3D! The innovative technology that will usher the film industry into the new age and let moviegoers feel as if they are part of the action. Uh-huh. Although
Avatar went a long way to dispel the stigmas attached to 3D and show the profitability of this novelty, I remained amongst the naysayers, unimpressed by the majority of so called 3D movies; I opted to see
Toy Story in 2D after being underwhelmed by the recent string of animated movies boasting the new innovation. However, after attending a short screening of 3D footage from
Resident Evil: Afterlife at Sony Pictures this past Monday, not only do I understand why I have been so disappointed with most 3D movie experiences,
but I am finally excited about 3D. The footage was preceded by an introduction by director
Paul W.S. Anderson, making a welcomed return to directorial duties; despite writing and producing the entire series, this marks only the second film he has directed in Res-Ev franchise. We were all instructed that there was no need to put our 3D glasses for the introduction, as it was not filmed in 3D. And it was a good thing it wasnt; Paul Anderson displays a love and enthusiasm for 3D so intense that had he been in 3D I fear the entire theatre would have fled in the fashion of those poor people subjected to that footage of a train travelling towards them in nineteen hundred odd. While
Christopher Nolan said last month upon being quizzed about the lack of a 3D version of
Inception that he does not yet have a sufficient understating of the technology yet to employ it in his filmmaking, Anderson most certainly does, and discusses the science behind the 3D filmmaking, also explaining the reason why certain movies have not been successful is that they are converted to 3D afterwards, which he says is a waste of time. Anderson has acquired the same team and technology responsible for Avatar to produce what he believes will be the film that changes action movies forever. The footage itself was even more mind-blowing than the directors introduction.
The scene, entitled, the Axe-Man takes place in a shower room and sees
Milla Jovovich reprising her role as the super-human Alice, joined by agent Clare Redfield (
Ali Larter) as they and two big, beefy soldiers attempt to escort a weedy, Chinese scientist out of some kind of ravaged city through a sewer. Suddenly a giant, genetically modified, bloodied mask-wearing monster of a man invades, wielding an axe the size of a bloody scooter! After bludgeoning the head clean off one of the beefcakes, Alice attempts to usher the scientist out while Clare keeps the Axeman busy. The showerheads are smashed off and water cascades everywhere like rain falling from the sky, which creates incredible depth of field. The battle continues with each swing of the axe coming towards Clare and us. The conclusion of the scene is amazing, the axe comes flying towards the screen, and for the first time in a 3D film, or perhaps any film, I flinched! And so did the rest of the theatre.
I was a fan of the first Resident Evil movie; I felt it captured the story, spirit and tension of the video game series, whilst also presenting a high-octane, cohesive action film. Less can be said for the subsequent two sequels. So while I cant speak for the quality of this new movie, I can say that even if it suffers from the same clunky story elements, bad dialogue and overkill of gratuitous action as its two predecessors, at least it will have the 3D novelty, which from this one scene is very impressive and proves at least to this former 3D cynic - there is more to the 3D film experience than the thrill of trying to sneak out with a pair of pimped out sunglasses.
Resident Evil: Afterlife opens on Sept. 10th in the U.K. and U.S.