I love horror flicks. Not the torture porn of the Hostel variety. I mean the psychological horror of 1408 or the blood and guts of Evil Dead and Kill Bill (the last one done quite exquisitely.)
So I’m watching Resident Evil: Extinction (it’s playing as I’m typing.) I’ve found that I have been commenting on all the clichés (sorry Adam) on horror movies because there’s nothing new anymore - it’s all based on older movies. All I can hope for is a good rendering of the cliché. Most movies don’t do it well; even if I’m not expecting much, I’m let down.
One good movie is a British flick called “Severance”. A “team” from a corporation goes to Eastern Europe and meets up with a group of sadistic killers. It’s got some comedic element in it…okay, it’s a dark comedy. But it has enough gore to make it worthwhile.
OK, I got to the part where the main scientist guy (like I’m paying attention to names) injects himself with a prototype anti-serum after getting bit by a zombie. He ends up dying and gets tentacles. Then the good guy who got bit by a zombie ends up blowing up himself and hundreds of zombies so the others can get to the Umbrella Corporation facility.
These are what makes the clichés cool again - turning them on their sides so that they don’t seem old hat. For a movie franchise based on a video game, these movies aren’t half bad. They’re “good” bad; no real redeeming value, but you don’t think you wasted your time watching them.