After 15 years, it'd be funny if it wasn't also the scariest thing about these damn things." -- David Crow [Full review]

Variety

"A few individual scenes of hand-to-hand and foot-to-face combat are undeniably exciting, and Jovovich once again impresses with her kinetic athleticism. Overall, however, the repetitiveness and occasional incoherence of the nonstop action leave the audience exhausted for all the wrong reasons. And it doesn’t help that the special effects--especially during the many, many fiery explosions--often appear at once expensive and unconvincing. Maybe it is time for everyone involved with the franchise to really, truly and absolutely call it a day." -- Joe Leydon [Full Review]

Bloody Disgusting

"Although the franchise could've ended with a bit more gusto, The Final Chapter still packs quite a punch, and manages to be both satisfying for diehard fans, while still entertaining everyday movie goers who are just looking for a few hours away from reality. The decision to make this final film a return to the first is an intention that seeps into every aspect of the movie, from the grittier locations, to the more human, powers-stripped-away Alice, to the darker palettes, and it plays well. For a person who has never really been a huge fan of this series, this is definitely, objectively, one of the better installments, if not the best one since the original. Basically, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is hella fun, a proper send-off to the series, and most importantly, shows that Milla Jovovich still kicks all kinds of ass, and can lead a successful franchise all by herself, no man needed to pick up the slack. There’s no one out there quite like Alice, and if this really is the end, she will be dearly missed." -- Kalyn Corrigan [Full review]