It may be a low bar, but the Resident Evil movie franchise is easily the best video game to movie franchise to date. The films also have the distinction of grossing the most money, at just over a billion across all the films. The original six films were written by Paul W. S. Anderson (who directed the original and wrote most of the script treatments) and starred Milla Jovovich as Alice. A seventh movie was released in late 2021 with neither attached to the project.
On the TV front, Netflix recently released its own Resident Evil project. While the casting was stellar, the extreme departure from the films left fans confused if the streaming service was using the property to market a zombie show.
**Spoilers Ahead**
Resident Evil Movies in Order
- Resident Evil (2002)
- Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
- Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
- Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
- Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
- Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017)
- Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City (2021)
Watch the Resident Evil Movies in Chronological Order
Resident Evil
The movie that kicked off the billion-dollar franchise kicks off with Milla Jovovich’s Alice as a security operative for the Umbrella corporation. Her mission is to guard an entrance to an underground lab called the Hive, where genetic research is taking place. After an accidental release of the T-virus, the AI security system, dubbed the Red Queen, activates protocols to kill all the staff in the lab, who then begin to reanimate as zombies.
Critically, the film was panned over its reliance on videogame aesthetics, but it quickly became a cult classic among Resident Evil fans thanks to Jovovich’s portrayal of Alice.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Eric Mabius, Michelle Rodriquez, James Purefoy, Martin Crewes, Colin Salmon
Runtime: 100 Minutes
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Writers: Paul W. S. Anderson
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
A direct sequel to the first film, events pick up as citizens rush to evacuate Racoon City now that the T-virus has been unleashed. Jill and Peyton join Alice (Jovovich) as they try to escape the city ahead of Umbrella’s plan to destroy it with a nuclear-tipped missile. The film also introduces Alice to her powers as she was infected with a form of the T-virus and now uses it to battle against mutated soldiers.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse has the distinction of you either love it or hate it. The camera work is ripped directly from the video games, and the action overshadows any attempt at a plot. Personally, I like it, but I can see the issues with the action sequences being a bit too much.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Jared Harris, Mike Epps
Runtime: 93 Minutes
Director: Alexander Witt
Writers: Paul W. S. Anderson
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil: Extinction
The film follows survivors from Racoon City who have formed a convoy to reach what they believe is a sanctuary in Alaska. Alice continues to discover more powers related to her infection with the T-virus. Extinction also introduces Albert Wesker from the games, who becomes the film’s main antagonist moving forward. Alice vows revenge on the Umbrella Corporation, who have retreated from their North American base to one in Tokyo.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter, Mike Epps, Ashanti, Iain Glen, Christopher Egan, Jason O’Mara
Runtime: 94 Minutes
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Writers: Paul W. S. Anderson
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil: Afterlife
The franchise’s fourth movie introduced 3D, which was taking over theaters at the time. It follows Alice as she attacks the Tokyo facility after learning Umbrella was creating clones of her. After Wesker narrowly escapes, Alice makes her way to Alaska, hoping to find the convoy and the sanctuary. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be the safe haven they hoped for, and the film introduces Chris Redfield from the games as one of Alice’s allies.
Afterlife would go on to gross over $300 million, making it the second highest performer of the franchise and earning Milla Jovovich a Scream Award for Best Science Fiction Actress.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Wentworth Miller, Shawn Roberts, Spencer Locke
Runtime: 97 Minutes
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Writers: Paul W. S. Anderson
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil: Retribution
Another film heavily influenced by the 3D trend, Retribution, has Alice captured by Umbrella and imprisoned in its underwater testing site. With the Red Queen AI now rogue and bent on wiping out all of humanity, Alice has to turn to Wesker to help her escape the facility while fighting an old friend, Jil, who is under the control of the AI.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Shawn Roberts, Michelle Rodriguez, Kevin Durand, Sienna Guillory
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Writers: Paul W. S. Anderson
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
The final film starring Jovovich returns the franchise to where it all started. The Hive and Racoon City. Umbrella has secured cryogenic chambers for the rich and powerful while they prep to release the T-virus to finish off humanity. Alice returns with her allies, where she deals with betrayal and learns who she is and how she fits into what Umbrella was trying to accomplish.
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen, Ruby Rose, Ali Larter, Shawn Roberts, William Levy
Runtime: 106 Minutes
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Writers: Paul W. S. Anderson
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil: Welcome To Racoon City
A reboot of the franchise with a new cast, the movie attempts to restart the franchise by returning to Racoon City before the outbreak. The new film promised to return the franchise closer to its roots and the video game series where the Jovovich franchise diverged heavily from the games. The filmmakers went so far as to recreate some of the cut scenes from the game. Whether or not you’re a fan depends on if you like the previous franchise or want the films to return to their roots in the horror video game genre.
Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper Donal Logue
Runtime: 107 Minutes
Director: Johannes Roberts
Writers: Johannes Roberts
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video (Rental)
Resident Evil – Netflix</h2>
If the movies were loosely based on the video game series, then the Netflix series essentially borrowed the name and a few characters to make a zombie series. One issue that developed is the constant time skips. Every episode flips between characters’ viewpoints set in New Racoon City in South Africa and 14 years after the initial outbreak swept the world.
Cast: Ella Balinkskam Tamara Smart, Siena Agudong, Lance Reddick
Runtime: 8 episodes
Director: Andrew Dabb
Where to Stream: Netflix
If you’re looking for the best options, stick with the Milla Jovovich franchise. While not entirely based on the games, it has enough callbacks to keep fans happy. Plus, the production values are extremely high, and the action choreography is top-notch.
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