I watched on: Blu-Ray
The Price I paid: £2.99 (eBay)
Notes: N/A
Resident Evil Damnation is the sequel to Resident Evil Degeneration, a CGI film set in the canon of the Resident Evil games. Degeneration is an enjoyable but flawed film that will satisfy those wanting more backstory on the Resident Evil 5 game. Damnation follows suit, being set just before the events of Resident Evil 6, with the ending leading into the game.
Because of this, Damnation relies on the viewer being familiar with the games it’s based on. This means that those new to the Resident Evil games will have a hard time following the story here. If you were a little confused with Ada Wong’s campaign in Resident Evil 6, then this may clear things up. Saying that this is not needed to fully enjoy the game. The chance to see the events leading up to the game is enlightening but not necessary. As much as it pushes those outside the fan base away, Damnation pulls those within it in. I’m the sort of person who can’t get enough of the worlds and stories I enjoy. If you’re similar to this, you will get a lot from this film.
We find Leon S Kennedy investigating rumours of BOWs being used in a civil war in the Eastern Slav Republic. After he contacts the local rebels, he learns they are using Los Plagas to gain a symbiotic relationship with the Lickers. The Plaga will slowly turn the host into a mindless killing machine, but before that happens, they will be able to command the Lickers. The rebels plan to use this to attack the central government, which has been making unprovoked attacks on them. These attacks started after the government learnt that oil was in the land promised to the rebels during the last peace treaty. Ada Wong has intel that suggests the government also supplies the rebels with Los Plagas. Madame President Svetlana Belikova is doing all this in an attempt to try and frame the rebels as terrorists using illegal BOWs. She hopes this will gain her and her country favour with the EU and UN. Of course, all Ada cares about is stealing the Plaga for her employer.
If Degeneration took its style and theme from Resident Evil 2, then Damnation takes its cues from Resident Evil 4. Leon S Kennedy and Ada Wong are the main characters, and the monsters are Los Plagas. We even have Leon cracking bad jokes during life-or-death situations. This is a good thing because Resident Evil 4 is a great game with a very enjoyable tone. The many Resident Evil 4 fans will enjoy this film, and those who have enjoyed the series since the first game will love it even more. Seeing Lickers, Tyrants, and Los Plagas in the same film is fantastic. The action scenes are quite frankly amazing. It’s not just men with guns against zombies like in Degeneration. Instead, we have Ada Wong fighting with a knife, Lickers taking on Tyrants, Leon trying to survive against Los Plagas and more. This is just the over-the-top nonsense that Resident Evil specialises in. Sometimes this takes its form in horror, sometimes in action, but whatever form it takes, it’s nearly always fun.
This film's few minor flaws, such as the odd line of forced exposition or character faces dipping into the uncanny valley, are not enough to stop me from enjoying it. While it’s far from perfect, with it only really appealing to fans of the Resident Evil games, I think it’s well made for what it is. All I can say is that if you enjoy the games and want more of that world, then you can do far worse than Resident Evil Damnation.
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