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“Resident Evil: Vendetta” Tears Live Action to Shreds

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Most people who know me know to avoid the subject of the Resident Evil live action movies. If you have three hours to kill, by all means, tell me why the live action movie is better than the games and I’ll spend three hours telling you why you’re wrong. But, thankfully, we’re not here to talk about the live action abominations but the newly released animated movie, Resident Evil: Vendetta. Spoilers ahead…and away we go.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Chris Redfield, Rebecca Chambers and Leon S. Kennedy. Photo courtesy kupaman.com

This Capcom approved installment takes place between the events of Resident Evil 6 and 7 games. It follows a much angrier Leon S. Kennedy, a much leaner and different-faced (but still different than RE7) Chris Redfield and the smart as a whip but still adorable Rebecca Chambers. Chris is on a mission to find and eliminate a bio-weapon arms dealer named Glenn Arias, who is on his own mission for revenge against the government after his family and new wife were bombed during their wedding.

Arias has developed a new strain of virus called the A-Virus which, in three steps, allows Arias to infect those of his choosing, wait until he is ready for the virus to activate and attack people he has chosen. Needless to say, in the wrong hands, this is a very powerful weapon.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Photo courtesy of finnkino.fr

Rebecca is a professor specializing in vaccine development and finds that the first step of the virus is infecting the population via drinking water. Step two is vaccinating those you don’t want infected once the trigger initiates. The last step is to trigger the infection via gas. She also finds that it is connected to the Los Illuminados cult and their development of Los Plagas, which ties the universe of the movie to RE5.

The universe is also tied to RE6 via the interaction between Chris and Leon. RE6 is the first time, onscreen anyway, that Leon and Chris interact in person and work together. During Resident Evil: Vendetta, the familiarity is definitely there and it snuggles in nicely between the events of 6 and 7. We will know more after the “Not a Hero” DLC comes out…hopefully.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Chris and Leon teaming up against the terrorists. Photo courtesy of fathomevents.com

That didn’t spoil TOO much of the film but its ties to the games’ universe is important. With so much mystery surrounding Resident Evil: Biohazard, every little bit helps. With the new game, many signs point to Chris looking for something or someone and this movie leaves open the possibility for that to happen.

Now, let’s get into the look of this movie. Its damn gorgeous is what it is. I find it funny and infuriating that a live action movie with the budget of more than what most people will make in their entire lifetime can’t pop out a decent video game adaptation but the animated version absolutely kills it. Certain shots, like those looking at security footage are so tight and realistic that I forget I’m watching an animated movie.

Now, Resident Evil: Vendetta isn’t without its flaws. Photos in the movie still look overly cartoon-y and mouth movement can sometimes be very robotic but can we PLEASE talk about the fight scenes? These are the BEST fight scenes I have seen in anywhere. There are some big shoes to fill, I know, but watch the scene where Chris is fighting a horde in the lab of Arias and you will see what I’m talking about.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Chris and Leon fighting zombies in Arias’s lab. Photo courtesy duniaki.net

Chris’s movements are smooth as butter and actually believable. His leaner stature makes it seem natural that he would be faster and more nimble. Leon, being ever the drama queen, comes in with his motorcycle moves that are just so extra but he’s Leon goddamn Kennedy and we expect nothing less.

I must also mention, however, the gunfight between Chris and Arias. For those of you who play FPS games like Battlefield, this gunfight reminds me of shooting my gun and realizing that someone has put my movement sensitivity too high and I end up shooting in circles and hit everything besides what I’m aiming at. Now have two guys trying to shoot each other with their sensitivity all the way up and you have the fight scene. All it was missing was the Benny Hill theme music.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

The slapstick gunfight between Chris and Arias. Image courtesy of hitek.fr

A bigger surprise than the facelift is the change in the very distinct voice of Chris Redfield. Since RE5, he has been voiced by Roger Craig Smith. In Resident Evil: Vendetta, he is voiced by Kevin Dorman and in RE7, he is voiced by David Vaughn. It would seem that Capcom might be having an existential or middle aged crisis right now.

Glenn Arias is voiced by John DeMita, who is no stranger to Japanese animation and is used often in Myazaki movies. Rebecca is voiced by Erin Cahill and Leon is voiced by Leon veteran (he voiced Leon in RE: Damnation and RE6) Matthew Mercer.

The movie was produced by Capcom and Marza Animation Company in Japan. Resident Evil: Vendetta is the third in the canon animated movies following Resident Evil: Degeneration and Resident Evil: Damnation.

Overall, I was super impressed with this movie. The movement was smooth and seamless, the story was standard Resident Evil but not dry. There were a couple moments in the movie where I thought the cheesiness factor was a bit high (especially when Arias’s B.O.W.s were introduced) but not so much as to discount the rest of the movie. I highly recommend this installment in the Resident Evil universe.

If you want to check out the trailer before you see the movie, you can watch it here. To see the evolution of Chris Redfield, we have an article for that too, and for latest news on the reboot of the live action movies, check that out here. This film is only available digitally at this time but you can pre-order the blu ray now.

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Childhood Memories Collide in New Horror Film ‘Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble’

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It looks like ITN Studious and Jagged Edge Productions are going the Avengers: Infinity War route with their upcoming film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. From the deranged mind of Rhys Frake-Waterfield (Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey) comes this belligerent mash up of beloved childhood icons.

According to an article out of Variety today, Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will consist of Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, The Mad Hatter, and Sleeping Beauty. All of these iconic figured will be warped into nightmarish versions of their former selves. Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble is set to be released upon the world sometime in 2025.

Poohniverse

Actor-producer Scott Chambers (Malevolent) had the following to say about Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. “As horror fans, we would love an Avengers that is all villains. It’d have Freddy Krueger, Jason, ‘Halloween,’ ‘Scream,’ all of those. Obviously that will never happen, but we can make it happen in our own little way, and that’s where this film has been born.”

Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will be a part of The Twisted Childhood Universe. Just like the MCU, each character will first get a standalone film. After introductions are made, they will be reunited in an Avengers style film. Although they will be killing off the survivors from the previous films, they won’t be working together.

Chambers describes this as an “epic sequences of monster vs. monster.” And I don’t know what more fans could ask of the studio. This fantastical idea is a huge risk but Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble sounds amazing.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Check back here for more updates on Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. If you haven’t already, check out the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 below.

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Blumhouse’s ‘The Wolf Man’ Reboot Kicks Off Production with Leigh Whannell at the Helm

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Blumhouse Productions has officially commenced filming its reboot of the Universal Monsters legend, “Wolf Man”. Under the direction of Leigh Whannell, known for his acclaimed work on “The Invisible Man” (2020), the project promises to breathe new life into the iconic tale. The film is slated for a theatrical release on October 25th, marking a new chapter in the storied franchise.

Wolf Man

The journey of a “Wolf Man” reboot began in 2020 when actor Ryan Gosling presented a fresh take on the classic story to Universal. This concept quickly evolved into a screenplay crafted by the talented duo Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, who are known for their work on “Orange Is the New Black,” alongside contributions from Whannell and Corbett Tuck. The narrative is set in contemporary times, drawing inspiration from the atmospheric tension of Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Nightcrawler,” albeit with a distinct supernatural twist.

The film has seen its share of directorial and casting shifts, with Whannell initially signing on to direct in 2020, only to step away and then return to the project after Ryan Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance exited. The lead roles have been filled by Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, both of whom bring significant talent to the screen. Abbott portrays a man whose family faces the terror of a lethal predator, with Garner likely playing his wife, sharing in the familial peril. The storyline also hints at a daughter named Ginger, adding a layer of depth to the family’s harrowing experience.

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott

This reboot represents a collaboration between Blumhouse and Motel Movies, with Jason Blum producing. Ryan Gosling remains involved as an executive producer, alongside Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell himself. The announcement of the film’s production start was made by Jason Blum, who shared an exciting glimpse of Whannell on set, signaling the beginning of what is hoped to be a memorable addition to the horror genre.

As the “Wolf Man” reboot moves forward, fans and newcomers alike are eager to see how this modern interpretation will pay homage to its roots while offering a fresh and thrilling experience. With a talented cast and crew at the helm, the film is poised to reintroduce the timeless tale of transformation and terror to a new generation.

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‘Immaculate’ Stars Reveal Which Horror Villains They Would “F, Marry, Kill”

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Sydney Sweeney is just coming off the success of her rom-com Anyone But You, but she’s ditching the love story for a horror story in her latest film Immaculate.

Sweeney is taking Hollywood by storm, portraying everything from a love-lusting teenager in Euphoria to an accidental superhero in Madame Web. Although the latter got a lot of hate among theater-goers, Immaculate is getting the polar opposite.

The film was screened at SXSW this past week and was well-received. It also gained a reputation for being extremely gory. Derek Smith of Slant says the, “final act contains some of the most twisted, gory violence this particular subgenre of horror has seen in years…”

Thankfully curious horror movie fans won’t have to wait long to see for themselves what Smith is talking about as Immaculate will hit theaters across the United States on March, 22.

Bloody Disgusting says that the movie’s distributor NEON, in a bit of marketing smarts, had stars Sydney Sweeney and Simona Tabasco play a game of “F, Marry, Kill” in which all their choices had to be horror movie villains.

It’s an interesting question, and you might be surprised at their answers. So colorful are their responses that YouTube slapped an age-restricted rating on the video.

Immaculate is a religious horror movie that NEON says stars Sweeney, “as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.”

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