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Resident Evil: Degeneration, the first full-length Resident Evil film in CG, produces enough gratuitous bile - both on screen, in the yards of mutated entrails, and off screen, in viewers' stomach - that certain viewers will clear their throats, wag their fingers, and push the plate aside: this dish isn't for everyone. I guarantee you Roger Ebert won't like this movie, and why should he? RE:D's bloody. It's violent. It's canonical. It's a Resident Evil game made into a film, both for better and for worse, but above all else, it's a gory good time.

The story begins at a humble Midwest airport where Claire Redfield, now tied to a humanitarian organization that caters to the survivors of terror motivated viral outbreaks, picks up a young girl from India whose family was killed in a recent zombie attack. But where Claire goes trouble follows, and sooner than you can say "government conspiracy" a zombie filled plane bursts through the nearest picture window. Of course, Claire can't battle the undead alone. Leon Kennedy, famous US government agent and star of Resident Evil 4, arrives with guns, ammo, and a love interest - a cop named Angela Miller. Together, the three gunslingers guide the few remaining survivors to safety with gore and quips to spare.

That's just the first act! "Wait, that's just the first act?" That was my thought as the airport scene came to a close, and I checked my watch to see less than half an hour had passed. "Now what?"

How does RE:D keep up the blood bath? Find out after the jump...

Resident Evil: Degeneration's biggest problem may be its willingness to, in the first twenty-five minutes, provide the audience with what they want: a massive set piece, a flimsy love story, and a heaping helping of the undead. With the airport stage cleared, the story turns sideways, drifting into the background of Angela Miller (Leon's new found love). The conspiracies get thicker; the plot, murkier, and the action stops briefly to fill us in on this woman and her brother, Curtis, a desperate man determined to force the government to reveal the truth behind the Raccoon City incident.

But a with a splash of the G-virus and it's mutative capabilities, the action reboots. While the film's second act unravels a bit to cover exposition, it pays off with a massive final set-piece set in the WilPharma facility, a company that has ties to both the T- and G-viruses and their respective vaccines. The RE:D's CG actors look great drilling bullets through zombie skulls, vaulting across abandoned office space, and generally kicking tail. If you long for hardcore, explosive zombie action, the kind last scene in Resident Evil 2 and Parasite Eve cut-scenes, RE:D's your dream come true.

The third act includes a megaton of explosions, piles of zombies, and a ridiculous monstrosity for our heroes to overcome; you'll instantly recall the 1980's, the glory days of B-movie action cinema. Even the romance feels like an homage to a**-kicking days gone by, as Leon and Angela share the best underwater kiss/mouth-to-mouth resuscitation this side of Waterworld.

Resident Evil: Degeneration's not a perfect movie. CG actors are difficult to direct and the story flounders occasionally. But if you are a fan of Resident Evil or if you like CG films or you need a zombie-blasting fix, this films for you.

Resident Evil: Degeneration will play at the New York City Horror Film Festival on November 13th and at a Fangoria hosted screening in Los Angeles on November 18th. You can grab it on Blu-Ray, DVD or for your PSP on December 30. If you just can't wait for more RE:D, check out our recent interview with the director and producer. Or you can head over to our stills gallery.

Writing: B-
Direction: B+
Look: B
Fun Factor: A-
Overall: B

Release Date: October 30, 2008
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Capcom Company
Director: Makoto Kamiya
Cast: Alyson Court, Paul Mercier
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1
Genre: Horror
MPAA Rating: Unrated